Elisabeth of Wrocław
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Wrocław (ca. 1232 – 16 January 1265), 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
.
, Henry III the White, Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
, Ladislaus of Salzburg, Gertrude, Duchess of Masovia and Constance, Duchess of Kujavia.
Elisabeth's maternal grandparents were Ottokar I of Bohemia
and his second wife Constance of Hungary
. Constance was daughter of Béla III of Hungary
and his first wife Agnes of Antioch
. Elisabeth's paternal grandparents were Henry I the Bearded
and his wife and later Saint
Hedwig of Andechs
.
were she would have lived with her paternal grandmother Hedwig, who would have been a big influence to her granddaughter. It is not certain whether there was pressure for Elisabeth to join the monastery
. Elisabeth remained at Trzebnica until she was kidnapped by her brother Bolesław II the Bald because her family wanted her to marry Przemysł I of Greater Poland.
The marriage was for political reasons like most royal marriages of the time. Przemysł wanted to regain some of his father's lost lands in Silesia
. The marriage helped the reincorporation of Kalisz
into Greater Poland
.
Little is known about the rule of Elisabeth as Duchess consort of her husband's lands. In 1250 she founded a monastery
in Owińska. Some nuns were brought to it from her childhood home of Trzebnica.
Elisabeth and Przemysł had five children:
Elisabeth's husband died June 4, 1257 he left Elisabeth her Oprawa wdowia in which was an estate in Modrze
. Elisabeth died on her estate 16 January 1265.
Elisabeth's granddaughter from her son was Elisabeth Richeza of Poland
who became the second wife of Wenceslaus II of Bohemia.
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...
and his wife Anna of Bohemia
Anna of Bohemia
Anna of Bohemia was the Duchess consort of Silesia ; 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-Life:Anna was born in Prague...
. She was a member of the House of Piast and was Duchess of Greater 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...
by her marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
.
Family
Elisabeth was the seventh of ten children born to her parents. Her siblings included: Bolesław II the Bald, Mieszko, Duke of LubuszMieszko, Duke of Lubusz
Mieszko 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:...
, Henry III the White, Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau
Konrad 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:...
, Ladislaus of Salzburg, Gertrude, Duchess of Masovia and Constance, Duchess of Kujavia.
Elisabeth's maternal grandparents were Ottokar I of Bohemia
Ottokar I of Bohemia
-External links:...
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...
. Constance was daughter of 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...
. Elisabeth's paternal grandparents were Henry I the Bearded
Henry I the Bearded
Henry I the Bearded , of the Silesian line of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201 and Duke of Kraków and thus High Duke of all Poland - internally divided - from 1232 until his death.-Heir of Wroclaw:...
and his wife and later Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Hedwig of Andechs
Hedwig of Andechs
Saint Hedwig of Silesia , also Saint Hedwig of Andechs from the comital House of Andechs was Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and of Greater Poland from 1231 as well as High Duchess consort of Poland from 1232 until 1238.-Life:...
.
Life
Elisabeth spent her childhood in Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga in TrzebnicaSanctuary of St. Jadwiga in Trzebnica
Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga in Trzebnica is a convent for Cistercian nuns, situated in Trzebnica north of Wrocław, in Silesia, Poland, founded in 1203. After few decades of abandonment in the 19th century, it is an abbey of the Sisters of Mercy of St...
were she would have lived with her paternal grandmother Hedwig, who would have been a big influence to her granddaughter. It is not certain whether there was pressure for Elisabeth to join the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. Elisabeth remained at Trzebnica until she was kidnapped by her brother Bolesław II the Bald because her family wanted her to marry Przemysł I of Greater Poland.
The marriage was for political reasons like most royal marriages of the time. Przemysł wanted to regain some of his father's lost lands in 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...
. The marriage helped the reincorporation of Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
into Greater 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...
.
Little is known about the rule of Elisabeth as Duchess consort of her husband's lands. In 1250 she founded a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Owińska. Some nuns were brought to it from her childhood home of Trzebnica.
Elisabeth and Przemysł had five children:
- Constance (b. 1245/46 - d. 8 October 1281), married in 1260 to Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal.
- EuphrosyneEuphrosyne of Greater PolandEuphrosyne of Greater Poland was a Greater Poland princess, member of the House of Piast and Abbess of St. Clara in Trzebnica.She was the second daughter of Przemysł I, Duke of Greater Poland and Poznań, by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Henry II the Pious, Duke of Wrocław.-Life:After her...
(b. 1247/50 - d. 17/19 February 1298), Abbess of St. Clara in TrzebnicaTrzebnicaTrzebnica is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Trzebnica County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Trzebnica. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
. - AnnaAnna of Greater PolandAnna of Greater Poland , was a Greater Poland princess member of the House of Piast and Abbess at Owińska.She was the third daughter of Przemysł I, Duke of Greater Poland and Poznań, by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Henry II the Pious, Duke of Wrocław...
(b. 1253 - d. aft. 26 June 1295), Abbess at OwińskaOwinskaOwińska is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Czerwonak, within Poznań County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately north of Czerwonak and north of the regional capital Poznań. The village has a population of 2,500.Owińska lies close to the...
. - EuphemiaEuphemia of Greater Poland (1253–1298)Euphemia of Greater Poland was a Greater Poland princess member of the House of Piast and nun at St. Clara in Wrocław....
(b. 1253 - d. 5 September 1298), twin of Anna; a nun at St. Clara, Wrocław. - Przemysł II (b. posthumously, 14 October 1257 - d. 8 February 1296).
Elisabeth's husband died June 4, 1257 he left Elisabeth her Oprawa wdowia in which was an estate in Modrze
Modrze
Modrze is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Stęszew, within Poznań County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Stęszew and south-west of the regional capital Poznań....
. Elisabeth died on her estate 16 January 1265.
Elisabeth's granddaughter from her son was Elisabeth Richeza of Poland
Elisabeth Richeza of Poland
Elisabeth Richenza of Poland was a daughter and the only surviving child of Przemysl II of Poland and his second wife Richenza of Sweden, herself a daughter of Valdemar I of Sweden and Sofia of Denmark.Her name at birth was Richeza; she adopted the name Elisabeth after her first marriage...
who became the second wife of Wenceslaus II of Bohemia.