Elizabeth of Kuyavia ( pl, Elżbieta, sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Elizabeta, Елизабета; 1315/1320 – after 22 August 1345) was a Polish noblewoman 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 ...

. She was the only daughter of Duke

Kazimierz III of Gniewkowo Kazimierz III of Gniewkowo (ca. 1280/84 – 22 August 1345/13 May 1350), was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast, Duke of Inowrocław during 1287-1314 (under the regency of his mother until 1294 and his brother during 1294–1296), since ...

and his wife, whose name and origins are unknown; her brother,

Władysław the White Władysław (Włodko) the White or Władysław of Gniewkowo ( pl, Władysław (Włodko) Biały (Gniewkowski); ca. 1327/1333 – 29 February 1388), was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast, Duke of Gniewkowo during 1347/1350–1363/1364 ...

, was later a candidate for the Polish throne. By 1323, King

Charles I of Hungary Charles I, also known as Charles Robert ( hu, Károly Róbert; hr, Karlo Robert; sk, Karol Róbert; 128816 July 1342) was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1308 to his death. He was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou and the only son of ...

wanted to increase influence over

Stephen II, Ban of Bosnia Stephen II ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Стефан II, Stjepan II) was the Bosnian Ban from 1314, but in reality from 1322 to 1353 together with his brother, Vladislav Kotromanić in 1326–1353. He was the son of Bosnian Ban Stephen I Kot ...

. He offered Stephan the hand of Elizabeth, the relative of his own Piast wife

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

. By marrying Elizabeth of Kuyavia, Stephen received from Charles the lands to the west formerly held by

Mladen I Šubić of Bribir Mladen I Šubić of Bribir ( hr, Mladen I Šubić Bribirski; died 1304) was a Croatian nobleman who was a member of Šubić family, at the end of 13th and beginning of the 14th century. He was a brother of a ban of Croatia Paul I Šubić of Br ...

and Usora and Soli in the north formerly held by

Vladislav, King of Syrmia Vladislav ( sr-cyr, Владислав; 1280–1326) was the King of Syrmia from 1316 to 1325, and claimant to the Serbian Kingdom. He was the son of Stefan Dragutin, who had ruled Serbia until 1282, when he became ill and abdicated, giving the ...

. The marriage was celebrated by 1339. Up to 1339, Stephan was married to an unknown Bulgarian princess. The only child which can be attributed to Elizabeth of Kuyavia without doubt is

Elizabeth of Bosnia Elizabeth of Bosnia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Elizabeta Kotromanić, Елизабета Котроманић; hu, Kotromanics Erzsébet; pl, Elżbieta Bośniaczka; – January 1387) was queen consort of Hungary and Croatia, as well ...

, born c. 1340. Some believe that

Catherine of Bosnia, Countess of Cilli Catherine of Bosnia ( sh, Katarina Kotromanić, sl, Katarina Celjska - Kotromanićka) (''fl.'' 14th century) was a Bosnian noblewoman. She was Countess of Cilli by her marriage to Hermann I, Count of Cilli, and a member of the House of Kotromani� ...

, was daughter of Elizabeth of Kuyavia and Stephen II, while others argue that Catherine was daughter of Stephen II's brother Vladislaus and his wife

Jelena Šubić Jelena Šubić (died 1378) was a member of the Bribir branch of the Šubić noble family who ruled the Banate of Bosnia as regent from 1354 until 1357. Jelena was the daughter of the Croatian lord George II Šubić of Bribir, Count of Klis. She ...

. Elizabeth may have also had a son, Vuk who may have survived infancy but he did not outlive his father so never became

Ban of Bosnia This is a list of rulers of Bosnia, containing bans and kings of Medieval Bosnia. Duke (1082–1136) Bans (1136–1377) Kings and queen (1377–1463) All Bosnian kings added the honorific Stephen to their baptismal name upon accession. , ...

. Vuk may have been the son of one of Stephen's previous two wives. Stephen outlived Elizabeth. It is unknown what Elizabeth died of. Judging by the time, it is possible that she died of

Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

, which was sweeping across Europe during the 14th century. Banness Elizabeth was buried in

Bobovac Bobovac ( sh-Cyrl, Бобовац) is a fortified city of medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located near today's Vareš and the village of Borovica. It is protected site as a National monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. History The city wa ...

in a tomb which she shared with her husband, brother-in-law Vladislaus and sister-in-law Jelena.Mandić, Doninik: ''Franjevačka Bosna: razvoj i uprava Bosanske vikarije i provincije, 1340-1735'', Hrvatski povijesni institut, 1968, page 231. After Elizabeth of Kuyavia's death, her daughter Elizabeth was fostered by the Hungarian queen dowager Elizabeth and this soon led to Elizabeth's marriage to

Louis I of Hungary Louis I, also Louis the Great ( hu, Nagy Lajos; hr, Ludovik Veliki; sk, Ľudovít Veľký) or Louis the Hungarian ( pl, Ludwik Węgierski; 5 March 132610 September 1382), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1342 and King of Poland from 1370 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth Of Kuyavia Kotromanić dynasty Women of medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina 14th-century births 14th-century deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death unknown Piast dynasty 14th-century Polish people 14th-century Polish women Bosnian duchesses