Agnes of Austria (; 1322 – 2 February 1392) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

princess member of the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

and by marriage Duchess of

Świdnica Świdnica (; ; ) is a city on the Bystrzyca (Oder), Bystrzyca River in south-western Poland in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. As of 2021, it has a population of 55,413 inhabitants. It is the seat of Świdnica County, and also of the smaller dis ...

. She was the second daughter of

Leopold I, Duke of Austria Leopold I (c. 1290 – 28 February 1326), called The Glorious, was List of rulers of Austria, Duke of Austria and Duchy of Styria, Styria – as co-ruler with his elder brother Frederick the Fair – from 1308 until his death. A member of the Ho ...

, by his wife Katharina, daughter of

Amadeus V, Count of Savoy Amadeus V (1249 – 16 October 1323), also known as Amadeus the Great, was the Count of Savoy from 1285 until his death in 1323. He was a significant medieval ruler who played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of the House of Savo ...

Life

After the early death of her father in 1326, Agnes and her older sister Katharina (later by marriage Lady of Coucy) were placed under the guardianship of their paternal uncles,

Frederick the Fair Frederick the Fair () or the Handsome ( – 13 January 1330), from the House of Habsburg, was the duke of Austria and Styria from 1308 as well as the anti-king of Germany from 1314 until 1325 and then co-king until his death. Background Frederi ...

and Albert II. On 1 June 1338 Agnes married with

Bolko II the Small Bolko II the Small ( – 28 July 1368), was the last independent Duke of the Piast dynasty in Silesia. He was Duke of Świdnica from 1326, Duke of Jawor and Lwówek from 1346, Duke of Lusatia from 1364, Duke over half of Brzeg and Oława from 1 ...

, Duke of

, who wanted with this union to enhance his international position against the

House of Luxembourg The House of Luxembourg (; ; ) or Luxembourg dynasty was a royal family of the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Middle Ages, whose members between 1308 and 1437 ruled as kings of Germany and Holy Roman emperors as well as kings of Bohemia, List of r ...

, direct competitors of the Habsburgs. The marriage apparently was childless, although some sources stated that they had two children: a daughter, Elisabeth (d. 1407) and a son, Bolko, who, according to old Silesian legend, died at only nine years old, accidentally killed by the court jester Jakob Thau, when he threw a stone to him during a game. After the death of her husband in 1368, and according to his will, Agnes received

Jawor Jawor () is a town in south-western Poland with 22,890 inhabitants (2019). It is situated in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the seat of Jawor County, and lies approximately west of the regional capital Wrocław. One of the oldest towns ...

and

Lwówek Lwówek is a town in Nowy Tomyśl County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,961 inhabitants (2010). History Town rights were granted by King Władysław II Jagiełło. The town was known as Lwów, before the name was changed to the cu ...

as her

dower Dower is a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed. It was settlement (law), settled on the bride (being given into trust instrument, trust) by agreement at the time of t ...

. Agnes died on 2 February 1392 in Świdnica and was buried in the Franciscan Princely Chapel (''Fürstenkapelle'') of the Grüssau Abbey. According to the treaty of 1353 between Bolko II and the

Emperor Charles IV Charles IV (; ; ; 14 May 1316 – 29 November 1378''Karl IV''. In: (1960): ''Geschichte in Gestalten'' (''History in figures''), vol. 2: ''F–K''. 38, Frankfurt 1963, p. 294), also known as Charles of Luxembourg, born Wenceslaus (, ), was H ...

, on her death the duchies were incorporated into the lands of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

Wenceslaus, King of the Romans Wenceslaus IV (also ''Wenceslas''; ; , nicknamed "the Idle"; 26 February 136116 August 1419), also known as Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, was King of Bohemia from 1378 until his death and King of Germany from 1376 until he was deposed in 1400. As h ...

. Under the rule of the Abbot Benedict II Seidel (1735–1747) was built in the ''Fürstenkapelle'' a sculpture of white marble from Agnes, which is still there.

References

Sources

* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Agnes of Austria 1322 births 1392 deaths 14th-century nobility from the Holy Roman Empire 14th-century House of Habsburg Daughters of dukes