Anna of Bohemia
Encyclopedia
Anna of Bohemia (1204 – 26 June 1265) was the Duchess consort of Silesia
(1238–1241); she was the daughter of Ottokar I
, King of Bohemia
and his second wife Constance of Hungary
. Her maternal grandparents were Béla III of Hungary
and his first wife Agnes of Antioch
. Around the age of twelve she was married (1216) to Henry II the Pious
, Duke of Silesia
, to whom she bore ten children before he succeeded to the dukedom in 1238. During the Tatar
invasions, the duchess was sent with the other female members of the royal family to the safety of the fortress of Krossen
. Duke Henry was killed at Wahlstatt near Liegnitz during the Battle of Legnica
(9 April 1241), his body being so diminished that the duchess had to tell those searching for his body to recognize him by the peculiarity of a sixth toe on his left foot.
Anna buried her husband in the Franciscan
convent at Breslau, which Henry had begun to build, and which, in 1242, the duchess completed. During her lengthy widowhood, Anna suffered greatly from the violent temper of her son Bolesław II the Bald (1241–1278).
Anna's younger sons included Henry III, duke of Silesia-Breslau, Conrad I, duke of Glogau, and Vladislav (1237–1270), who became Bishop of Bamberg
(1257) and elector
of Passau
and Salzburg
. Of her daughters, Gertrude (1219–1246) became the first wife of Boleslav I, duke of Masovia, whilst Agnes (c. 1233-1278) and Hedwig (c. 1240-1318) both served as abbess of Santa Clara at Treibnitz, the convent founded by their paternal grandmother, St Hedwig (1174–1243).
Anne died on 26 June 1265, aged sixty-one.
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
(1238–1241); she was the daughter of Ottokar I
Ottokar I of Bohemia
-External links:...
, King 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 his second wife Constance of Hungary
Constance of Hungary
Constance of Hungary was the second Queen consort of Ottokar I of Bohemia.-Family:Constance was a daughter of Béla III of Hungary and his first wife Agnes of Antioch. Her older siblings included Emeric, King of Hungary, Margaret of Hungary and Andrew II of Hungary...
. Her maternal grandparents were Béla III of Hungary
Béla III of Hungary
Béla III was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was educated in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I who was planning to ensure his succession in the Byzantine Empire till the birth of his own son...
and his first wife Agnes of Antioch
Agnes of Antioch
Agnes of Antioch, , Queen Consort of Hungary.Agnes was the daughter of Raynald of Châtillon, Prince of Antioch by right of his wife, and his first wife, Constance of Antioch...
Life
Anna was born in PraguePrague
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...
. Around the age of twelve she was married (1216) to Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland as well as Duke of Southern Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. During 1238–1239 he also served as a regent of two other Piast duchies: Sandomierz...
, Duke of Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, to whom she bore ten children before he succeeded to the dukedom in 1238. During the Tatar
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
invasions, the duchess was sent with the other female members of the royal family to the safety of the fortress of Krossen
Krossen
Krossen is a village in Holum in the municipality of Mandal, Norway. Its population is 417....
. Duke Henry was killed at Wahlstatt near Liegnitz during the Battle of Legnica
Battle of Legnica
The Battle of Legnica , also known as the Battle of Liegnitz or Battle of Wahlstatt , was a battle between the Mongol Empire and the combined defending forces of European fighters that took place at Legnickie Pole near the city of Legnica in Silesia on 9 April 1241.A combined force of Poles,...
(9 April 1241), his body being so diminished that the duchess had to tell those searching for his body to recognize him by the peculiarity of a sixth toe on his left foot.
Anna buried her husband in the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
convent at Breslau, which Henry had begun to build, and which, in 1242, the duchess completed. During her lengthy widowhood, Anna suffered greatly from the violent temper of her son Bolesław II the Bald (1241–1278).
Children
Anna and Henry had ten children:- Gertrude (ca. 1218/20 – 23/30 April 1247), married by 1232 to Bolesław I of MasoviaBolesław I of MasoviaBoleslaw I of Masovian was a member of the House of Piast. He was the eldest son of Konrad I of Masovia and his wife Agafia of Rus.He was the Duke of Sandomierz from 1229 to 1232...
. - ConstanceConstance of WrocławConstance of Wrocław was a Princess of Silesia and the Duchess of Kuyavia. She was a member of the House of Piast...
(ca. 1221 – ca. 21 February 1257), married by 1239 to Casimir I of KuyaviaCasimir I of KuyaviaCasimir I of Kuyavia was Prince of Kujawy, Mazovia and Wielkopolska, from 1233 until his death. He was the son of Konrad I of Masovia, King of Poland, and his wife Agafia of Rus.- Life :...
. - Bolesław II the Bald (ca. 1220/25 – 25/31 December 1278).
- MieszkoMieszko, Duke of LubuszMieszko of Lubusz was a Piast Duke of Lubusz during 1241–1242. He was the second son of the Silesian duke Henry II the Pious of Wrocław, by his wife Anne Přemysl, daughter of King Ottokar I of Bohemia.-Life:...
(ca. 1223/27 – 1242). - Henry III the White (1227/30 – 3 December 1266).
- KonradKonrad I, Duke of Silesia-GlogauKonrad I of Głogów was Duke of Głogów from 1251 until his death.He was the fourth son of Henry II the Pious, Duke of Wroclaw, by his wife Anna, daughter of King Ottokar I of Bohemia.-Life:...
(1228/31 – 6 August ca. 1274). - ElizabethElisabeth of WrocławElisabeth of Wrocław , also known as Elisabeth of Poland, was a daughter of Henry II the Pious and his wife Anna of Bohemia . She was a member of the House of Piast and was Duchess of Greater Poland by her marriage.- Family :Elisabeth was the seventh of ten children born to her parents...
(ca. 1232 – 16 January 1265), married in 1244 to Przemysł I of Greater Poland. - Agnes (ca. 1236 – 14 May aft. 1278), Abbess of St.Clara in Trebnitz (aft. 1277).
- Władysław (1237 – 27 April 1270), Chancellor of Bohemia (1256), Bishop of PassauPassauPassau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
(1265) and Archbishop of SalzburgSalzburg-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
(1265–70). - Hedwig (ca. 1238/41 – 3 April 1318), Abbess of St.Clara in Trebnitz.
Anna's younger sons included Henry III, duke of Silesia-Breslau, Conrad I, duke of Glogau, and Vladislav (1237–1270), who became Bishop of Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
(1257) and elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
of Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
and Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. Of her daughters, Gertrude (1219–1246) became the first wife of Boleslav I, duke of Masovia, whilst Agnes (c. 1233-1278) and Hedwig (c. 1240-1318) both served as abbess of Santa Clara at Treibnitz, the convent founded by their paternal grandmother, St Hedwig (1174–1243).
Anne died on 26 June 1265, aged sixty-one.