Euphemia of Greater Poland ( pl, Eufemia Odonicówna) (c. 1230 – 15 February after 1281), was a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

princess member of the

House of Piast The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branc ...

from the Greater Poland branch and by marriage was Duchess of

Kalisz (The oldest city of Poland) , image_skyline = , image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town , image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...

Wieluń Wieluń ( la, Velun) is a town in south-central Poland with 21,624 inhabitants (2021). Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship (since 1999), it was previously in Sieradz Voivodeship (1975–1998). Wieluń has a long and rich history. In the past, ...

and Opole-Racibórz. Euphemia was the youngest child of

Władysław Odonic Władysław Odonic, nicknamed Plwacz or the Spitter, ( – 5 June 1239) was a duke of Kalisz 1207–1217, duke of Poznań 1216–1217, ruler of Ujście in 1223, ruler of Nakło from 1225, and duke of all Greater Poland 1229–1234; from 1234 un ...

and his wife

Jadwiga Jadwiga (; diminutives: ''Jadzia'' , ''Iga'') is a Polish feminine given name. It originated from the old German feminine given name ''Hedwig'' (variants of which include ''Hedwiga''), which is compounded from ''hadu'', "battle", and ''wig'', "fig ...

, disputed daughter of

Mestwin I, Duke of Pomerania Mestwin I ( pl, Mściwoj I gdański or , csb, Mscëwòj I; c. 1160 – 1/2 May 1219 or 1220) was Prince of Pomerelia (styled himself as ''princeps Pomoranorum'') from about 1205 until his death. Mestwin was a member of the Samborides dyna ...

and Swinisław, daughter of

Mieszko III the Old Mieszko III the Old (c. 1126/27 – 13 March 1202), of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death. He was the fourth and second surviving son of Duke Bolesła ...

. Euphemia's date of birth is unknown. In literature it claims Euphemia was born around 1230. It is most likely she was born between (1226–1230), fitting in with the dates of birth of her siblings and dates of death of her parents.

Marriage

Euphemia and her siblings married well. Her brother

Przemysł I of Greater Poland Przemysł I (4 June 1221 – 4 June 1257), a member of the Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1239 until his death, from 1241 with his brother Bolesław the Pious as co-ruler. He was able to re-acquire large parts of Greater Poland, r ...

married Elisabeth, daughter of

Henry II the Pious Henry II the Pious ( pl, Henryk II Pobożny; 1196 – 9 April 1241) was Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland as well as Duke of South-Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. Between 1238 and 1239 he also served as regent of Sandomierz and ...

. Another brother Bolesław the Pious married Helen, daughter of

Béla IV of Hungary Béla IV (1206 – 3 May 1270) was King of Hungary and Croatia between 1235 and 1270, and Duke of Styria from 1254 to 1258. As the oldest son of King Andrew II, he was crowned upon the initiative of a group of influential noblemen in his fath ...

. Euphemia's only sister, Salome of Greater Poland married Konrad I, Duke of Silesia-Glogau. Euphemia married in 1251

Władysław Opolski Vladislaus I of Opole ( pl, Władysław opolski) ( – 27 August/13 September 1281/2) was a Duke of Kalisz during 1234–1244, Duke of Wieluń from 1234 to 1249 and Duke of Opole–Racibórz from 1246 until his death. He was the second son ...

, son of

Casimir I of Opole Casimir I of Opole ( pl, Kazimierz I opolski; – 13 May 1230), a member of the Piast dynasty, was a Silesian duke of Opole and Racibórz from 1211 until his death. Early life Casimir was the eldest child and only son of Duke Mieszko I Tanglef ...

and Viola, Duchess of Opole. The couple were related in the fourth degree, so they needed a papal dispensation in order for the marriage to be considered valid. It is unknown whether the couple got a papal dispensation. The marriage was to help bring closer ties between the two Piast branches and for political reasons to do with Euphemia's brother Przemysł. Władysław and Euphemia had five children: # Mieszko I (b. 1252/56 – d. by 27 June 1315). #

Casimir Casimir is classically an English, French and Latin form of the Polish name Kazimierz. Feminine forms are Casimira and Kazimiera. It means "proclaimer (from ''kazać'' to preach) of peace (''mir'')." List of variations *Belarusian: Казі ...

(b. 1253/57 – d. 10 March 1312). # Bolko I (b. bef. 21 October 1258 – d. 14 May 1313). # Constance (b. 1256/65 – d. by 1351), married by 1280 to

Henry IV Probus Henryk IV Probus (Latin for ''the Righteous'') ( pl, Henryk IV Probus or ''Prawy''; german: Heinrich IV. der Gerechte) ( – 23 June 1290) was a member of the Silesian branch of the royal Polish Piast dynasty. He was Duke of Silesia at Wro ...

, Duke of

Wrocław Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...

; they were divorced in 1286. # Przemysław (b. ca. 12 June 1268 – d. 7 May 1306). In 1258, Euphemia and her husband funded a Cistercian in

Rudy Rudy or Rudi is a masculine given name, sometimes short for Rudolf, Rudolph, Rawad, Rudra, Ruairidh, or variations thereof, a nickname and a surname which may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Rudolf Rudy Andeweg (born 1952), Dutch poli ...

. In 1281 they gave money to Premonstratensians. Euphemia died 15 February during a year after 1281, apparently in 1287. She is buried in

Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...

Poland, Medieval Lands
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Ancestors

References

{{reflist Piast dynasty 13th-century Polish people 13th-century Polish women 1230 births 13th-century deaths People from Greater Poland