Elisabeth of Poland
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Poland (1305 – 29 December 1380) was Queen consort
of Hungary
and regent of Poland
. She is also known as Elisabeth of Kujavia and Elisabeth Piast.
, she was the sister of Casimir III the Great
, King of Poland and the last ruler of Piast dynasty, who died in 1370. Her sister was Kunigunde of Poland
, who was married to Bernard of Świdnica
.
Before her father became King of Poland, life was very dangerous for Elisabeth and her family. She went to live in hiding with her mother, brother and sister. Wenceslaus II of Bohemia died in 1305, when Elisabeth was born. His son, Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
took over as King of Poland. Although, Elisabeth's father, Władysław had a better claim to the crown, being the great-grandson of Casimir II the Just
.
The sixteen year old Wenceslaus III was assassinated while on campaign in Poland. In Poland, Elisabeth's father inherited the crown. In Bohemia
there was trouble over who inherited.
She was married on 6 July 1320 to Charles Robert (Charles I)
, King of Hungary, son of Charles Martel of Anjou
and Klementia of Habsburg
. Elisabeth was Charles' third wife. The marriage brought an alliance between Poland and Hungary.
Charles' two previous marriages are believed not to have left surviving issue, at least no surviving sons. Charles' first wife Maria of Bytom
was believed to have been barren but it is also believed she bore two daughters: Katherine and Elisabeth. Others however believe that the two girls were daughters of Elisabeth.
Charles married again at Maria's death to Beatrix of Luxembourg
, sister of John of Luxembourg, this marriage also ended badly. Beatrix became pregnant aged only fourteen in 1319 but mother and child both died when the child was born.
While at court in Hungary, Elisabeth is credited as having been the first to introduce perfume, then known as Hungary Water, to Europe and the western world.
Elisabeth and Charles Robert had five sons and possibly two daughters:
Charles Robert died 16 July 1342 leaving Elisabeth a widow and to raise her surviving children.
on the death of his father. Elisabeth had her son betrothed to Margaret of Bohemia
, daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
and his first wife, Blanche of Valois
. They married in 1342 but the marriage didn't last because, seven years into the marriage, the fourteen year old Margaret died, childless. Elisabeth now needed for her son to remarry and produce and heir.
The branch of the Kuyavian Piast family was popular in Hungary, and several members lived in Louis' court. The influence of Elisabeth extended far beyond any other queen consort, and years before, Stephen II, Ban of Bosnia married Elizabeth of Kuyavia
, the daughter of the Duke Casimir II of Kuyavia
, queen Elisabeth's cousin. Stephen II of Bosnia had a young daughter named Elisabeth, and after learning about her, the Hungarian queen insisted immediately on bringing her to the Hungarian Court for fostering. Stephen was reluctant at first, but eventually dispatched Elizabeth. After three years of life in the Hungarian Court, Elizabeth fell in love with Louis, and Elisabeth invited Stephen II to Hungary and arranged a marriage so that Elizabeth could marry Louis.
On 20 June 1353, Elizabeth of Bosnia married Elisabeth's son, Louis, achieving a huge diplomatic success for her father. However, Stephen became seriously ill and could not be present at the actual wedding, after the planning with Elisabeth.
Louis and Elizabeth had four daughters, the two of them to survive were Mary of Hungary
and Jadwiga of Poland
. Both daughters later became Queens in their own wright.
, whom had married Bogislaw V, Duke of Pomerania
and was the mother of Elizabeth of Pomerania
. Elizabeth had married Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
and had six children. Her son was Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
, who would have had a claim to the Polish crown through his maternal grandmother.
Casimir also had two other surviving daughters from his fourth marriage to Jadwiga of Żagań. One of these daughters, Anna
married William, Count of Celje. Anna had been a possible candidate to marry Louis. She had a daughter, Anna of Celje
who married a future King of Poland, Jogaila
. They had one daughter, Jadwiga of Lithuania
, whom after the death of Elisabeth and Louis, claimed the throne of Poland, being the only surviving member of the House of Piast. Jogalia was a member of the House of Jagiellon and had two sons from his fourth marriage to Sophia of Halshany
. Many Polish nobles wished for Jadwiga and a husband to succeed Jogalia. But Jadwiga didn't since she was supposedly poisoned by her stepmother, Sophia.
Both of these claims plus one from two other daughters were bypassed because Casimir wanted a male heir. Casimir had five surviving nephews from Elisabeth and Kunigunde. Kunigunde's sons being Bolko II the Small and Henry II of Świdnica
. Casimir chose to leave Louis the crown of Poland thus Hungary and Poland being united under one monarch.
, she was three years his senior and they were both still young at the time. Andrew wished to be made King of Naples and rule jointly with his wife, but Joan refused to share her power with Andrew. He was made Duke of Calabria
, the title given to the heir of Naples
, but Andrew still wanted the crown. Joan was crowned Queen of Naples in 1344, with the approval of Pope Clement VI
. Fearing for his life, Andrew wrote to Elisabeth that he would soon flee the kingdom. She intervened, and made a state visit; before she returned to Hungary, she bribed Pope Clement to reverse himself and permit the coronation of Andrew. She also gave a ring to Andrew, which was supposed to protect him from death by blade or poison, and returned with a false sense of security to Hungary.
The ring didn't work. Hearing of the Pope's reversal, a group of noble conspirators (the involvement of Queen Joan remaining unproved but Elisabeth's involvement proved) determined to forestall Andrew's coronation. During a hunting trip at Aversa
, Andrew left his room in the middle of the night and was set upon by the conspirators. A treacherous servant barred the door behind him; and as Joan cowered in their bed, a terrible struggle ensued, Andrew defending himself furiously and shrieking for aid. He was finally overpowered, strangled with a cord, and flung from a window.
After Andrew's death Joan bore Elisabeth a grandson, Charles Martel whom died young.
. The Poles hated to pay taxes and loved to quarrel among themselves and with the Court, especially with the domineering dowager Elisabeth. Elisabeth's regency turned out to be a failure, her background notwithstanding. In 1375, the Poles killed 160 of her Hungarian bodyguards and Elisabeth escaped to Hungary lest she, too, be killed by her compatriots. Louis reconed with the rebels, and strengthened his power, at his mother's expense.
, where she wrote her will. It specifies her desire to rest in the monastery of Saint Starobudzińskim. Elisabeth also left money and possessions to her family: she left Louis several golden vessels, daughter-in-law, Elizabeth of Bosnia - Buda Castle
, granddaughter, Mary - a gold wreath, granddaughter, Hedwig - wreath of lilies, and her niece, Hedwig - a ring. She also left money to some churches.
, Hedwig of Poland, Catherine and Mary. Only Mary and Hedwig live to adulthood, Catherine and another daughter named Mary died in childhood. From Andrew she had a short-lived grandson, Charles Martel. From Stephen she gained a granddaughter and a grandson: Elisabeth of Slavonia
and John of Slavonia. Elisabeth's family line ends with the death of her granddaughter, Elisabeth. None of her grandchildren had surviving offspring, although it is believed by some that Elisabeth had one or two daughters, Catherine and Elisabeth. If this is so, then Elisabeth's line may still have died out but would have lasted longer. Katherine was mother of Anne of Schweidnitz, who married Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
and had two surviving children: Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
, and Elizabeth of Bohemia
. The line would have ended there since Wenceslaus and Elisabeth did not have children, although both did marry. It is unknown if Elisabeth of Hungary had children.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of 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...
and regent of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. She is also known as Elisabeth of Kujavia and Elisabeth Piast.
Early life
She was a member of the Polish royal clan of Piast, the daughter of Władysław I the Elbow-high, prince of Kujavia and Jadwiga of Greater PolandJadwiga 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...
, she was the sister of Casimir III the Great
Casimir III of Poland
Casimir III the Great , last King of Poland from the Piast dynasty , was the son of King Władysław I the Elbow-high and Hedwig of Kalisz.-Biography:...
, King of Poland and the last ruler of Piast dynasty, who died in 1370. Her sister was 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 :...
, who was married to 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...
.
Before her father became King of Poland, life was very dangerous for Elisabeth and her family. She went to live in hiding with her mother, brother and sister. Wenceslaus II of Bohemia died in 1305, when Elisabeth was born. His son, Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
Wenceslaus III of Bohemia
Wenceslaus III Premyslid was the King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and the king of Poland ....
took over as King of Poland. Although, Elisabeth's father, Władysław had a better claim to the crown, being the great-grandson of Casimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just was a Lesser Polish duke at Wiślica during 1166–1173, and at Sandomierz since 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby High Duke of Poland in 1177; a position he held until his death, interrupted once by his elder brother and predecessor...
.
The sixteen year old Wenceslaus III was assassinated while on campaign in Poland. In Poland, Elisabeth's father inherited the crown. In 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...
there was trouble over who inherited.
Marriage
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...
, King of Hungary, son of 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:...
. Elisabeth was Charles' third wife. The marriage brought an alliance between Poland and Hungary.
Charles' two previous marriages are believed not to have left surviving issue, at least no surviving sons. Charles' first wife 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....
was believed to have been barren but it is also believed she bore two daughters: Katherine and Elisabeth. Others however believe that the two girls were daughters of Elisabeth.
Charles married again at Maria's death to Beatrix of Luxembourg
Beatrix of Luxembourg
Beatrice of Luxembourg was the youngest child of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife, Margaret of Brabant. Her two siblings were John of Luxembourg and Marie of Luxembourg, Queen of France....
, sister of John of Luxembourg, this marriage also ended badly. Beatrix became pregnant aged only fourteen in 1319 but mother and child both died when the child was born.
While at court in Hungary, Elisabeth is credited as having been the first to introduce perfume, then known as Hungary Water, to Europe and the western world.
Elisabeth and Charles Robert had five sons and possibly two daughters:
- Charles (1321)
- Ladislaus (BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, 1 November 1324 – 24 February 1329) - Louis I of Hungary (1326–1382)
- Andrew, Duke of CalabriaAndrew, Duke of CalabriaAndrew, Duke of Calabria was the second surviving son of Charles I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Poland...
(1327–1345) - Stephen, Duke of SlavoniaStephen, Duke of SlavoniaStephen, Duke of Slavonia was a Hungarian Angevin prince who served as governor of Transylvania, Slavonia, Dalmatia and Croatia during the reign of his brother, King Louis I of Hungary. -Family:...
(1332–1354) - Katherine of Hungary (d. 1355) some believe that Elisabeth was her mother but others say that Mary, Charles' first wife was Katherine's mother
- Elisabeth of Hungary (d.1367), married Boleslaw Opolski, sister of Katherine and also possible daughter of Elisabeth of Poland.
Charles Robert died 16 July 1342 leaving Elisabeth a widow and to raise her surviving children.
Marriage for Louis
Elisabeth wished to make a good marriage for her eldest surviving son, who would become the next King of HungaryKing 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...
on the death of his father. Elisabeth had her son betrothed to Margaret of Bohemia
Margaret of Bohemia (1335–1349)
Margaret of Bohemia , also known as Margaret of Luxembourg, was the second child of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor by his first wife Blanche of Valois. She was a member of the House of Luxembourg and was Queen consort of Hungary by her marriage.- Family :Margaret was the second child of her...
, daughter of 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 his first wife, Blanche of Valois
Blanche of Valois
Blanche of Valois was the youngest daughter of Charles of Valois and his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon.-Family:Her paternal grandparents were Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon. Her maternal grandparents were Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol and Marie of Brittany.Marie was a daughter of John...
. They married in 1342 but the marriage didn't last because, seven years into the marriage, the fourteen year old Margaret died, childless. Elisabeth now needed for her son to remarry and produce and heir.
The branch of the Kuyavian Piast family was popular in Hungary, and several members lived in Louis' court. The influence of Elisabeth extended far beyond any other queen consort, and years before, Stephen II, Ban of Bosnia married Elizabeth of Kuyavia
Elizabeth of Kuyavia
Elizabeth of Kuyavia was the only daughter of Casimir II of Kuyavia and his wife, whose name and origins are unknown. Elisabeth was Baness of Bosnia by her marriage.- Family :...
, the daughter of the Duke Casimir II of Kuyavia
Casimir II of Kuyavia
Casimir II of Kuyavia was Duke of Kuyavia and was a member of the House of Piast. He was son of Ziemomysł of Kuyavia and his wife Salome , daughter of Sambor II, Duke of Pomerania.-Life:...
, queen Elisabeth's cousin. Stephen II of Bosnia had a young daughter named Elisabeth, and after learning about her, the Hungarian queen insisted immediately on bringing her to the Hungarian Court for fostering. Stephen was reluctant at first, but eventually dispatched Elizabeth. After three years of life in the Hungarian Court, Elizabeth fell in love with Louis, and Elisabeth invited Stephen II to Hungary and arranged a marriage so that Elizabeth could marry Louis.
On 20 June 1353, Elizabeth of Bosnia married Elisabeth's son, Louis, achieving a huge diplomatic success for her father. However, Stephen became seriously ill and could not be present at the actual wedding, after the planning with Elisabeth.
Louis and Elizabeth had four daughters, the two of them to survive were Mary of Hungary
Mary of Hungary
Mary of Anjou was queen regnant of Hungary from 1382 until her death in 1395.-Childhood:...
and Jadwiga of Poland
Jadwiga of Poland
Jadwiga was monarch of Poland from 1384 to her death. Her official title was 'king' rather than 'queen', reflecting that she was a sovereign in her own right and not merely a royal consort. She was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou, the daughter of King Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of...
. Both daughters later became Queens in their own wright.
Claim on Poland
Elisabeth was heir to her brother Casimir's throne after the death of their sister, Kunigunde. Her claim passed to Louis after the death of his two elder brothers. Casimir had married four times but none of his wives had given him surviving sons. He instead had four surviving daughters. Among them was another Elisabeth of PolandElisabeth of Poland (1326–1361)
Elisabeth of Poland was the eldest child of Casimir III of Poland and his first wife Aldona of Lithuania.- Family :Elisabeth had one full-blood sister, Cunigunde of Poland, who married Louis VI the Roman. After Aldona's death, Casimir went on to marry three more times. His second wife was...
, whom had married Bogislaw V, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw V, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw V was a Duke of Pomerania.Eldest son of Duke Wartislaw IV and Elisabeth of Silesia, Bogislaw had two brothers, Barnim IV and Wartislaw V. The brothers were joint rulers from their father's death in 1326. They allied with King Casimir III of Poland, whose daughter Elisabeth married...
and was the mother of Elizabeth of Pomerania
Elizabeth of Pomerania
Elizabeth of Pomerania was the fourth and final wife of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and king of Bohemia. Her parents were Bogislaw V, Duke of Pomerania and Elizabeth of Poland,...
. Elizabeth had 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 had six children. Her son was Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
, who would have had a claim to the Polish crown through his maternal grandmother.
Casimir also had two other surviving daughters from his fourth marriage to Jadwiga of Żagań. One of these daughters, Anna
Anna of Poland, Countess of Celje
Anna of Poland was countess consort of Celje, a medieval Slovenian feudal state, and an influential woman in politics of Poland.She was daughter of King Casimir III of Poland , who was succeeded, not by Anna nor any of Casimir's own descendants, but by Casimir's nephew, King Louis I of Hungary....
married William, Count of Celje. Anna had been a possible candidate to marry Louis. She had a daughter, Anna of Celje
Anna of Celje
Anne of Celje was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania, 1402–1416 as second wife of Jogaila, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
who married a future King of Poland, Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
. They had one daughter, Jadwiga of Lithuania
Jadwiga of Lithuania
Hedwig Jagiellon was a Polish and Lithuanian princess, member of the Jagiellon dynasty.She was the only daughter of Wladyslaw Jagiello, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania by his second wife Anna, daughter of William, Count of Celje and Anna, in turn daughter of King Casimir III of Poland...
, whom after the death of Elisabeth and Louis, claimed the throne of Poland, being the only surviving member of the House of Piast. Jogalia was a member of the House of Jagiellon and had two sons from his fourth marriage to Sophia of Halshany
Sophia of Halshany
Sophia of Halshany , was a Lithuanian princess of Halshany, Queen of Poland from , and the last wife of Jogaila.-Biography:...
. Many Polish nobles wished for Jadwiga and a husband to succeed Jogalia. But Jadwiga didn't since she was supposedly poisoned by her stepmother, Sophia.
Both of these claims plus one from two other daughters were bypassed because Casimir wanted a male heir. Casimir had five surviving nephews from Elisabeth and Kunigunde. Kunigunde's sons being Bolko II the Small and Henry II of Świdnica
Henry 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...
. Casimir chose to leave Louis the crown of Poland thus Hungary and Poland being united under one monarch.
Naples
Elisabeth's second surviving son, Andrew married Joan I of NaplesJoan I of Naples
Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81....
, she was three years his senior and they were both still young at the time. Andrew wished to be made King of Naples and rule jointly with his wife, but Joan refused to share her power with Andrew. He was made Duke of Calabria
Duke of Calabria
Duke of Calabria was the traditional title of the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Naples after the accession of Robert of Naples. It was also adopted by the heads of certain Houses that had once claimed the Kingdom of Naples in lieu of the royal title....
, the title given to the heir of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, but Andrew still wanted the crown. Joan was crowned Queen of Naples in 1344, with the approval of Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
. Fearing for his life, Andrew wrote to Elisabeth that he would soon flee the kingdom. She intervened, and made a state visit; before she returned to Hungary, she bribed Pope Clement to reverse himself and permit the coronation of Andrew. She also gave a ring to Andrew, which was supposed to protect him from death by blade or poison, and returned with a false sense of security to Hungary.
The ring didn't work. Hearing of the Pope's reversal, a group of noble conspirators (the involvement of Queen Joan remaining unproved but Elisabeth's involvement proved) determined to forestall Andrew's coronation. During a hunting trip at Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
, Andrew left his room in the middle of the night and was set upon by the conspirators. A treacherous servant barred the door behind him; and as Joan cowered in their bed, a terrible struggle ensued, Andrew defending himself furiously and shrieking for aid. He was finally overpowered, strangled with a cord, and flung from a window.
After Andrew's death Joan bore Elisabeth a grandson, Charles Martel whom died young.
Regency
Louis was absent from Poland between 1370-1375. Rather than leaving Poland in the hands of his wife, Elizabeth of Bosnia, he left Elisabeth as regent to conveniently eliminate her from his Court. Still, Elisabeth had some justification for taking part in the affairs and quarrels of Poland: she had been a Polish princess before marrying Charles I of HungaryCharles 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...
. The Poles hated to pay taxes and loved to quarrel among themselves and with the Court, especially with the domineering dowager Elisabeth. Elisabeth's regency turned out to be a failure, her background notwithstanding. In 1375, the Poles killed 160 of her Hungarian bodyguards and Elisabeth escaped to Hungary lest she, too, be killed by her compatriots. Louis reconed with the rebels, and strengthened his power, at his mother's expense.
Death
After her tragic regency and her return to Hungary, Elisabeth spent her final years in a monastery outside of BudaBuda
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...
, where she wrote her will. It specifies her desire to rest in the monastery of Saint Starobudzińskim. Elisabeth also left money and possessions to her family: she left Louis several golden vessels, daughter-in-law, Elizabeth of Bosnia - Buda Castle
Buda Castle
Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace and Royal Castle ....
, granddaughter, Mary - a gold wreath, granddaughter, Hedwig - wreath of lilies, and her niece, Hedwig - a ring. She also left money to some churches.
Descendants
Elisabeth had at least seven grandchildren from her three surviving sons. From Louis she gained four granddaughters: Mary of HungaryMary of Hungary
Mary of Anjou was queen regnant of Hungary from 1382 until her death in 1395.-Childhood:...
, Hedwig of Poland, Catherine and Mary. Only Mary and Hedwig live to adulthood, Catherine and another daughter named Mary died in childhood. From Andrew she had a short-lived grandson, Charles Martel. From Stephen she gained a granddaughter and a grandson: Elisabeth of Slavonia
Elisabeth of Slavonia
Elizabeth of Slavonia was the second Empress consort of Philip II of Taranto, titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople.-Heiress of the Crown of Hungary:...
and John of Slavonia. Elisabeth's family line ends with the death of her granddaughter, Elisabeth. None of her grandchildren had surviving offspring, although it is believed by some that Elisabeth had one or two daughters, Catherine and Elisabeth. If this is so, then Elisabeth's line may still have died out but would have lasted longer. Katherine was mother of Anne of Schweidnitz, 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 had two surviving children: 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 ....
. The line would have ended there since Wenceslaus and Elisabeth did not have children, although both did marry. It is unknown if Elisabeth of Hungary had children.
Ancestors
Elisabeth's ancestors in three generationsSee also
- Hungary WaterHungary WaterHungary water was the first alcohol-based perfume, claimed to date to about the late 14th century...