Hedwig of Kalisz

Hedwig of Kalisz
Seal of Queen Jadwiga
Queen consort of Poland
Tenure	1320 – c. 1333
Coronation	30 January 1320
Born	c. 1266
Died	10 December 1339 (aged 72–73)
Burial	Clarissine convent in Stary Sącz
Spouse	Władysław I the Elbow-high
Issue	Kunigunde, Duchess of Świdnica Casimir III of Poland Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary
House	House of Piast
Father	Bolesław the Pious
Mother	Yolanda of Hungary

Hedwig of Kalisz (Polish: Jadwiga Bolesławówna; 1266 – 10 December 1339) was the second of three daughters born to Bolesław the Pious and Saint Yolanda of Hungary. In 1293, Jadwiga married Władysław I the Elbow-high,^[1] becoming Queen of Poland. She was the mother of the last Piast King of Poland, Casimir III.

Hedwig's husband, Władysław I the Elbow-high, was a bitter rival of Wenceslaus II of Bohemia who was King of Poland between 1291–1305. Life was dangerous for Hedwig and her family during this time, she and three of her children had to go into hiding for a while during 1300. In 1305, Wenceslaus II died and was succeeded by his son, Wenceslaus III of Bohemia. Wenceslaus III reigned for a year before he was assassinated by Germans under mysterious circumstances so his campaign of Poland ended. His wife, Viola of Teschen, had not borne him any children so his successor was Władysław.

In 1318, Władysław began making attempts to have himself crowned king. The pope, though initially unwilling, finally granted his approval and Władysław and Hedwig were crowned King and Queen of Poland on 30 January 1320 in Kraków; a new crown was made for the new queen and it was later used to crown other queens of Poland. Władysław and Hedwig lost their two eldest sons, Stephen (d. 1306) and Władysław (d. 1311/1312). They later had two more children, Casimir (1310–1370) and Jadwiga (d. 1320/1322).

The coronation was a sign that he had overcome Poland's internal fragmentation and re-united and re-instated the country as an independent kingdom under his rule. Poland now needed friends abroad; so in 1320, Hedwig and Władysław's daughter Elizabeth (1305–1380) married Charles I of Hungary.

Hedwig played an active part in politics during her husband's reign. She took over the regency of Stary Sącz when her granddaughter by Kunigunde (c. 1298 – 1331), Constance of Świdnica resigned to become a nun.^[2]

Her husband died in 1333. Hedwig lived until 1339.

Ancestors

References