Euphrosyne of Opole
Encyclopedia
Euphrosyne of Opole (1228/30 – 4 November 1292) was a daughter of Casimir I of Opole
and his wife Viola, Duchess of Opole
. She was a member of the House of Piast and became Duchess of Kujavia from her first marriage and Duchess of Pomerania
from her second marriage.
. Mieszko was son of Władysław II the Exile, Duke of High Poland and his wife Agnes of Babenberg
. Agnes was daughter of Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
and his wife Agnes of Germany
, who was a daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
and his first wife Bertha of Savoy
.
Euphrosyne's maternal family are disputed. Some believe her mother, Viola was a Bulgarian princess, daughter of either Kaloyan of Bulgaria
or his successor Boril of Bulgaria
. Boril was married to a Cuman women named Anna. The historian J. Horwat put forward another hypothesis, under which Viola could be an Hungarian princess, daughter of King Béla III
(from his second marriage with Marguerite of France), or his son and successor Emeric
. Today, the opinion prevails that Viola's origins are considered unknown.
Euphrosyne was the youngest of four children. She had two brother and a sister: Mieszko II the Fat
, Władysław Opolski and Wenzeslawa of Opole, who became a nun.
. The couple married in 1257 when Euphrosyne was at most twenty-nine years of age. Casimir already had two sons: Ziemomysł of Kuyavia
and Leszek II the Black
from his first marriage to Constance of Silesia
.
Euphrosyne and Casimir had four children, three sons and one daughter:
According to chronicles, Euphrosyne wished for her sons to inherit the lands of their father, but they would not inherit because of their two elder half-brothers. Euphrosyne wanted to poison her two stepsons so that her own sons could inherit Casimir's lands. This plot would explain a revolt of the two boys against their father, Casimir.
On December 14, 1267 Casimir died, leaving Euphrosyne a widow with four young children, plus two stepsons. She acted as regent for the boys. During her regency, there was a dispute with the Knights of the Teutonic Order and a land problem with Boleslaw the Pious.
Eventually her sons and stepsons came of age and were able to rule their lands themselves. Euphroyne married for a second time to Mestwin II, Duke of Pomerania in 1275. He had already been married to Judith of Wettin and had had two daughters: Euphemia and Catherine. It was unlikely the marriage was to produce children since Euphroyne was in her late forties at the time. After thirteen years of childless marriage, they divorced so Mestwin could remarry and possibly have more children.
Euphroyne returned to Kujavia and lived out the rest of her days in Brześć Kujawski
where she died on 4 November 1292 and was buried.
Casimir I of Opole
Casimir I of Opole was a Duke of Opole-Racibórz from 1211 until his death.He was the eldest child and only son of Mieszko I Tanglefoot, Duke of Opole-Racibórz and High Duke of Poland, and his wife Ludmilla, probably a Přemyslid princess.-Early life:Little is known about his early years of life,...
and his wife Viola, Duchess of Opole
Viola, Duchess of Opole
Viola, Duchess of Opole also known as Wencisława , was a Duchess of Opole-Racibórz by virtue of her marriage with Duke Casimir I.-Origins:...
. She was a member of the House of Piast and became Duchess of Kujavia from her first marriage and Duchess of Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
from her second marriage.
Family
Euphrosyne's paternal grandparents were Mieszko I Tanglefoot and his wife Ludmilla, a disputed Bohemian princess from the Přemyslid dynastyPremyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
. Mieszko was son of Władysław II the Exile, Duke of High Poland and his wife Agnes of Babenberg
Agnes of Babenberg
Agnes of Babenberg , was a German noblewoman, a scion of the Franconian House of Babenberg and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia....
. Agnes was daughter of Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
Leopold III, Margrave of Austria
Saint Leopold III was the Margrave of Austria in 1073–1136. He is the patron saint of Austria, of the city of Vienna, of Lower Austria, and, jointly with Saint Florian, of Upper Austria. His feast day is November 15.-Biography:...
and his wife Agnes of Germany
Agnes of Germany
Agnes of Germany was the daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Bertha of Savoy. Her maternal grandparents were Otto, Count of Savoy, Aosta and Moriana and Adelaide, Marchioness of Turin and Susa....
, who was a daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
and his first wife Bertha of Savoy
Bertha of Savoy
Bertha of Savoy , also called Bertha of Turin, was the first wife of Emperor Henry IV, and was German Queen and Holy Roman Empress. She is buried in the cathedral of Speyer.-Life:...
.
Euphrosyne's maternal family are disputed. Some believe her mother, Viola was a Bulgarian princess, daughter of either Kaloyan of Bulgaria
Kaloyan of Bulgaria
Kaloyan the Romanslayer , Ivan II , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1197-1207. He is the third and youngest brother of Peter IV and Ivan Asen I who managed to restore the Bulgarian Empire...
or his successor Boril of Bulgaria
Boril of Bulgaria
Boril reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1207 to 1218. He was the son of an unnamed sister of his predecessor Kaloyan.-Biography:It is unclear whether Boril was party to the murder of Kaloyan in front of the walls of Thessalonica in 1207, but Kaloyan's intended heirs, his nephews Ivan Asen and...
. Boril was married to a Cuman women named Anna. The historian J. Horwat put forward another hypothesis, under which Viola could be an Hungarian princess, daughter of King Béla III
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...
(from his second marriage with Marguerite of France), or his son and successor Emeric
Emeric of Hungary
Emeric I , , King of Hungary and Croatia . He was crowned during his father's lifetime, but after his father's death he had to fight against his brother, Andrew, who forced Emeric to assign the government of Croatia and Dalmatia to him...
. Today, the opinion prevails that Viola's origins are considered unknown.
Euphrosyne was the youngest of four children. She had two brother and a sister: Mieszko II the Fat
Mieszko II the Fat
Mieszko II the Fat was a Duke of Opole-Racibórz since 1230 until his death, and Duke of Kalisz-Wieluń during 1234–1239 ....
, Władysław Opolski and Wenzeslawa of Opole, who became a nun.
Marriages
Euphrosyne's first marriage was to her distant cousin Casimir I of KuyaviaCasimir I of Kuyavia
Casimir I of Kuyavia was Prince of Kujawy, Mazovia and Wielkopolska, from 1233 until his death. He was the son of Konrad I of Masovia, King of Poland, and his wife Agafia of Rus.- Life :...
. The couple married in 1257 when Euphrosyne was at most twenty-nine years of age. Casimir already had two sons: Ziemomysł of Kuyavia
Ziemomysł of Kuyavia
Ziemomysł of Kuyavia was Prince of Kuyavia from 1267-1271 and 1278-1287. He was a member of the large House of Piast- Early life :...
and Leszek II the Black
Leszek II the Black
Leszek the Black , named after his black hair, was one of the High Dukes of the fragmented Kingdom of Poland. He ruled from 1279 to 1288, and was married to Agrippina of Slavonia with no children.- Life :...
from his first marriage to Constance of Silesia
Constance of Wrocław
Constance of Wrocław was a Princess of Silesia and the Duchess of Kuyavia. She was a member of the House of Piast...
.
Euphrosyne and Casimir had four children, three sons and one daughter:
- Władysław I the Elbow-high (1261 – March 2, 1333), King of Poland (1320–1333)
- Casimir (1261/62 – 10 June 1294), killed while in battle in LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
- Siemowit (1262/67–1309/14), Duke of Kuyavia-Brieg, married Anastasia of Galicia (daughter of Lev I of Galicia)
- EuphemiaEuphemia of KuyaviaEuphemia of Kuyavia was a Kuyavian princess, she was Queen consort of Galicia-Volhynia.She was the daughter of Casimir I of Kuyavia by his third wife Euphrosyne, daughter of Casimir I of Opole...
(died 18 March 1308), married Yuri I of Galicia
According to chronicles, Euphrosyne wished for her sons to inherit the lands of their father, but they would not inherit because of their two elder half-brothers. Euphrosyne wanted to poison her two stepsons so that her own sons could inherit Casimir's lands. This plot would explain a revolt of the two boys against their father, Casimir.
On December 14, 1267 Casimir died, leaving Euphrosyne a widow with four young children, plus two stepsons. She acted as regent for the boys. During her regency, there was a dispute with the Knights of the Teutonic Order and a land problem with Boleslaw the Pious.
Eventually her sons and stepsons came of age and were able to rule their lands themselves. Euphroyne married for a second time to Mestwin II, Duke of Pomerania in 1275. He had already been married to Judith of Wettin and had had two daughters: Euphemia and Catherine. It was unlikely the marriage was to produce children since Euphroyne was in her late forties at the time. After thirteen years of childless marriage, they divorced so Mestwin could remarry and possibly have more children.
Euphroyne returned to Kujavia and lived out the rest of her days in Brześć Kujawski
Brzesc Kujawski
Brześć Kujawski is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Population - 4,521 , Poland.It has been the seat of one of two small duchies into which Kuyavia has been temporarily divided....
where she died on 4 November 1292 and was buried.