Wyszesława of Kiev
Encyclopedia
Wyszesława Sviatoslavna of Kiev (b. ca. 1047? – d. aft. 1089), was a Kievan Rus'
princess and member of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess and later Queen of Poland.
She was the eldest child and only daughter of Sviatoslav II
, Prince of Chernihiv
and later Grand Prince of Kiev, by his wife Kilikia, probably member of the House of Dithmarschen.
before 1069, because in that year their only child, Mieszko, was born. She was probably crowned Queen of Poland with her husband on the Christmas Day of 1076 in the Gniezno Cathedral
by the Archbishop Bogumił.
In 1079, together with her husband and son she was exiled in Hungary
. Two years later (ca. 1081/82) Bolesław II died under mysterious circumstances, probably by poisoning. In 1086, together with her son Mieszko, Wyszesława returned to Poland. According to Gallus Anonymus
, she participated in the funeral of her son, who was poisoned in 1089. This is the last mention of the wife of Bolesław II the Bold; her fate remains unknown.
Modern historians, led by Oswald Balzer
in his Genealogia Piastów (1895), refuted the name and origins of Bolesław II's wife. They stated that she likely had a German or Russian origin. Also, was exposed the theory that the Queen Agnes (Agnes Regina) whose obituary is recorded in Zwiefalten
was the wife of Bolesław II; is also believed that she belonged to the Přemyslid dynasty
.
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
princess and member of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess and later Queen of Poland.
She was the eldest child and only daughter of Sviatoslav II
Sviatoslav II of Kiev
Sviatoslav Iaroslavich was the Prince of Chernihiv from 1054 to 1073 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 1073 until his death...
, Prince of Chernihiv
Chernihiv
Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast , as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion within the oblast...
and later Grand Prince of Kiev, by his wife Kilikia, probably member of the House of Dithmarschen.
Life
The chronicler Jan Długosz and other authors reported her parentage. She was certainly married to Bolesław II the Bold, Duke of PolandPoland
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...
before 1069, because in that year their only child, Mieszko, was born. She was probably crowned Queen of Poland with her husband on the Christmas Day of 1076 in the Gniezno Cathedral
Gniezno Cathedral
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert is a Gothic cathedral in Gniezno, Poland. The Cathedral is known for its twelfth-century , two-winged bronze doors decorated with scenes of martyrdom of St. Wojciech and a silver relic coffin of that saint...
by the Archbishop Bogumił.
In 1079, together with her husband and son she was exiled in 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...
. Two years later (ca. 1081/82) Bolesław II died under mysterious circumstances, probably by poisoning. In 1086, together with her son Mieszko, Wyszesława returned to Poland. According to Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus is the name traditionally given to the anonymous author of Gesta principum Polonorum , composed in Latin about 1115....
, she participated in the funeral of her son, who was poisoned in 1089. This is the last mention of the wife of Bolesław II the Bold; her fate remains unknown.
Modern historians, led by Oswald Balzer
Oswald Balzer
Oswald Marian Balzer was an Austro-Polish historian of law and statehood, one of the most renowned Polish historians of his times....
in his Genealogia Piastów (1895), refuted the name and origins of Bolesław II's wife. They stated that she likely had a German or Russian origin. Also, was exposed the theory that the Queen Agnes (Agnes Regina) whose obituary is recorded in Zwiefalten
Zwiefalten
Zwiefalten is a municipality in the district of Reutlingen, located halfway between Stuttgart and Lake Constance. The former Zwiefalten Abbey dominates the town...
was the wife of Bolesław II; is also believed that she belonged to the Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid 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:...
.