Kunigunda of Slavonia
Encyclopedia
Kunigunda Rostislavna (Czech
: Kunhuta Uherská or Kunhuta Haličská) was Queen consort
of Bohemia
and its Regent
from 1278 until her death. She was a member of the House of Chernigov, and a daughter of the ruler of Slavonia
.
, in the domains of her paternal grandfather Michael of Chernigov
. Her grandfather was the last Grand Prince of Kiev, who was deposed not by a more powerful prince but by the Mongol Empire
. Her parents were Rostislav Mikhailovich, future ruler of Belgrade and Slavonia, and his wife Anna of Hungary
. After the death of her father's father, Kunigunda's family relocated to Hungary, where her mother's father, Bela IV of Hungary
, made her father governor of certain Serbian-speaking regions in the Danube
Valley. Her father proclaimed himself Emperor of Bulgaria in 1256 but did not stay there to defend his title.
(ca. 1233 – 1278) in Bratislava
on 25 October 1261. Ottokar was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty
who had been recently divorced from Margaret, Duchess of Austria
(ca. 1204 – 1266) because she had been unable to provide heirs for the King.
Kunigunda, 41 years Margaret's junior, bore Ottokar several children including:
In 1278, King Ottokar tried to recover his lands lost to Rudolph I of Germany
in 1276. He made allies and collected a large army, but he was defeated by Rudolph and killed at the Battle of Dürnkrut and Jedenspeigen
on the March on 26 August 1278.
Moravia
was subdued and its government entrusted to Rudolph's representatives, leaving Kunigunda, now Queen Regent of Bohemia in control of only the province surrounding Prague
, while the young Wenceslaus was betrothed and married to one of Rudolph's daughters, Judith.
Kunigunda married secondly a Bohemian magnate Záviš, Lord of Falkenštejn, in Prague in 1285. However, she died only a few months later. Záviš survived her and married again to the Hungarian Princess Elisabeth
. He was executed on behalf of the King on 24 August 1290.
Kunigunda's son Wenceslaus II kept the Kingdom of Bohemia, and also succeeded in obtaining Poland and Hungary although not very sustainably. Ultimately, she is one of the pivotal ancestresses of both the House of Luxembourg
and the Habsburg
s.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
: Kunhuta Uherská or Kunhuta Haličská) was Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and its Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
from 1278 until her death. She was a member of the House of Chernigov, and a daughter of the ruler of Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
.
Family
She was presumably born in RutheniaRuthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
, in the domains of her paternal grandfather Michael of Chernigov
Michael of Chernigov
Saint Michael of Chernigov or Mikhail Vsevolodovich was a Rus' prince...
. Her grandfather was the last Grand Prince of Kiev, who was deposed not by a more powerful prince but by the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
. Her parents were Rostislav Mikhailovich, future ruler of Belgrade and Slavonia, and his wife Anna of Hungary
Anna of Hungary (b.1226)
Anna of Hungary was a daughter of Béla IV of Hungary and his wife, Maria Laskarina. Anna was a member of the House of Árpád. Anna gained many titles from her marriage, amongst them she was the Baness of Slavonia.- Family :...
. After the death of her father's father, Kunigunda's family relocated to Hungary, where her mother's father, Bela IV of Hungary
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
, made her father governor of certain Serbian-speaking regions in the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
Valley. Her father proclaimed himself Emperor of Bulgaria in 1256 but did not stay there to defend his title.
Marriage
Kunigunda was married - as a token of alliance from her maternal grandfather Bela - to King Ottokar II of BohemiaOttokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
(ca. 1233 – 1278) in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
on 25 October 1261. Ottokar was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
who had been recently divorced from Margaret, Duchess of Austria
Margaret, Duchess of Austria
Margaret of Austria , was a Queen Consort of the Romans 1225–35, titular Duchess of Austria in 1252–60, and Queen consort of Bohemia 1253–60....
(ca. 1204 – 1266) because she had been unable to provide heirs for the King.
Kunigunda, 41 years Margaret's junior, bore Ottokar several children including:
- Kunigunde of BohemiaKunigunde of Bohemia- References :...
(January, 1265 – 27 November 1321). Married Boleslaus II of MasoviaBoleslaus II of MasoviaBoleslaw II of Masovia or Boleslaw II of Płock was a ruler of Masovia. He was the younger brother Konrad II of Masovia and son of Siemowit I of Masovia. His mother was Pereyaslava , daughter of Daniel of Galicia....
. - Agnes of Bohemia (5 September 1269 – 17 May 1296). Married Rudolf II, Duke of AustriaRudolf II, Duke of AustriaRudolph II of Austria , the younger son of King Rudolph of Habsburg and Gertrude of Hohenburg, was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1282 until 1283, jointly with his elder brother Albert I, who succeeded him....
. - Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (17 September 1271 – 21 June 1305).
Queen and regent of Bohemia
However, the peace between Bohemia and Hungary ended after 10 years, when Kunigunda's uncle Stephen came to power as the King of Hungary.In 1278, King Ottokar tried to recover his lands lost to Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
in 1276. He made allies and collected a large army, but he was defeated by Rudolph and killed at the Battle of Dürnkrut and Jedenspeigen
Battle of Dürnkrut and Jedenspeigen
The Battle on the Marchfeld at Dürnkrut and Jedenspeigen took place on August 26, 1278 and was a decisive event for the history of Central Europe for the following centuries...
on the March on 26 August 1278.
Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
was subdued and its government entrusted to Rudolph's representatives, leaving Kunigunda, now Queen Regent of Bohemia in control of only the province surrounding Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, while the young Wenceslaus was betrothed and married to one of Rudolph's daughters, Judith.
Kunigunda married secondly a Bohemian magnate Záviš, Lord of Falkenštejn, in Prague in 1285. However, she died only a few months later. Záviš survived her and married again to the Hungarian Princess Elisabeth
Elizabeth of Hungary, Queen of Serbia
Elizabeth of Hungary the widow was one of younger children of King Stephen V of Hungary and his wife Elizabeth the Cuman. She was a member of the House of Arpad and later became Queen consort of Serbia by her marriage to Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia....
. He was executed on behalf of the King on 24 August 1290.
Kunigunda's son Wenceslaus II kept the Kingdom of Bohemia, and also succeeded in obtaining Poland and Hungary although not very sustainably. Ultimately, she is one of the pivotal ancestresses of both the House of Luxembourg
House of Luxembourg
The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:...
and the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
s.
Ancestors
Literature
- CHARVÁTOVÁ, Kateřina. Václav II. Král český a polský. Praha : Vyšehrad, 2007. ISBN 978-80-7021-841-9.
- ŠAROCHOVÁ, Gabriela V. Radostný úděl vdovský. Královny-vdovy přemyslovských Čech. Praha : Dokořán, 2004. ISBN 80-86569-24-1.