Margareta of Sternberg
Encyclopedia
Margareta of Sternberg (died aft. 5 June 1365) was a Moravian noblewoman and by marriage Duchess of Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...

.

She was the eldest child and only daughter of Jaroslav of Sternberg (Jaroslav ze Šternberka) by his second wife Margareta of Bílina (Machna z Bíliny). Margareta had two full-brothers, Aleš and Jan, and also two older half-brothers, Zdeněk (d. aft. 1408) and Smil (d. 1398), born from the first marriage of Jaroslav of Sternberg with a certain Eliška.

Life

By 14 February 1347 Margareta married Duke Bolesław of Koźle
Bolesław of Bytom
Bolesław of Bytom , was a Duke of Koźle from 1347 and Duke of Bytom since 1352 until his death.He was the second son of Duke Władysław of Bytom but the eldest by his second wife Ludgarda, daughter of Henry II the Lion, Prince of Mecklenburg and Lord of Stargard.-Life:After the death of his elder...

. The marriage produced three daughters: Elisabeth —by marriage Duchess of 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....

—, Euphemia —by her first marriage Duchess of Niemodlin
Niemodlin
Niemodlin is a town in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,911 inhabitants .It was first mentioned as Nemodlin in a 1224 deed and received town privileges in 1283. Originally a part of the Duchy of Opole, after the death of Duke Bolko I Niemodlin became the capital of a duchy in his...

 and by the second Duchess of Ziębice
Ziebice
Ziębice is a town in Ząbkowice Śląskie County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Ziębice. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...

— and Bolka —later Abbess of Trzebnica
Trzebnica
Trzebnica 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...

—.

In 1352, Duke Bolesław inherited the Duchy of Bytom but died suddenly in Italy three years later (1355). In his will, he left Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...

 to Margareta as her Oprawa wdowia; however, the disputes soon began over the inheritance of the Duchy of Koźle-Bytom between the Dukes of Oleśnica
Olesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...

 and Cieszyn, who claimed rights by virtue of the treaty signed between Duke Władysław of Bytom
Władysław of Bytom
Władysław of Bytom , was a Duke of Koźle during 1303-1334, Duke of Bytom from 1316, Duke of Toszek since 1329 and Duke of Siewierz during 1328-1337.He was the second son of Duke Casimir of Bytom by his wife Helena.-Life:...

 and the Bohemian Kingdom, under which the succession of women over the Duchy in absence of male heirs was allowed. Koźle was taken by Duke Konrad I of Oleśnica
Konrad I of Olesnica
Konrad I of Oleśnica was a Duke of Żagań, Ścinawa, etc., during 1309–1312 , Duke of Oleśnica, Namysłów, Gniezno and Kalisz during 1312–1313 , Duke of Kalisz during 1313–1314 , Duke of Namysłów since 1313 and Duke of Oleśnica since 1321 until his death .He was the second son...

 (who claimed the rights of his wife Euphemia, eldest half-sister of Bolesław). At consequence of this conflict, Margareta's rights over Bytom were disputed and her rule was only formally.

After two years of conflicts, on 8 December 1357 a settlement was made: Bytom was divided between the Dukes Konrad I of Oleśnica and Casimir I of Cieszyn, legal guardian of Bolesław's daughters, who were forced to renounce their rights over the Duchy. Three years later, in 1360, the new Duke of Cieszyn, Przemysław I Noszak, married Elisabeth, the eldest daughter of Bolesław, and with this acquired additional rights over the half of Bytom. Margareta died five years later.
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