Margareta of Celje
Encyclopedia
Margareta of Celje (1411 – 22 July 1480) was a noblewoman member of the Slovenia
n House of Celje
and by marriage Duchess of both half Głogów and Ścinawa
.
She was the only child of Herman III, Count of Celje (b. 1380? - d. after falling from his horse, 30 July 1426), by his first wife, Elisabeth (b. 1377? - d. bef. 1423), daughter of Baron Johann II of Abensberg
and widow of Ulrich II of Schauenburg
. From her mother's first marriage, Margareta had two older half-brothers, Johann I (d. 16 November 1453) and George I of Schauenburg (d. young, 1404).
From her father's side, she was a niece of Barbara of Celje
, known as the Messalina
of Germany, second and last wife of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
, King of Hungary
and Bohemia
.
-Pfannberg-Bregenz. They had four children, three sons —Herman II (born in 1431), George I (born in 1433) and Johann III (born in 1434)— and one daughter —Barbara (born in 1435)—. Count Hermann I died on 24 July 1435.
In December 1444 Margareta married secondly with Władysław, Duke of both half Głogów and Ścinawa
, member of the Cieszyn
branch of the House of Piast. They had no children.
Władysław died on 14 February 1460. In his will, he leave all his domains to Margareta (as her Oprawa wdowia) and his brother Przemysław II; however, soon Przemysław II took the effective government over all his late brother's domains.
Margareta, dispossessed from the rule over her lands, remained in Głogów, even after her brother-in-law Przemysław II lost the sovereignty over the half Głogów and Ścinawa in 1476, when King Matthias Corvinus annexed this lands to the Bohemian crown. Recognized her authority (although purely formal) over her Oprawa wdowia, Margareta had to faced the ambitions of Jan II the Mad
, Duke of Żagań
, who wanted to obtain the direct control over half Głogów and Ścinawa.
Casimir II, nephew of Władysław and Przemysław II, claimed his rights over half Głogów and Ścinawa as the only male heir of the whole Cieszyn branch. Soon, he was swored by the Głogów city council ruler of the city as guardian of Margareta; however, he was defeated by Jan II's forces shortly after. At the end, Casimir II renounced to all his claims over Władysław's inheritance in exchange of a monetary compensation from King Matthias Corvinus in 1479.
Now Margareta was forced to defend the city alone from Jan II the Mad. She maintained the resistance in Głogów until 1 May 1480, when, after a siege of seven weeks, Jan II finally conquered the city, and the Duchy of Głogów was finally reunited after almost 150 years of separation. Margareta died two months later.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n House of Celje
Counts of Celje
The Counts of Cilli or Celje represent the most important medieval aristocratic and ruling house with roots and territory in present-day Slovenia....
and by marriage Duchess of both half Głogów and Ścinawa
Scinawa
Ścinawa is a town and municipality on the Oder river in the Lower Silesian region of Poland. The town features a number of historic monuments including city hall and the town church . The Ścinawa train station is a key gateway for travel throughout the region, connecting major destinations such...
.
She was the only child of Herman III, Count of Celje (b. 1380? - d. after falling from his horse, 30 July 1426), by his first wife, Elisabeth (b. 1377? - d. bef. 1423), daughter of Baron Johann II of Abensberg
Abensberg
Abensberg is a town in the Lower Bavarian district of Kelheim, in Bavaria, Germany, lying around 30 km southwest of Regensburg, 40 km east of Ingolstadt, 50 northwest of Landshut and 100 km north of Munich...
and widow of Ulrich II of Schauenburg
Schauenburg
Schaumburg and Schauenburg are the two versions of the name of a regional German dynasty.The usage is scattered, historically as well as locally:* Schaumburg, a district and former county in Lower Saxony*Schauenburg, Hesse, a municipality in Germany...
. From her mother's first marriage, Margareta had two older half-brothers, Johann I (d. 16 November 1453) and George I of Schauenburg (d. young, 1404).
From her father's side, she was a niece of Barbara of Celje
Barbara of Celje
Barbara of Cilli was the spouse of Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund and as such Holy Roman Empress. She was by marriage also Queen of Hungary and Bohemia and also Holy Roman Empress. She received the sobriquet "Messalina of Germany" for her political intrigues, and was instrumental in creating the...
, known as the Messalina
Messalina
Valeria Messalina, sometimes spelled Messallina, was a Roman empress as the third wife of the Emperor Claudius. She was also a paternal cousin of the Emperor Nero, second cousin of the Emperor Caligula, and great-grandniece of the Emperor Augustus...
of Germany, second and last wife of 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...
, King 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 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...
.
Life
On 15 March 1430 Margareta married firstly with Herman I, Count of MontfortMontfort
- People :* Amaury de Montfort, Canon of York * Amaury I de Montfort * Amaury IV de Montfort * Bertrade de Montfort , Queen of France* Guy de Montfort, Count of Nola...
-Pfannberg-Bregenz. They had four children, three sons —Herman II (born in 1431), George I (born in 1433) and Johann III (born in 1434)— and one daughter —Barbara (born in 1435)—. Count Hermann I died on 24 July 1435.
In December 1444 Margareta married secondly with Władysław, Duke of both half Głogów and Ścinawa
Scinawa
Ścinawa is a town and municipality on the Oder river in the Lower Silesian region of Poland. The town features a number of historic monuments including city hall and the town church . The Ścinawa train station is a key gateway for travel throughout the region, connecting major destinations such...
, member of the Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
branch of the House of Piast. They had no children.
Władysław died on 14 February 1460. In his will, he leave all his domains to Margareta (as her Oprawa wdowia) and his brother Przemysław II; however, soon Przemysław II took the effective government over all his late brother's domains.
Margareta, dispossessed from the rule over her lands, remained in Głogów, even after her brother-in-law Przemysław II lost the sovereignty over the half Głogów and Ścinawa in 1476, when King Matthias Corvinus annexed this lands to the Bohemian crown. Recognized her authority (although purely formal) over her Oprawa wdowia, Margareta had to faced the ambitions of Jan II the Mad
Jan II the Mad
Jan II the Mad also known as the Bad, the Wild or the Cruel , was a Duke of Żagań-Przewóz since 1439 , from 1449 Duke of Przewóz , during 1461-1468 and briefly in 1472 Duke of Żagań and during 1476-1488 Duke of half-Głogów .He was the fourth and...
, Duke of Żagań
Zagan
Zagan may refer to:*Zagan - a demon in the Ars Goetia*Żagań - a town in west Poland...
, who wanted to obtain the direct control over half Głogów and Ścinawa.
Casimir II, nephew of Władysław and Przemysław II, claimed his rights over half Głogów and Ścinawa as the only male heir of the whole Cieszyn branch. Soon, he was swored by the Głogów city council ruler of the city as guardian of Margareta; however, he was defeated by Jan II's forces shortly after. At the end, Casimir II renounced to all his claims over Władysław's inheritance in exchange of a monetary compensation from King Matthias Corvinus in 1479.
Now Margareta was forced to defend the city alone from Jan II the Mad. She maintained the resistance in Głogów until 1 May 1480, when, after a siege of seven weeks, Jan II finally conquered the city, and the Duchy of Głogów was finally reunited after almost 150 years of separation. Margareta died two months later.