Wierzchoslawa Ludmilla of Greater Poland
Encyclopedia
Wierzchoslawa Ludmilla of Greater Poland , was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast, by marriage Lady
of Bitsch
and during 1205-1206 Duchess of Lorraine
.
She was the second daughter and fourth child of Mieszko III the Old
, Duke of Greater Poland
and since 1173 High Duke of Poland, by his first wife Elisabeth
, daughter of King Béla II of Hungary
. Her name was probably given after High Duchess Viacheslava of Novgorod
, wife of Bolesław IV the Curly, the ruling High Duke of Poland; with this gesture, Duke Mieszko III maybe showed an expression of warming relations between him and his brother the High Duke.
, second son of Duke Matthias I of Lorraine
. The union was arranged by Frederick's maternal uncle Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
during a visit to Poland; thanks to this wedding, Mieszko III gained important allies among his western neighbors.
During her marriage, Wierzchoslawa Ludmilla bore her husband nine children, five sons —Frederick
(who succeeded his father as Duke of Lorraine), Matthias (later Bishop of Toul), Philipp (Lord of Gerbéviller
), Thierry (Lord of Autigny
) and Henry (Lord of Bayon
)— and four daughters —Agatha (Abbess of Remiremont
), Judith (Countess of Salm
), Hedwig (Countess of Zweibrücken
) and Cunigunde (Duchess of Limburg
)—.
Wierzchosława Ludmilla became in the contact between the French and Polish artistic representatives. One of the theories about the build of the famous Gniezno Doors
stated that thanks to her efforts, around 1180 the Doors came to her father's court.
After years of disputes between Frederick and his brother Duke Simon II of Lorraine
, in 1205 he finally abdicated and entered in a monastery. Then Frederick became in the Duke of Lorraine and Wierzchosława Ludmilla in his Duchess consort. However, their reign was short-lived: one year later, in 1206 Duke Frederick I died. Wierzchosława Ludmilla returned to Poland after the death of her husband, and remained there until her own death, around 1223.
Lady
The word lady is a polite term for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to, or spouse of, a lord or gentleman, and in many contexts a term for any adult woman...
of Bitsch
Bitsch
Bitsch can refer to the following:* Bitche . A town and commune of the Moselle département, France* Bitsch. A municipality in canton Valais, Switzerland* Bittse , a town formerly in Hungary...
and during 1205-1206 Duchess of Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
.
She was the second daughter and fourth child of Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....
, Duke of Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
and since 1173 High Duke of Poland, by his first wife Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Hungary (1128–1154)
Elisabeth of Hungary , was a Hungarian princess member of the House of Árpád and by marriage Duchess of Greater Poland.She was the eldest child of King Béla II of Hungary by his wife Helena, daughter of Duke Uroš I of Raška, Grand Župan of Serbia...
, daughter of King Béla II of Hungary
Béla II of Hungary
Béla II the Blind , King of Hungary and Croatia . Still as a child, Béla was blinded by his uncle, King Coloman who wanted to ensure the succession of his own son, the future King Stephen II...
. Her name was probably given after High Duchess Viacheslava of Novgorod
Viacheslava of Novgorod
Viacheslava of Novgorod , was a Kievan Rus' princess member of the House of Rurik and by marriage Duchess of Masovia and Kuyavia and High Duchess of Poland since 1146.She was the daughter of St...
, wife of Bolesław IV the Curly, the ruling High Duke of Poland; with this gesture, Duke Mieszko III maybe showed an expression of warming relations between him and his brother the High Duke.
Life
Around 1167, Wierzchoslawa Ludmilla married with Frederick, Lord of BitschFrederick I, Duke of Lorraine
Frederick I was the duke of Lorraine from 1205 to his death. He was the second son of Matthias I and Judith, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia. He succeeded his brother, Simon II, who had already given him the county of Bitche in 1176 and had recognised him over the northern, germanophone...
, second son of Duke Matthias I of Lorraine
Matthias I, Duke of Lorraine
Matthias I was the duke of Lorraine from 1138 to his death as the eldest son and successor of Simon I and Adelaide. Like his forefathers going back to Thierry II and even to Adalbert, he was a stern supporter of the king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor...
. The union was arranged by Frederick's maternal uncle Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
during a visit to Poland; thanks to this wedding, Mieszko III gained important allies among his western neighbors.
During her marriage, Wierzchoslawa Ludmilla bore her husband nine children, five sons —Frederick
Frederick II, Duke of Lorraine
Frederick II was the duke of Lorraine from 1206 to his death, son of Frederick I and Ludmilla, daughter of Mieszko III the Old, of the Piast Dynasty....
(who succeeded his father as Duke of Lorraine), Matthias (later Bishop of Toul), Philipp (Lord of Gerbéviller
Gerbéviller
Gerbéviller is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-Geography:The village lies on the banks of the river Mortagne, which flows northwestward through the commune.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department...
), Thierry (Lord of Autigny
Autigny
Autigny may refer to the following places:* Autigny, Switzerland, a commune in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland* Autigny, Seine-Maritime, a commune in the Seine-Maritime department, France...
) and Henry (Lord of Bayon
Bayon
The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom...
)— and four daughters —Agatha (Abbess of Remiremont
Remiremont
Remiremont is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Romarimontains.-Geography:Remiremont is located on the Moselle, close to its confluence with the Moselotte, southeast of Épinal...
), Judith (Countess of Salm
Salm
-Rivers:* Salm , in Germany, tributary to the river Moselle* Salm , in Belgium, tributary to the river Amblève-Places:*Salm , a historic principality with territories in present Germany, Belgium and France*partitions of the state...
), Hedwig (Countess of Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
) and Cunigunde (Duchess of Limburg
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...
)—.
Wierzchosława Ludmilla became in the contact between the French and Polish artistic representatives. One of the theories about the build of the famous Gniezno Doors
Gniezno Doors
The Gniezno Doors are a pair of bronze doors at the entrance to Gniezno Cathedral in Gniezno, Poland, a Gothic building which the doors pre-date, having been carried over from an earlier building. They are decorated with eighteen scenes in bas-relief from the life of St...
stated that thanks to her efforts, around 1180 the Doors came to her father's court.
After years of disputes between Frederick and his brother Duke Simon II of Lorraine
Simon II, Duke of Lorraine
Simon II was the Duke of Lorraine from 1176 to 1205. He was the son and successor of Matthias I and Judith, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Swabia....
, in 1205 he finally abdicated and entered in a monastery. Then Frederick became in the Duke of Lorraine and Wierzchosława Ludmilla in his Duchess consort. However, their reign was short-lived: one year later, in 1206 Duke Frederick I died. Wierzchosława Ludmilla returned to Poland after the death of her husband, and remained there until her own death, around 1223.