Jadwiga Of Poland Lost Everything
Born into a powerful Polish dynasty in the 14th century, Princess Jadwiga was thrust into a world of dangerous politics and power plays before she had even grown. Tragedy would visit her family over and over, until she was the one standing—but even then, she couldn't outrun her own chilling end.
Marcello Bacciarelli, Wikimedia Commons
1. She Was A Political Catch
Jadwiga was the youngest of three girls, and her father, King Louis I, had no sons. This fact made his daughters especially important to the future of his kingdoms and made Jadwiga a highly valuable marriage prospect. Indeed, her personal and political fate was negotiated before she was old enough to understand what marriage even meant, and her little ears would soon hear wedding bells.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
2. She Was An Engaged Infant
On August 18, 1374, the Duke of Austria, Leopold III, proposed a marriage pact to King Louis I, seeking to wed his son, William of Austria, himself just a toddler, to Princess Jadwiga. The princess was still extremely young. The prospect was an attractive one to the King, who agreed to the marriage. Thus, a wedding of sorts was to be held for the two tots.
Antoni Boys, Wikimedia Commons
3. She Played Wedding
On June 15, 1378, Jadwiga and William were legally in a sponsalia de future, or a “provisional marriage”. He was around eight years old, and she was around four. The quasi-union established a legal obligation for the two to consummate the marriage when they both reached the age of maturity. But for now, the baby bride could enjoy an outrageous wedding gift.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
4. She Had An Impressive Dowry
It was common practice for the bride's father to offer a dowry, and Jadwiga's father went all out, committing to giving her the entire town of Treviso. However, the settlement was located in the Republic of Venice, and needed to be conquered by the Austrians first.
With a lifelong commitment sealed before she had even turned five, Jadwiga got a firsthand look at her betrothed’s culture.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
5. She Moved Away
Jadwiga's life changed dramatically—before she was even old enough to truly understand her place in society. Following the provisional marriage, Jadwiga packed up her things and moved to her promised husband’s homeland. The princess settled in Austria, mainly Vienna, for nearly two years, from 1378 to 1380.
But while she was away, tragedy struck the royal family.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
6. She Was The Favorite
To the family’s devastation, Jadwiga’s eldest sister, Catherine, perished unexpectedly in late 1378. The princess and heir apparent was only seven years old. After her passing, many were of the opinion that King Louis favored Jadwiga and her betrothed, William, to succeed him on the throne of Hungary. There was just the pesky issue of her other sister.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
7. Her Sister Was Set Up
With his suspected preference for Jadwiga, King Louis redirected his other remaining daughter northward: following the untimely passing of Catherine, the King petitioned the most influential Polish lords to support his new heir, Mary, as his successor. Mary had some Polish credentials herself: her father promised her to Sigismund of Luxembourg, himself a great-grandson of Louis’ predecessor on the throne of Poland.
The Hungarian side of things seemed to go along.
Formerly attributed to Pisanello, Wikimedia Commons
8. She Received Support
Jadwiga was a pawn in a bigger game at play. Jadwiga and William’s fathers reaffirmed their provisional marriage on February 12, 1380, sealing the promise with a signed document. Furthermore, the most powerful Hungarian lords publicly approved the agreement, signaling support for Jadwiga and William’s succession to the Hungarian throne.
Everything seemed to be going as planned—but there was another horrible twist in store for the royal family.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
9. Her Father Fell Ill
On September 10, 1382, amidst deteriorating health, Jadwiga’s father perished unexpectedly. The princess was present at the King’s bedside as he passed, and his demise sparked a familial power grab.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
10. Her Mother Took Charge
Jadwiga’s mother and the King's widow, Elizabeth of Bosnia, shook up the royal landscape, declaring her eldest surviving daughter, Mary, the “King of Hungary". But she didn't stop there. Making sure she had all her ducks in a row, she also successfully prevented Mary’s betrothed, Sigismund, from taking power. Instead, Elizabeth herself began governing Hungary on behalf of her 11-year-old daughter.
This threw the succession of the Polish throne into confusion, and the nobility of the country had their doubts.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
11. She Got Favored
Consolidating her power, Jadwiga’s ambitious mother, Queen Elizabeth, attempted to garner the support of the Polish nobility too. It was not a difficult task: the influential Polish lords were mistrustful of outsiders, including the two foreigners that the late King’s daughters were engaged to. Thus, when one of those foreigners made a move, it went down like a lead balloon.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
12. Her Countrymen Rejected
Now promised to the ruler of Hungary and Poland in waiting, Jadwiga’s brother-in-law-to-be, Sigismund of Luxembourg, made a play to take control of Poland. Despite his engagement to Mary, however, the Polish nobility rejected the attempt, pledging loyalty only to whatever daughter of the late King Louis would settle in Poland. Jadwiga’s mother knew what had to be done.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
13. Her Mother Ordained Her
With the oath of loyalty of the Polish lords now secured, Jadwiga’s mother officially declared her youngest daughter the reigning monarch of Poland. The princess was still only a girl of eight, however, and her mother was hesitant to let her go, choosing not to send her north to be crowned yet. The delay began causing some restlessness amongst the Polish nobility.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
14. She Got Challenged
While Jadwiga’s mother kept her daughter away from her domain of rule, other candidates began popping up within the kingdom. The most popular of these was Siemowit IV, the Duke of Masovia, who was a favorite among the townspeople and nobility of Greater Poland. Offering an olive branch, these nobles proposed to the Queen a marriage between Jadwiga and Siemowit. Not all approved of this idea, however.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
15. She Was Hurried
The nobility of Lesser Poland were far less enthusiastic about the idea of the Duke of Masovia ruling over them, and they expressed their concerns to Jadwiga’s mother. Fearing a power grab, the queen finally agreed to send her youngest daughter to Poland to receive her crown officially. The locals went wild.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
16. She Was Beloved
Since Louis' death, Poland had endured a brutal period. Jadwiga's arrival offered the country something extremely healing: a monarch to unite them all. The princess was very popular among the Polish people, and a massive audience gathered “to greet her with a display of affection”. Thus, on her coronation on October 16, 1384, nobody protested, and the 10-year-old monarch was ordained—that is, with something of a strange title.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
17. She Wasn’t Queen
Like her sister in Hungary before her, they gave Jadwiga the title of “King” of Poland upon her coronation. According to historians, the reason for this was an abundance of caution by the Polish lords: with that title secured, the nobles felt it would prevent Jadwiga’s eventual husband from adopting the moniker and thus seizing power himself. Being so young, however, the King exercised very little power herself.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
18. She Was A Pawn
During the early stage of her reign, Jadwiga relied on help from a group of advisors, many of them bishops. But this was likely an illusion of power. As the King was still shockingly young, many historians believe she was just a pawn for her advisors to use as they pleased. There is a different school of thought, however.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
19. She Grew Up
One historian, Oscar Halecki, posited a contradicting view on the young Jadwiga’s capability as a ruler. Refuting the conventional wisdom, he suggested that the young monarch grew up swiftly, displaying a greater maturity for her age and showing some real aptitude for wielding power. He chalked it up to her winning personality.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
20. She Was Jovial
Halecki credited Jadwiga’s amenable personality for the gradual strengthening of her position at the Polish court. Sources of the era paint the young ruler as charming and kind, which endeared her to those around her. Her husband-in-waiting was a different story, however.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
21. Her Fiancé Had His Doubters
While Jadwiga may have launched a successful charm offensive, no one could say the same for her betrothed, William of Habsburg. The Polish lords mistrusted the 14-year-old Duke, dismissing him as too inexperienced and fearing that, with his allegiance to Austria, the boy would show little interest in safeguarding Poland against its formidable neighbors.
To the lords’ delight, Jadwiga was open to ruthlessly replacing William.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
22. She Heard A Pitch
The lords of Poland did indeed have an alternative candidate in mind. Petitioning Jadwiga and her mother, they suggested the young monarch should marry Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania. Wanting to maintain stability in Poland, the fresh-faced monarch and her mother agreed to open negotiations, setting some conditions from the outset.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
23. She Spread Her Faith
Jadwiga and her family were devout Catholics, but Jogaila was a pagan. As part of the tentative marriage agreement, the Polish nobility requested Jogaila convert to Catholicism. The duke agreed, even pledging to promote the religion among his subjects. The deed looked like it was just about done, then. But soon, Jadwiga’s original squeeze got word.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
24. Her Ex Closed In
Inevitably, William of Austria got word of Jadwiga’s plans to wed another, and naturally, he freaked out. Invoking the pact he and the Polish princess had made when they were children, the duke rushed to Kraków, intending to consummate the marriage and claim what he believed to be his. The Polish lords were having none of it, however, and promptly expelled William, throwing him out of the city on his rear end. At least that’s how one story goes.
Florian Cynk, Wikimedia Commons
25. She May Have Had Him
There are many contradictory accounts around William’s attempts to secure his marriage to Jadwiga. Some claim he got as far as her bedchamber before being expelled from Kraków, while others even claim that he successfully consummated the marriage and that the two remained together for two weeks.
Regardless of what happened, however, the duke eventually got ejected from Poland, and Jadwiga denied the consummation in subsequent years. She had clearly made her choice.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
26. She Got Hitched
By February of 1386, Jadwiga had officially renounced her union with William of Austria, and agreed to marry Jogaila, the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The ceremony took place on February 18th. But not before the Polish ruler consulted her closest confidant.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
27. She Asked The Man Upstairs
A Polish legend recounts how Jadwiga felt truly torn over whether to marry the Duke of Austria or Lithuania. Being a pious young woman, the ruler prayed before a crucifix in Wawel Cathedral, seeking divine intervention to help her decide. Thus, with God’s apparent approval, she chose the Lithuanian in the end, even if there was a huge difference between the two.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
28. She Had An Age-Gap Relationship
Jadwiga was just 12 years old when she got married, but her new husband was significantly older. While official records of Jogaila’s birth are now lost to time, historians believe he was somewhere between 22 and 35 years old at the time of his marriage—an astounding age gap at any point on that spectrum. The Lithuanian duke showed his devotion in a moving way, all the same.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
29. Her Husband Learned
Interestingly, at the time of their marriage, Jadwiga and her new husband did not share a common language and thus could not have a proper conversation. Touchingly, following their nuptials, the Duke of Lithuania began learning Polish. Whether it was for the purpose of communicating with Jadwiga or not, it certainly brought the couple closer.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
30. She Had A Co-Pilot
Jadwiga and her husband’s relationship developed in tandem with their political maturation: contemporaries knew the two to work closely together as co-regents, often discussing important decisions with one another and becoming close confidants. Indeed, the girl-king’s kind nature was a good influence on her spouse.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
31. She Was Benevolent
Records show that Jadwiga was a kind and merciful ruler who often advocated for the poor, both in the courts and in economic policy. Her compassion even rubbed off on her husband: after a trip the couple took to Greater Poland that damaged the property of local peasants, the young ruler convinced the duke to compensate those affected. She often put her own money where her mouth was too.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
32. She Bettered The Land
During her reign, Jadwiga engaged in many charitable endeavors that developed the land, culture, and standard of life in Poland. Her valuable efforts included the construction of new churches, hospitals, and schools, and the restoration of those that had fallen into disrepair. Naturally, this endeared her greatly to her subjects.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
33. She Got Mythologized
Jadwiga was beloved by her subjects, and as a result, the young ruler became the subject of many a legend in Poland. As if all that wasn’t good enough, she even performed the occasional miracle, as recounted in a notable tale where she saved a young boy.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
34. She Restored Life
One story alleges that, while Jadwiga took part in a procession for Corpus Christi Day, a local coppersmith’s boy fell into a river and lost his life. The queen reportedly threw her mantel over the boy’s lifeless body, which brought him back to life. Despite all these incredible accomplishments, however, the monarch’s power had its limitations.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
35. Her Reign Got Reined In
Despite her compassion, policy, and aptitude, Jadwiga was still a very young ruler, and this fact unfortunately limited her real political power; her advisors made most of the decisions concerning foreign policy and conflict for the bulk of her reign. Her political impotence was on full display when tragedy struck back home.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
36. Her Family Was Imprisoned
By 1386, things back in Jadwiga’s original homeland of Hungary had descended into chaos. After an invasion by a group of Slavonian lords, the rebels kidnapped Jadwiga’s mother and sister and locked them up. The Polish queen would never see her mother again.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
37. She Stood By
Queen Elizabeth faced execution in January 1387, and Jadwiga, her youngest daughter, was forced to sit by and passively observe, with the lords of Poland feeling interference was an unwise move. Still, when the lords did eventually give their approval, the impressive young ruler answered the call.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
38. She Led A March
A month after the demise of her mother, the powers that be in Poland finally commanded their forces to march to the Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia to reclaim it from Hungarian rule. Jadwiga was the face of the procession—and she stretched her persuasive powers in an impressive way. In the end, she managed to usher most of the inhabitants under her wing—and they agreed to join the Polish Crown.
It would not be the last time she showed a knack for diplomacy.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
39. She Settled A Dispute
Alongside tensions between Poland and Hungary, Jadwiga’s husband had troubles of his own back home. The Lithuanian duke’s kin had been quarreling, causing unrest in the region. Jadwiga set off for Lithuania and, showing great skill and intelligent impartiality, brokered a reconciliation with her husband’s relatives. This diplomatic streak continued—but there were darker days on the horizon.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
40. Her Sister Fell
Tragedy hit Jadwiga’s family once again in 1395 when her sister Mary, Queen of Hungary, went out for a solo horse ride during which her horse tripped, falling atop the monarch. To make matters worse, Mary was pregnant, and the incident induced premature labor. The timing could not have been worse.
Janos Thuroczy, Wikimedia Commons
41. She Made A Grab
Devastatingly, neither Jadwiga’s sister nor her newborn son survived the ordeal. The Polish queen, though deep in grief, saw an opportunity, and attempted to take the Hungarian throne from Mary’s widowed husband, Sigismund. She did not have the support of the Hungarian lords, however, and her efforts failed. Things were not so great at home, either.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
42. She Had Marital Troubles
Like her late sister before her, Jadwiga remained childless for almost her entire reign. After a decade of marriage, this became a sore spot for the couple—her husband desperately desired heirs, but the couple had a hard time conceiving. The day finally came in the end, but pregnancy would prove just as unlucky for Jadwiga as it had for her sister, and the duke should have been careful what he wished for.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
43. She Got Knocked Up
After over 10 years of marriage and attempts at conception, Jadwiga finally became pregnant in 1398. It was a joyous occasion, but considering her own sister's grisly experience with childbirth, Jadwiga was still at the mercy of the times. The world of medicine couldn't protect expectant mothers as it does now.
She could either be very lucky, or very unlucky.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
44. She Lost Another
Though the horoscopes predicted a boy, Jadwiga gave birth to a baby girl, Elizabeth Bonifacia, named after her grandmother, on June 22, 1399. The infant arrived prematurely, however, and the next few weeks were a struggle for the poor newborn. In the end, baby Elizabeth did not survive her third week on earth. And like her sister before her, Jadwiga paid a further price.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
45. She Didn’t Survive
Following the premature birth of her daughter, Jadwiga suffered greatly from childbirth complications. She would never recover. Poland’s girl-king left this mortal coil on July 17, 1399, just four days after the passing of her daughter. She was only 25 years old, and with that, her bloodline ended.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
46. She Was The Last
With her devastatingly young demise, and because her only child had predeceased her, Jadwiga laid claim to the grim historical milestone of being Poland’s last hereditary ruler. It was a heartbreaking ending for such a kind figure who accomplished so much in her short life, and for that, she received a touching burial.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
47. She Rested With Her Baby
As stipulated in her last will and testament, they buried Jadwiga alongside her infant daughter. Family laid the pair to rest in Kraków's Wawel Cathedral. With the queen gone, the question remained: who would replace her?
48. She Gave Him Some Heartbreaking Advice
Jadwiga's husband found a new wife in Anna of Cilli. It may seem cold that Jadwiga’s husband had remarried so soon, but the late queen had actually advised on the marriage while on her deathbed, recommending Anna as a match. Her husband’s descendants retained the crown for a long time thereafter, and Jadwiga passed into the history books.
Marceli Krajewski, Wikimedia Commons
49. She Got Good Reviews
Many leading historians of Poland have praised Jadwiga as one of the country's greatest rulers. Her accomplishments are indeed impressive: alongside her aforementioned charity, kindness, and diplomatic achievements, her decision to marry Jogaila meant the union of Poland and Lithuania, which created a large and powerful state in East Central Europe. Many centuries after her passing, she received yet another huge honor.
Jozef Mecina-Krzesz, Wikimedia Commons
50. She Made The Canon
On June 8, 1997, Pope John Paul II traveled to Kraków, where he took part in a ceremony to canonize a new saint: Jadwiga of Poland. Recognized by the church for her piety, charity, and apparent communication with the divine, Jadwiga is one of the highest points of pride among Poland’s Catholics.
Screenshot from The Crown of the Kings, Telewizja Polska (2018-2024)
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