Euphemia of Racibórz ( pl, Eufemia raciborska) (1299/1301 – 17 January 1359) was a Polish 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.
Branch ...
in the
Racibórz
Racibórz (german: Ratibor, cz, Ratiboř, szl, Racibōrz) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Racibórz County.
With Opole, Racibórz is one of the historic capitals of Upper Silesia, being t ...
branch and
Dominican Prioress in Racibórz.
She was the third child but second daughter of Duke
Przemysław of Racibórz
Przemysław of Racibórz ( pl, Przemysław raciborski) (between 21 October 1258 and 12 June 1268 – 7 May 1306) was a Duke of Racibórz since 1282 until his death (until 1290 with his brother as co-ruler).
He was the fourth son of Władysław, ...
by his wife
Anna
Anna may refer to:
People Surname and given name
* Anna (name)
Mononym
* Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke
* Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773)
* Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century)
* Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221)
...
, daughter of
Konrad II of Masovia
Konrad II of Czersk (pl: ''Konrad II czerski''; c. 1250 – 24 June/21 October 1294 assumed that both dates are equally likely), was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast, Duke of Masovia during 1264-1275 jointly with his brother, after 127 ...
.
Life
On 9 April 1313 Euphemia took the veil and entered the Dominican monastery of the
Holy Spirit
In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
in
Racibórz
Racibórz (german: Ratibor, cz, Ratiboř, szl, Racibōrz) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Racibórz County.
With Opole, Racibórz is one of the historic capitals of Upper Silesia, being t ...
. During her religious life, she was elected
Prioress twice, in 1341 and during 1358–1359. Documents showed her as a person who dutifully cared for increasing the monastery holdings. In 1313, she acquired the villages of
Proszowiec,
Markowice,
Lyski,
Pogrzebień and
Lubomia
Lubomia is a village and the seat of Gmina Lubomia, Wodzisław County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland near the Czech border. It has a population of about 3,600. It lies approximately west of Wodzisław Śląski and south-west of the reg ...
from her brother, Duke
Leszek of Racibórz
Leszek of Racibórz ( 1292 – 1336) was a Duke of Racibórz since 1306 and Duke of Koźle from 1334 until his death.
He was the eldest child and only son of Duke Przemysław of Racibórz by his wife Anna, daughter of Duke Konrad II of Masovia.
L ...
. In 1335 Euphemia give to
Nankier
Nanker (born Jan Kołda; also known as Nankier; ca. 1270–1341) was a Polish nobleman of Oksza coat of arms as well as bishop of Kraków (1320–1326) and bishop of Wrocław (1326–1341).
Supporter of King Ladislaus I the Short and archbis ...
,
Bishop of Wrocław
Bishops of the (Breslau )Wrocław Bishopric, Prince-Bishopric (1290–1918), and Archdiocese (since 1930; see Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław for details).
Bishops
* 1000–? – John (Johannes)
* 1051–1062 – Hieronymus
* 1063–1072 ...
the villages of
Bieńkowice,
Strzybnik,
Sudoł and
Kornowac
Kornowac is a village in Racibórz County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Kornowac. It lies approximately east of Racibórz and south-west of the regional capital Kat ...
as a ''
Tithe
A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more r ...
''. In 1337, she bought villages of Ligota and Izoldy to the widow of Piotr Strali, and in 1339 the village of Ucieszków and half of Warmutowice in
Koźle
Koźle (german: Cosel) is a district of Kędzierzyn-Koźle (since 1975), Poland and is at the junction of the Kłodnica and Oder rivers, km southeast of Opole. The district has a Roman Catholic church, a medieval chateau, remains of a 19th-centu ...
to a certain Kunada Stosz (or Stoszowice). In 1340 the Dominican Order through Euphemia bought from Henryk z Plumowa and his brother Jeszka the town of
Baborów
Baborów (german: Bauerwitz) is a small town in southern Poland near Głubczyce, in the Opole Voivodeship, Głubczyce County, Gmina Baborów. As of December 2021, it has a population of 2,844.
History
The first mention of the town comes from 12 ...
and the villages of
Suwałków,
Czerwięcice and
Dzielów. Three years later (in 1343) Euphemia received from her brother-in-law, Duke
Nicholas II of Opawa-Racibórz, a large piece of land in Bieńkowice as her personal fief, but by 1351, the whole of Bieńkowice was again in possession of the Dominican Order. At that time, Euphemia acted again as a representative of the Dominican Order and sold the villages of Bieniek, Turc and Kobern as the new Tithe given to the Church.
On 2 July 1345, Euphemia was authorized by
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI ( la, Clemens VI; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Bla ...
to maintain all further acquisitions made by her on behalf of the Dominicans under her direct control. The church and monastery of the Holy Spirit, which were built and consecrated on 29 September 1334, became the center of the religious and cultural life in Racibórz.
On 8 December 1358 the dying Euphemia redacted an extensive will, in which were listed all the goods acquired by her. She died a few weeks later, on 17 January 1359 and was buried in the Dominican Chapel of
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic ( es, Santo Domingo; 8 August 1170 – 6 August 1221), also known as Dominic de Guzmán (), was a Castilian Catholic priest, mystic, the founder of the Dominican Order and is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientis ...
in the monastery of Racibórz.
The later hagiography emphasized Euphemia's devout life, full of self-denial and plenty of Christian virtues.
At the beginning of the 19th century, her remains were solemnly moved to the Chapel and deposited in the principal Church in one of the side altars. During the fire at the church in 1945, the altar burned down and Euphemia's remains were lost. Today she is deeply venerated in
Racibórz
Racibórz (german: Ratibor, cz, Ratiboř, szl, Racibōrz) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Racibórz County.
With Opole, Racibórz is one of the historic capitals of Upper Silesia, being t ...
and was a candidate for the altars.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Euphemia of Raciborz
1300s births
1359 deaths
Piast dynasty
Polish Servants of God
14th-century Polish nuns
Polish Dominicans