Hedwig of Silesia ( pl, Święta Jadwiga Śląska), also Hedwig of Andechs (german: Heilige Hedwig von Andechs, la, Hedvigis; 1174 – 15 October 1243), a member of the
Bavarian comital
House of Andechs, was Duchess of
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. S ...
from 1201 and of
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest cit ...
from 1231 as well as
High Duchess consort of Poland from 1232 until 1238. She was
canonized
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...
by the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
in 1267 by Pope Clement IV.
Life
The daughter of Count
Berthold IV of Andechs, margrave of
Carniola
Carniola ( sl, Kranjska; , german: Krain; it, Carniola; hu, Krajna) is a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Although as a whole it does not exist anymore, Slovenes living within the former borders of the region s ...
and
Istria
Istria ( ; Croatian and Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian, Italian and Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic betwe ...
and his second wife
Agnes of Wettin, she was born at
Andechs Castle in the
Duchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria (German: ''Herzogtum Bayern'') was a frontier region in the southeastern part of the Merovingian kingdom from the sixth through the eighth century. It was settled by Bavarian tribes and ruled by dukes (''duces'') under ...
. Her elder sister,
Agnes, married King
Philip II of France
Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), byname Philip Augustus (french: Philippe Auguste), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks, but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French m ...
(annulled in 1200) and her sister
Gertrude (killed in 1213) married King
Andrew II of Hungary, while the youngest Matilda, (Mechtild) became abbess at the
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
Abbey of
Kitzingen
Kitzingen () is a town in the German state of Bavaria, capital of the district Kitzingen. It is part of the Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants. Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County is the largest wine producer ...
in
Franconia
Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch'').
The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper ...
, where Hedwig also received her education. Hedwig's brother was Bishop , Count of Andechs-Meranien. Another brother was
Berthold, Archbishop of Kalocsa and
Patriarch of Aquileia
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certain ...
, while her brother
Henry, Margrave of Istria was the first lord of
Carniola
Carniola ( sl, Kranjska; , german: Krain; it, Carniola; hu, Krajna) is a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Although as a whole it does not exist anymore, Slovenes living within the former borders of the region s ...
.
Through her sister Gertrude, she was the aunt of
Elizabeth of Hungary.
Duchess consort
At the age of twelve, Hedwig married
Henry I the Bearded
Henry the Bearded ( pl, Henryk (Jędrzych) Brodaty, german: Heinrich der Bärtige; c. 1165/70 – 19 March 1238) was a Polish duke from the Piast dynasty.
He was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Duke of Kraków and High Duke of all P ...
, son and heir of the
Piast duke
Boleslaus the Tall of
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. S ...
. As soon as Henry succeeded his father in 1201, he had to struggle with his
Piast relatives, at first with his uncle Duke
Mieszko IV Tanglefoot who immediately seized the Upper Silesian
Duchy of Opole. In 1206 Henry and his cousin Duke
Władysław III Spindleshanks : ''This article refers to the 12th-century Polish monarch. For the 15th-century Jagiellon monarch, see Władysław III of Poland, and for other monarchs with similar names see Ladislaus III (disambiguation)''.
Władysław III Spindleshanks ( pl, W ...
of
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest cit ...
agreed to swap the Silesian
Lubusz Land against the
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 ...
region, which met with fierce protest by Władysław's III nephew
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 ...
. When Henry went to
Gąsawa in 1227 to meet his Piast cousins, he narrowly saved his life, while High Duke
Leszek I the White was killed by the men of the
Pomerelian Duke
Swietopelk II
Swietopelk II, also Zwantepolc II or Swantopolk II, (1190/1200 – 11 January 1266), sometimes known as the Great ( pl, Świętopełk II Wielki; Kashubian: ''Swiãtopôłk II Wiôldżi''), was the ruling Duke of Pomerelia-Gdańsk from 1215 un ...
, instigated by Władysław Odonic.
The next year Henry's ally
Władysław III Spindleshanks : ''This article refers to the 12th-century Polish monarch. For the 15th-century Jagiellon monarch, see Władysław III of Poland, and for other monarchs with similar names see Ladislaus III (disambiguation)''.
Władysław III Spindleshanks ( pl, W ...
succeeded Leszek I as
High Duke; however as he was still contested by his nephew in Greater Poland, he made Henry his governor at
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...
, whereby the Silesian duke once again became entangled in the dispute over the
Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province, also known as the Senioral Province, , was a district principality in the Duchy of Poland that was formed in 1138, following the fragmentation of the state. Its ruler held the title of the High Duke, ruling all duchies wit ...
. In 1229 he was captured and arrested at
Płock Castle by rivaling Duke
Konrad I of Masovia. Hedwig proceeded to Płock pleading for Henry and was able to have him released.
Her actions promoted the reign of her husband: upon the death of the Polish High Duke Władysław III Spindleshanks in 1231, Henry also became Duke of
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest cit ...
and the next year prevailed as High Duke at Kraków. He thereby was the first of the Silesian Piast descendants of
Władysław II the Exile : ''This article refers to the 12th century Polish monarch. For the 14th century founder of the Jagiellon dynasty, see Jogaila, and for other monarchs with similar names, see Ladislaus II (disambiguation).''
Vladislaus II the Exile ( pl, Władys ...
to gain the rule over Silesia and the Seniorate Province in accord with the 1138
Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty.
Widow
Upon his death in 1238, Henry was buried at a
Cistercian
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint B ...
monastery of nuns,
Trzebnica Abbey (''Kloster Trebnitz''), which he had established in 1202 at Hedwig's request. Hedwig accepted the death of her beloved husband with faith. She said:
The widow moved into the monastery, which was led by her daughter Gertrude, assuming the
religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of religious clothing worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognizable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anchoritic life, ...
of a
lay sister, but she did not take vows. She invited numerous
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
religious people from the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
into the Silesian lands, as well as German settlers who founded numerous cities, towns and villages in the course of the ''
Ostsiedlung
(, literally "East-settling") is the term for the Early Medieval and High Medieval migration-period when ethnic Germans moved into the territories in the eastern part of Francia, East Francia, and the Holy Roman Empire (that Germans had a ...
'', while cultivating barren parts of Silesia for agriculture.
Hedwig and Henry had several daughters, though only one surviving son,
Henry II the Pious, who succeeded his father as Duke of Silesia and Polish High Duke. The widow, however, had to witness the killing of her son, vainly awaiting the support of Emperor
Frederick II, during the
Mongol invasion of Poland at the
Battle of Legnica
The Battle of Legnica ( pl, bitwa pod Legnicą), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (german: Schlacht von Liegnitz) or Battle of Wahlstatt (german: Schlacht bei Wahlstatt), was a battle between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces t ...
(''Wahlstatt'') in 1241. The hopes for a re-united Poland were lost, and even Silesia fragmented into numerous Piast
duchies under Henry II's sons. Hedwig and her daughter-in-law, Henry II's widow
Anna of Bohemia, established a
Benedictine abbey
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, found ...
at the site of the battle in
Legnickie Pole
Legnickie Pole (in 1945–1948 ''Dobre Pole'', german: Wahlstatt) is a village in Legnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district ( gmina) called Gmina Legnickie Pole.
It lies a ...
, settled with monks coming from
Opatovice in
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
.
Hedwig and Henry had lived very pious lives, and Hedwig had great
zeal for her faith. She had supported her husband in donating the
Augustinian provostry at
Nowogród Bobrzański
Nowogród Bobrzański (german: Naumburg am Bober) is a town on the Bóbr river in Zielona Góra County, Lubusz Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,165 inhabitants (2019). It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Nowogród Bobrzański. The gmina was cr ...
(''Naumburg'') and the commandery of the
Knights Templar
, colors = White mantle with a red cross
, colors_label = Attire
, march =
, mascot = Two knights riding a single horse
, equipment ...
at
Oleśnica Mała (''Klein Oels''). Hedwig always helped the poor, the widows and the orphans, founded several hospitals for the sick and the lepers and donated all her fortune to the
Church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* Chri ...
. She allowed no one to leave her uncomforted, and one time she spent ten weeks teaching the
Our Father to a poor woman. According to legend, she went barefoot even in winter, and when she was urged by the
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 ...
to wear shoes, she carried them in her hands.
On 15 October 1243, Hedwig died and was buried in Trzebnica Abbey with her husband, while
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
s of her are preserved at
Andechs Abbey
Andechs Abbey is a Benedictine priory in the municipality of Andechs, in the ''Landkreis'' of Starnberg, Upper Bavaria, Germany . A place of pilgrimage on a hill east of the Ammersee, the Abbey is famed for its flamboyant Baroque church and it ...
and
St. Hedwig's Cathedral
St. Hedwig's Cathedral (german: St.-Hedwigs-Kathedrale) is a Catholic church on Bebelplatz in the historic centre of Berlin. Dedicated to Hedwig of Silesia, it was erected from 1747 to 1887 by order of Frederick the Great according to plans by ...
in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
.
Veneration
Hedwig was
canonized
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...
in 1267 by
Pope Clement IV, a supporter of the Cistercian order, at the suggestion of her grandson Prince-Archbishop
Władysław of Salzburg. She is the
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
of
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. S ...
, of
Andechs
Andechs is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria in Germany. It is renowned in Germany and beyond for Andechs Abbey, a Benedictine monastery that has brewed beer since 1455. The monastery brewery offers tours to visitors.
The ...
, and of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław
The Archdiocese of Wrocław ( pl, Archidiecezja wrocławska; german: Erzbistum Breslau; cs, Arcidiecéze vratislavská; la, Archidioecesis Vratislaviensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church cente ...
and the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Görlitz. Her
feast day
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context do ...
is celebrated on the
General Roman Calendar
The General Roman Calendar is the liturgical calendar that indicates the dates of celebrations of saints and mysteries of the Lord (Jesus Christ) in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, wherever this liturgical rite is in use. These cel ...
on 16 October. The
Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit, who count her as a great benefactor, celebrate it on 8 June. A 17th-century legend has it that Hedwig, while on a pilgrimage to
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
, stopped at
Bad Zell in
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, where she had healing waters spring up at a source which today still bears her name.
In 1773 the
Prussian king
Frederick the Great
Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
, having conquered and annexed the bulk of Silesia in the
First Silesian War, had
St. Hedwig in Berlin built for the Catholic
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia ( pl, Górny Śląsk; szl, Gůrny Ślůnsk, Gōrny Ślōnsk; cs, Horní Slezsko; german: Oberschlesien; Silesian German: ; la, Silesia Superior) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, locate ...
n immigrants, since 1930 the cathedral of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Berlin
The Archdiocese of Berlin is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Germany. The archepiscopal see is in Berlin, with the archdiocese's territory extending over Northeast Germany.
As of 2004, the ar ...
.
In March 2020 the discovery of Hedwig's remains, that had been missing for centuries, was reported. The remains were found in
her sanctuary in
Trzebnica, in a silver casket bearing a lead tablet with an inscription confirming Hedwig's identity.
"Bones of 13th century saint found hidden inside small silver coffin"
STUART DOWELL MARCH 16, 2020, ''The First News''
Hedwig glasses are named after Hedwig of Silesia.
Children
Hedwig and Henry I had seven children:
#Agnes (ca. 1190 – before 11 May 1214).
#Bolesław (ca. 1191 – 10 September 1206/08).
# Henry II the Pious (ca. 1196 – killed in Battle of Legnica
The Battle of Legnica ( pl, bitwa pod Legnicą), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (german: Schlacht von Liegnitz) or Battle of Wahlstatt (german: Schlacht bei Wahlstatt), was a battle between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces t ...
, 9 April 1241).
#Konrad the Curly
Konrad the Curly ( pl, Konrad Kędzierzawy; c. 1198 – 4 September 1213 in Czerwony Kosciol), was a Polish prince member of the Piast dynasty in his Silesian branch.
He was the third son of Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Wroclaw, by his wife ...
(ca. 1198 – Czerwony Kosciol, 4 September 1213).
#Sophie (ca. 1200 – before 22/23 March 1214).
#Gertrude (ca. 1200 – Trebnitz, 6/30 December 1268), Abbess of Trebnitz.
#A son ładysław?(before 25 December 1208 – 1214/17).
See also
* Saint Hedwig of Silesia, patron saint archive
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedwig of Andechs
1174 births
1243 deaths
People from Starnberg (district)
Polish Roman Catholic saints
German Roman Catholic saints
House of Andechs
13th-century Christian saints
Roman Catholic royal saints
Duchesses of Greater Poland
Burials at the Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga, Trzebnica
12th-century German nobility
13th-century German nobility
12th-century Polish nobility
13th-century Polish nobility
12th-century German women
12th-century Polish women
13th-century Polish women
Medieval German saints
Medieval Polish saints
Female saints of medieval Poland
Female saints of medieval Germany