Elisabeth of Greater Poland
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Kalisz was the eldest child of Boleslaw the Pious and his wife Jolenta of Poland
. Her younger sister was Jadwiga of Greater Poland
.
(1248–1296), who was the son of Bolesław II the Bald and Hedwig of Anault.
The couple had eight children:
Her husband went to war with Henry III, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
; he was captured and imprisoned in Głogów until he was released. Henry was ill by the time of his release; this was due to the conditions of his confinement (he was locked in an iron cage).
He never recovered his health, and seems to have known that he was not going to live much longer. Fearing for the future of his Duchy, in 1294 he decided to put himself under the protection of the Holy See
.
Henry died on 22 February 1296 and was buried in the Clare
monastery of Wroclaw. At this time, all his sons were minors, and because of this, they were put under the tutelage of his brother Bolko
.
Elisabeth and her children went to live with Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and his family. Here, Wenceslaus and Elisabeth arranged for her son Bolesław to marry Wenceslaus' youngest daughter Margaret
.
Following Bolesław's arrival in the Bohemian court and after his betrothal to Margaret, the King clearly favored him; this attitude caused fear among the closest male relatives of the King, who saw the young Duke of Legnica as a potential rival for the throne. Although the fact that Wenceslaus II had a son made him seem irrelevant, the sudden death of the King in 1305 and one year later the murder of his son and successor Wenceslaus III
in Olomouc
gained him an unexpected importance. Bolesław began his fight for the Bohemian throne taking the title of "haeres Regni Poloniae" (heir of the Polish Kingdom).
Bolesław and Margaret were married in 1308 and had three children. By this time, Elisabeth had died. She died on 28 September 1304 and was buried alongside her husband in the Clare
monastery of Wrocław.
Jolenta of Poland
Jolenta of Poland was the daughter of Béla IV of Hungary and Maria Laskarina. She was the sister of Saint Margaret of Hungary and Saint Kinga...
. Her younger sister was Jadwiga of Greater Poland
Jadwiga of Greater Poland
Hedwig of Kalisz was the second of three daughters, born to Boleslaw the Pious and Jolenta of Poland. Her paternal grandparents were Ladislaus Odonic Plwacz and Jadwiga of Pomerania, her maternal grandparents were Béla IV of Hungary and Maria Laskarina. Her elder sister was Elisabeth of Greater...
.
Marriage
In 1273, Elisabeth married Henry V, Duke of LegnicaHenry V, Duke of Legnica
Henry V the Fat was a Duke of Jawor from 1273, of Legnica from 1278 and also Duke of Wroclaw from 1290....
(1248–1296), who was the son of Bolesław II the Bald and Hedwig of Anault.
The couple had eight children:
- Hedwig (b. ca. 1277 - d. aft. 3 February 1347), married by 1289/95 to Prince Otto of BrandenburgBrandenburgBrandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
-Salzwedel, second son of Margrave Otto V. After her husband died, she became a nun in St. Klara, Wroclaw. - Euphemia (b. ca. 1278 - d. June 1347), married in 1300 to Otto II of Görz, Duke of CarinthiaDuchy of CarinthiaThe Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
. Their daughter was Elisabeth of CarinthiaElisabeth of CarinthiaElisabeth or Elizabeth was the daughter of Otto III of Carinthia by his wife Euphemia of Silesia-Liegnitz. She was born in Gorizia.-Family:...
, through her Elisabeth and Henry were direct ancestors of the Kings of Sicily, AragonAragonAragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
and CastileKingdom of CastileKingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
. - Anna (b. 1284 - d. 2/3 October 1343), Abbess of St. Klara, Wroclaw.
- Elisabeth (b. ca. 1290 - d. Nov 1357/58), Abbess of St. Klara, Wroclaw.
- Bolesław III the Generous (b. 23 September 1291 - d. 21 April 1352).
- Helena (b. ca. 1293 - d. aft. 1300), nun in St. Klara, Gniezno.
- Henry VI the GoodHenry VI the GoodHenry VI the Good was a Duke of Wrocław since 1296 ....
(b. 18 March 1294 - d. 24 November 1335). - Władysław (b. posthumously, 6 June 1296 - d. 13 January aft. 1352).
Her husband went to war with Henry III, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
Henry III, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
Henry III of Głogów was a Duke of Głogów from 1274 to his death and also Duke of parts of Greater Poland during 1306–1309....
; he was captured and imprisoned in Głogów until he was released. Henry was ill by the time of his release; this was due to the conditions of his confinement (he was locked in an iron cage).
He never recovered his health, and seems to have known that he was not going to live much longer. Fearing for the future of his Duchy, in 1294 he decided to put himself under the protection of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
Henry died on 22 February 1296 and was buried in the Clare
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
monastery of Wroclaw. At this time, all his sons were minors, and because of this, they were put under the tutelage of his brother Bolko
Bolko I the Strict
Bolko I the Strict also known as the Raw or of Jawor , was a Duke of Lwówek during 1278-81 and Jawor since 1278 , sole Duke of Lwówek since 1286, Duke of Świdnica-Ziębice since 1291.He was the second son of Bolesław II the Bald, Duke of Legnica by his first wife Hedwig, daughter of...
.
Later life
Elisabeth's mother and younger sister, Anna had gone to live in a nunnery after the death of their father. Jadwiga was married to Władysław I the Elbow-high; they had many children - among them were Elizabeth of Poland and Casimir III the Great.Elisabeth and her children went to live with Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and his family. Here, Wenceslaus and Elisabeth arranged for her son Bolesław to marry Wenceslaus' youngest daughter Margaret
Margaret of Bohemia (1296-1322)
Margaret of Bohemia was a daughter of Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and his first wife, Judith of Habsburg. Her paternal grandparents were Ottokar II of Bohemia and Kunigunda of Slavonia, her maternal grandparents were Rudolph I of Germany and Gertrude of Hohenburg.-Biography:In 1308, Margaret married...
.
Following Bolesław's arrival in the Bohemian court and after his betrothal to Margaret, the King clearly favored him; this attitude caused fear among the closest male relatives of the King, who saw the young Duke of Legnica as a potential rival for the throne. Although the fact that Wenceslaus II had a son made him seem irrelevant, the sudden death of the King in 1305 and one year later the murder of his son and successor Wenceslaus III
Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
Wenceslaus III Premyslid was the King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and the king of Poland ....
in Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
gained him an unexpected importance. Bolesław began his fight for the Bohemian throne taking the title of "haeres Regni Poloniae" (heir of the Polish Kingdom).
Bolesław and Margaret were married in 1308 and had three children. By this time, Elisabeth had died. She died on 28 September 1304 and was buried alongside her husband in the Clare
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
monastery of Wrocław.