Catherine of Hungary (d. 1355)
Encyclopedia
Catherine of Hungary was a daughter of King Charles I of Hungary
. Her mother is uncertain. She was a member of the House of Anjou
and was a Hungarian princess.
Her paternal grandparents were Charles Martel of Anjou
and Klementia of Habsburg
. If her mother was Maria of Bytom
, first wife of Charles then her maternal grandparents would be Casimir, Duke of Bytom
and his wife Helena.
After the death of Catherine's mother, her father Charles married Beatrix of Luxemburg, daughter of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
and sister of King John I of Bohemia
, probably in September 1318. On her death, Catherine's father married Elisabeth of Poland
. Some believe that Elisabeth was Catherine's mother rather that Maria. If Elisabeth was Catherine's mother, then Catherine would be half Polish, as her maternal grandparents would be Władysław I the Elbow-high and Jadwiga of Greater Poland
.
Catherine had one sister, Elisabeth of Hungary, who married Boleslaw Opolski. Her brother was King Louis I of Hungary.
, son of Bernard of Świdnica
and his wife Kunigunde of Poland
. The couple had one daughter, Anna von Schweidnitz
, who married Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
and was mother of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
and Elizabeth of Bohemia
.
Catherine was widowed in between 1343 and 1345. Catherine brought up and educated her daughter Anna at Visegrád
in Hungary
. At the age of 11, Anna had been promised to Wenceslaus, newborn son and successor to Charles IV. After the infant Wenceslaus and his mother Anna of the Palatinate
died, the now-widowed Emperor asked to marry Anna himself.
The planned marriage was part of the strategies devised by Charles and his now-deceased father John
to gain control of the Piast
Duchies of Silesia
as vedlejší země ("neighboring countries") for the Kingdom of Bohemia. Katherine's brother, Louis of Hungary and future King of Poland, was able to assist them by renouncing rights to Schweidnitz in favor of the House of Luxemburg.
After this, it is unknown what happened to Catherine. She died in 1355, about ten years after her husband. Her daughter died in childbirth in 1362.
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
. Her mother is uncertain. She was a member of the House of Anjou
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
and was a Hungarian princess.
Family
Some believe Catherine's family are unknown. Though it is most likely she was daughter of Charles.Her paternal grandparents were Charles Martel of Anjou
Charles Martel of Anjou
Charles Martel of the Angevin dynasty, also known as Charles I Martel, was the eldest son of king Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary, the daughter of King Stephen V of Hungary....
and Klementia of Habsburg
Klementia of Habsburg
Clementia of Habsburg was a daughter of Rudolf I of Habsburg and Gertrude of Hohenberg. She was a member of the House of Habsburg.-Family:...
. If her mother was Maria of Bytom
Maria of Bytom
Maria of Bytom also known as Queen Maria of Hungary , Rumania, 15 December 1315), was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast in the Bytom branch and by marriage Queen of Hungary....
, first wife of Charles then her maternal grandparents would be Casimir, Duke of Bytom
Casimir of Bytom
Casimir of Bytom was a Duke of Opole during 1282–1284 and Duke of Bytom from 1284 until his death....
and his wife Helena.
After the death of Catherine's mother, her father Charles married Beatrix of Luxemburg, daughter of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
and sister of King John I of Bohemia
John I of Bohemia
John the Blind was the Count of Luxembourg from 1309 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of Poland. He was the eldest son of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII and his wife Margaret of Brabant...
, probably in September 1318. On her death, Catherine's father married Elisabeth of Poland
Elisabeth of Poland
Elisabeth of Poland was Queen consort of Hungary and regent of Poland. She is also known as Elisabeth of Kujavia and Elisabeth Piast.-Early life:...
. Some believe that Elisabeth was Catherine's mother rather that Maria. If Elisabeth was Catherine's mother, then Catherine would be half Polish, as her maternal grandparents would be Władysław I the Elbow-high and 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...
.
Catherine had one sister, Elisabeth of Hungary, who married Boleslaw Opolski. Her brother was King Louis I of Hungary.
Marriage and later life
In 1338, Catherine herself married Henry II of ŚwidnicaHenry II of Swidnica
Henry II of Świdnica, , was a Duke of Świdnica since 1326 until his death .He was the second and younger son of Duke Bernard of Świdnica by his wife Kunigunde, daughter of Władysław I the Elbow-high, Duke of Kuyavia and since 1320 King of Poland.-Life:Henry's exact date of birth is unknown, but was...
, son of Bernard of Świdnica
Bernard of Świdnica
Bernard of Świdnica was a Duke of Jawor-Lwówek-Świdnica-Ziębice during 1301–1312 , of Świdnica-Ziębice during 1312–1322 , and sole Duke of Świdnica since 1322 until his death.He was the second son of Bolko I the Strict, Duke of Jawor-Lwówek-Świdnica-Ziębice, by his wife Beatrix, daughter of Otto V...
and his wife Kunigunde of Poland
Kunigunde of Poland
Kunigunde of Poland was a daughter of Władysław I the Elbow-high and his wife Jadwiga of Greater Poland. Her siblings included, Casimir III of Poland and Elisabeth, Queen of Hungary. She was a member of the House of Piast.- Biography :...
. The couple had one daughter, Anna von Schweidnitz
Anna von Schweidnitz
Anna of Schweidnitz was Queen of Bohemia, German Queen, and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. She was the third wife of Emperor Charles IV.-Biography:...
, who married Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
and was mother of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty...
and Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elisabeth of Bohemia (1358–1373)
Elisabeth of Bohemia was the daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne of Schweidnitz. She was named after her paternal grandmother Elisabeth of Bohemia ....
.
Catherine was widowed in between 1343 and 1345. Catherine brought up and educated her daughter Anna at Visegrád
Visegrád
Visegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001...
in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , 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...
. At the age of 11, Anna had been promised to Wenceslaus, newborn son and successor to Charles IV. After the infant Wenceslaus and his mother Anna of the Palatinate
Anna of Bavaria
Anna of Bavaria was a Queen consort of Bohemia. She was the daughter of Rudolf II, Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine, and of Anna, daughter of Otto II, Duke of Carinthia....
died, the now-widowed Emperor asked to marry Anna himself.
The planned marriage was part of the strategies devised by Charles and his now-deceased father John
John I of Bohemia
John the Blind was the Count of Luxembourg from 1309 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of Poland. He was the eldest son of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII and his wife Margaret of Brabant...
to gain control of the Piast
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
Duchies of Silesia
Duchies of Silesia
The Duchies of Silesia resulted from divisions of the original Duchy of Silesia after 1138.In accordance with the last will and testament of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, the Kingdom of Poland was, upon his death in 1138, divided into five hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, including...
as vedlejší země ("neighboring countries") for the Kingdom of Bohemia. Katherine's brother, Louis of Hungary and future King of Poland, was able to assist them by renouncing rights to Schweidnitz in favor of the House of Luxemburg.
After this, it is unknown what happened to Catherine. She died in 1355, about ten years after her husband. Her daughter died in childbirth in 1362.