Catherine of Poděbrady
Encyclopedia
Catherine of Poděbrady (11 November 1449 – 8 March 1464,) was the first wife of Matthias Corvinus
, King of Hungary
.
, to the Bohemian king George of Poděbrady
and his first wife, Kunigunde of Šternberk. Kunigunde died from complications of the birth. Her father eventually remarried; his second wife, Johana of Rožmitál, bore George more children, including Ludmila of Poděbrady
.
Matthias Corvinus had lost his fiancee, Elisabeth of Cilli, at a young age. On 1 May 1463 he married Catherine at Matthias Church
in Buda
. Matthias was eighteen, his bride thirteen. The wedding negotiations had begun in 1458 when Catherine was nine years old. It was agreed that George would make Matthias King of Bohemia if he married Catherine. Soon after the marriage. Catherine left her family and went to live in Hungary
with her new husband. Janus Pannonius
helped teach Catherine Latin.
The queen was very young, so she played little part in the politics of her husband's two kingdoms. When Catherine was fourteen years of age, she gave birth to a child. The child and Catherine died a few days later, an event that caused Matthias to lose hope of siring a legitimate heir. He eventually married Beatrice of Naples
, daughter of Ferdinand I of Naples
and Isabella of Taranto
, but that marriage also failed to produce an heir. Matthias's only surviving offspring was an illegitimate son, János Corvinus
, by a mistress named Barbara.
She died at Buda
in 1464.
Matthias Corvinus of Hungary
Matthias Corvinus , also called the Just in folk tales, was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458, at the age of 14 until his death...
, King of Hungary
King of Hungary
The King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of...
.
Biography
Catherine and her twin sister Sidonie were born at PoděbradyPodebrady
Poděbrady is a historical spa town in the Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It lies on the river Labe 50 km east of Prague on the D11 highway. A historic milestone in the life of the town was the year 1905, when it was visited by the German estate owner Prince von Bülow...
, to the Bohemian king George of Poděbrady
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
and his first wife, Kunigunde of Šternberk. Kunigunde died from complications of the birth. Her father eventually remarried; his second wife, Johana of Rožmitál, bore George more children, including Ludmila of Poděbrady
Ludmila of Podebrady
Ludmila of Poděbrady , was a member of the House of Poděbrady and by marriage Duchess of Chojnów-Oława-Legnica-Brzeg-Lubin.She was the youngest daughter of George of Poděbrady by his second wife, Johana of Rožmitál...
.
Matthias Corvinus had lost his fiancee, Elisabeth of Cilli, at a young age. On 1 May 1463 he married Catherine at Matthias Church
Matthias Church
Matthias Church is a church located in Budapest, Hungary, at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was...
in Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
. Matthias was eighteen, his bride thirteen. The wedding negotiations had begun in 1458 when Catherine was nine years old. It was agreed that George would make Matthias King of Bohemia if he married Catherine. Soon after the marriage. Catherine left her family and went to live 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...
with her new husband. Janus Pannonius
Janus Pannonius
Janus Pannonius was a Croatian and Hungarian Latinist, poet, diplomat and Bishop of Pécs.He was the only truly significant poet of the Renaissance in the Kingdom of Hungary and one of the better-known figures of Humanist poetry in Europe. He was born in a small village near the Drava river in a...
helped teach Catherine Latin.
The queen was very young, so she played little part in the politics of her husband's two kingdoms. When Catherine was fourteen years of age, she gave birth to a child. The child and Catherine died a few days later, an event that caused Matthias to lose hope of siring a legitimate heir. He eventually married Beatrice of Naples
Beatrice of Naples
Beatrice of Naples was the daughter of Ferdinand I of Naples and Isabella of Taranto. She was queen consort to both Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary so she was Queen of Hungary and Bohemia.-Biography:Beatrice received a good education at her father's court in...
, daughter of Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I , also called Don Ferrante, was the King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. He was the natural son of Alfonso V of Aragon by Giraldona Carlino.-Biography:...
and Isabella of Taranto
Isabella of Taranto
Isabella of Taranto , born Isabella of Clermont, was a Princess of Taranto in her own right and first Queen consort of Ferdinand I of Naples.-Family:...
, but that marriage also failed to produce an heir. Matthias's only surviving offspring was an illegitimate son, János Corvinus
János Corvinus
John Corvinus King of Bosnia . He was the illegitimate son of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, and Barbara, supposed to be the daughter of a burgess of Breslau while there have been claims that he was actually the son of Beatrice of Naples, his father's second wife who was 16...
, by a mistress named Barbara.
She died at Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
in 1464.