Sophia of Halshany
Encyclopedia
Sophia of Halshany (c. 1405–1461), was a Lithuanian
princess of Halshany
, Queen of Poland from (1422–1434), and the last wife of Jogaila
.
, the uncle of her aunt's husband, helped arrange the marriage between her and Jogaila, the King of Poland. Jogaila was already at the advanced age of 61 when, on February 24 (or 7), 1422, he married Sophia, his fourth wife, who was then at the approximate age of 17. The marriage took place in the city of Navahrudak and was carried out by Matthias of Trakai
, Bishop of Samogitia. Finally, she bore him the male heirs he desired. From previous marriages he had two daughters, one who died as a baby, the other, Hedwig, the last of his children with Piast blood, died in 1431 at 23, amidst rumors of poisoning.
Sophia was crowned Queen of Poland on 12 February 1424 in Krakow Cathedral. She was the mother of:
Another son, also named Casimir, died at the age of one. Initially there was resistance from the Polish nobility
to recognise Jogaila's and Sophia's sons as the heirs to the Polish throne. Jogaila had to make concessions and grant them new privileges in exchange for this recognition.
Sophia sponsored the translation of the Bible
into the Polish language (1453–1461). She was the grandmother of Saint Casimir
.
Lithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
princess of Halshany
Halshany
Halshany is a village and former town in Belarus, Hrodna Voblast. It is known as the former seat of the Holszanski princely family and the location of the ruined Halshany Castle.-History:...
, Queen of Poland from (1422–1434), and the last wife of Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
.
Biography
Sophia was a daughter of Andrew of Halshany and Alexandra Drucka. Vytautas the GreatVytautas the Great
Vytautas ; styled "the Great" from the 15th century onwards; c. 1350 October 27, 1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. Vytautas was the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians...
, the uncle of her aunt's husband, helped arrange the marriage between her and Jogaila, the King of Poland. Jogaila was already at the advanced age of 61 when, on February 24 (or 7), 1422, he married Sophia, his fourth wife, who was then at the approximate age of 17. The marriage took place in the city of Navahrudak and was carried out by Matthias of Trakai
Matthias of Trakai
Matthias of Trakai or of Vilnius was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic clergyman, the first Bishop of Samogitia from its establishment in 1417 until 1422 and the fifth Bishop of Vilnius from 4 May 1422 until 9 May 1453 and an ex-officio member of the Council of Lords.-Biography:Matthias graduated the...
, Bishop of Samogitia. Finally, she bore him the male heirs he desired. From previous marriages he had two daughters, one who died as a baby, the other, Hedwig, the last of his children with Piast blood, died in 1431 at 23, amidst rumors of poisoning.
Sophia was crowned Queen of Poland on 12 February 1424 in Krakow Cathedral. She was the mother of:
- Wladislaus III of Poland (1424–1444), King of PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
1434-1444 and HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
1440-1444 - Casimir IV of Poland (1427–1492), Grand Duke of LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
1440-1492, King of PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
1447-1492
Another son, also named Casimir, died at the age of one. Initially there was resistance from the Polish nobility
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
to recognise Jogaila's and Sophia's sons as the heirs to the Polish throne. Jogaila had to make concessions and grant them new privileges in exchange for this recognition.
Sophia sponsored the translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into the Polish language (1453–1461). She was the grandmother of Saint Casimir
Saint Casimir
Saint Casimir Jagiellon was a royal prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania who became a patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and the young.-Biography:...
.
Ancestors
See also
- Wawel CathedralWawel CathedralThe Wawel Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Stanisław and Vaclav, is a church located on Wawel Hill in Kraków–Poland's national sanctuary. It has a 1,000-year history and was the traditional coronation site of Polish monarchs. It is the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Kraków...
- OlshanskiOlshanskiOlshanski was a Lithuanian princely family from Galšia , Belarus, which used to be a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Their Coat of Arms was Hipocentaur...