Cecilia Renata of Austria
Encyclopedia
Archduchess Cecilia Renata of Austria (German
: Cäcilia Renata; Polish
: Cecylia Renata; 16 July 1611 – 24 March 1644) was Queen of Poland as consort to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
's King
Władysław IV Vasa
.
, of the House of Habsburg, and Maria Anna of Bavaria.
Born in 1611 in Graz
, she was chosen as bride by the Polish nobility. She married Władysław 9 August in Vienna by proxy, and then in Warsaw in person on 13 September 1637, and the same day was crowned
at St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw. This was the first coronation outside of Kracow; it angered the Polish nobility, and a law was instigated to reserve coronations to Kracow in 1638.
Young and energetic, she soon began organizing the royal court to her liking. She was popular, especially for her politeness. One noble wrote in his memoirs that she insisted other women sit with her, even though she was queen. Cecilia could not remove her husband's mistress, Hedwig Łuszkowska, by herself, so she arranged a marriage between Hedwig and Starosta Merecki, John Wypyski. In 1638, Cecilia and Władysław visited Vienna.
Cecilia advocated the Habsburg and pro-Catholic
point of view and allied herself with the pro-Habsburg faction of chancellor Jerzy Ossoliński
and pro-Catholic Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł. Her political opponent at the court was the faction of Adam Kazanowski
, whose influence over King Władysław, his childhood friend, diminished after her marriage. Kazanowski was allied with Chancellor Piotr Gembicki
, who thus became one of her opponents.
Her influence was strong for the first 2–3 years of marriage, and she had much to say about the royal nominations for important official positions. After 1638/1639 when Władysław realised that Habsburgs were prepared to give him little assistance, her power waned, and he started to disregard her advice.
Cecilia kept in contact with her brothers and continued an intimate attachment with them; she also became friends with her sister-in-law Anna Catherine. She enjoyed music and theatre.
Her two children died in childhood (Sigismund Casimir: 1 April 1640 – 9 August 1647; Maria Anna Isabella: 8 January 1642–1643). Cecilia Renata died in 1644 in Vilnius
. The cause of death is stated to have been infection. She was mourned by Waldyslaw and also left a good impression on the public.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Cäcilia Renata; Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
: Cecylia Renata; 16 July 1611 – 24 March 1644) was Queen of Poland as consort to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
's King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Władysław IV Vasa
Władysław IV Vasa
Władysław IV Vasa was a Polish and Swedish prince from the House of Vasa. He reigned as King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 8 November 1632 to his death in 1648....
.
Biography
Cecilia Renata was a daughter of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
, of the House of Habsburg, and Maria Anna of Bavaria.
Born in 1611 in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, she was chosen as bride by the Polish nobility. She married Władysław 9 August in Vienna by proxy, and then in Warsaw in person on 13 September 1637, and the same day was crowned
Royal coronations in Poland
Royal coronations in Poland officially began in 1025 and continued until 1764, when the final King of an independent Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, was crowned at St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw. Most Polish coronations took place at the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, but crownings also occurred...
at St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw. This was the first coronation outside of Kracow; it angered the Polish nobility, and a law was instigated to reserve coronations to Kracow in 1638.
Young and energetic, she soon began organizing the royal court to her liking. She was popular, especially for her politeness. One noble wrote in his memoirs that she insisted other women sit with her, even though she was queen. Cecilia could not remove her husband's mistress, Hedwig Łuszkowska, by herself, so she arranged a marriage between Hedwig and Starosta Merecki, John Wypyski. In 1638, Cecilia and Władysław visited Vienna.
Cecilia advocated the Habsburg and pro-Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
point of view and allied herself with the pro-Habsburg faction of chancellor Jerzy Ossoliński
Jerzy Ossolinski
Prince Jerzy Ossoliński was a Polish szlachcic, Crown Court Treasurer from 1632, voivode of Sandomierz from 1636, Reichsfürst since 1634, Crown Deputy Chancellor from 1639, Great Crown Chancellor from 1643, starost of Bydgoszcz , Lubomel , Puck and Bolim , magnate, politician and diplomat...
and pro-Catholic Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł. Her political opponent at the court was the faction of Adam Kazanowski
Adam Kazanowski
Adam Kazanowski was a noble of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1633. Greater Crown Stolnik from 1634, Court Chamberlain and castellan of Sandomierz from 1637, Court Marshall from 1643, żupnik of Wieliczka from 1642, starosta barcicki, borysowski, kozienicki, rumieński, solecki,...
, whose influence over King Władysław, his childhood friend, diminished after her marriage. Kazanowski was allied with Chancellor Piotr Gembicki
Piotr Gembicki
Piotr Gembicki , Deputy Crown Chancellor and Bishop of Przemyśl from 1635, Great Crown Chancellor from 1638, Bishop of Kraków from 1642 in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.-Biography:...
, who thus became one of her opponents.
Her influence was strong for the first 2–3 years of marriage, and she had much to say about the royal nominations for important official positions. After 1638/1639 when Władysław realised that Habsburgs were prepared to give him little assistance, her power waned, and he started to disregard her advice.
Cecilia kept in contact with her brothers and continued an intimate attachment with them; she also became friends with her sister-in-law Anna Catherine. She enjoyed music and theatre.
Her two children died in childhood (Sigismund Casimir: 1 April 1640 – 9 August 1647; Maria Anna Isabella: 8 January 1642–1643). Cecilia Renata died in 1644 in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. The cause of death is stated to have been infection. She was mourned by Waldyslaw and also left a good impression on the public.
Ancestors
External links
- Discussion of the portrait, in Polish It is unknown whether this picture presents Cecylia Renata or Gryzelda Konstancja z Zamoyskich Wiśniowiecka, as the historical sources are indecisive.
- The Significance of the Crown Portrait of King Sigismund II Augustus by Peter Danckerts de RijPeter Danckerts de RijPieter, Peeter, or Peter Danckerts de Rij, Dankers de Ry, or Peteris Dankersas was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:...