Constance of Wrocław () (c.1221–27 – 21 or 23 February 1257) was a princess of
Silesia
Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) 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 8, ...
and the duchess of
Kuyavia
Kuyavia (; ), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three traditional parts: north-western (with th ...
. She was a member of the Polish
House of Piast
The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented List of Polish monarchs, Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I of Poland, Mieszko I (–992). The Poland during the Piast dynasty, Piasts' royal rule in Pol ...
and mother of
Leszek the Black
Leszek II the Black (c. 1241 – 30 September 1288), was a Polish prince of the House of Piast, Duke of Sieradz since 1261, Duke of Łęczyca since 1267, Duke of Inowrocław in the years 1273-1278, Duke of Sandomierz and List of Polish monarchs, Hi ...
and
Ziemomysł of Kuyavia.
Early life
Constance of
Wrocław
Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...
was born in 1227, the second child of
Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious (; 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 Opole– Racibórz. He ...
and his wife
Anna of Bohemia, the daughter of
Ottokar I of Bohemia
Ottokar I (; 1155 – 1230) was Duke of Bohemia periodically beginning in 1192, then acquired the title of King of Bohemia, first in 1198 from Philip of Swabia, later in 1203 from Otto IV of Brunswick and in 1212 (as hereditary) from ...
and
Constance of Hungary
Constance of Hungary (in Hungarian, ''Konstancia''; in Czech, ''Konstancie''; c. 1180 – 6 December 1240) was the second Queen consort of Ottokar I of Bohemia.
Family
Constance was a daughter of Béla III of Hungary and his first wife Agnes of ...
. She was named after her maternal grandmother, Constance of Hungary.
Constance and her siblings were brought up away from their parents at the monastery of
Trzebnica
Trzebnica (Polish pronunciation: ; , ) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in west-central Poland. It is the seat of Trzebnica County, and of the smaller administrative district (gmina) called Gmina Trzebnica. It lies within the eastern Trzebni ...
, where they were cared for by their paternal grandmother
Hedwig of Andechs
Hedwig of Silesia (also Hedwig of Andechs (, , ; 1174 – 15 October 1243), a member of the Bavarian comital House of Andechs, was Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and of Greater Poland from 1231 as well as High Duchess consort of Poland from ...
. Hedwig (who was later canonized) greatly influenced the young Constance – she became
pious. Later, Hedwig also influenced Constance' son, Leszek.
She was expected to marry soon after
coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
at 12 years, and could do so according to
canon law
Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...
. She married in 1239. At the time only her sister Gertrude was married, to
Bolesław I of Masovia
Bolesław I of Masovia (; 1208 – ca. 25 February 1248), was Polish prince member of the Polish House of Piast, Duke of Sandomierz (only a part) during 1229–1232, Duke of Dobrzyń during 1233-1247 and Duke over whole Masovia during 1247–1248 ...
. Only one other sister,
Elisabeth of Wrocław was to marry, her other sisters becoming abbesses.
Constance was more carefully educated than her future husband,
Casimir I of Kuyavia
Casimir I of Kuyavia (; – 14 December 1267) was a Polish prince and a member of the House of Piast. He was Duke of Kujawy after 1233, ruler over Ląd, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Ląd from 1239 to 1261, ruler over Wyszogród after 1242, Duke o ...
, who was tutored by John Heron, who was later educated by Casimir's parents.
Marriage
In 1239 at
Wrocław
Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...
, Constance married Casimir I of Kuyavia, the second son of
Konrad I,
Duke of Masovia. In literature there are two theories for the marriage.
The first theory is that Constance's father, Henry, for political reasons wanted a strong alliance with his potential enemy, Konrad I. With Constance's sister Gertrude already married to Konrad's eldest son, her marriage would make a stronger alliance.
The second theory states that Constance's father had internal and external state problems, whereby good relations with the Duke of Mazovia would help greatly, and the marriage of his daughter to the son of the Duke was intended as an effective way to strengthen cooperation. Henry filed a dowry for Constance's marriage to Casimir. This dowry and inheritance of Henry would later cause fighting between Casimir and
Bolesław the Pious
Bolesław the Pious (1224/27 – 14 April 1279) was a Duke of Greater Poland during 1239–1247 (according to some historians during 1239–1241, sole Duke of Ujście), Duke of Kalisz during 1247–1249, Duke of Gniezno during 1249–1250, Duk ...
(1258–1262), ending in Bolesław gaining
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; ), is a Polish Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland.
The bound ...
Constance's husband, Casimir, was born between 1210 and 1213. He was the second son of Konrad I and
Agafia of Rus. He reigned over
Kuyavia
Kuyavia (; ), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three traditional parts: north-western (with th ...
from 1230 or 1231 after his brother and Gertrude's husband, Bolesław, died. Bolesław, instead of leaving his lands, including
Masovia
Mazovia or Masovia ( ) is a historical region in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok, with Warsaw being the largest city and Płock being the capital of the region . Throughout the ...
, to Casimir, as stipulated in Konrad's will, passed these to Casimir's younger brother,
Siemowit I of Masovia
Siemowit I of Masovia () (d. 23 June 1262), was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast, Duke of Czersk during 1247–1248, Duke of Masovia (except Dobrzyń) during 1248–1262, ruler over Sieradz during 1259–1260.
He was the sixth son of ...
. Casimir had been married once before, to Jadwiga, a Polish noblewoman whose origins are unknown. Casimir and Jadwiga had no children and Jadwiga died childless.
Constance and Casimir had two children:
#
Leszek II the Black
Leszek II the Black (c. 1241 – 30 September 1288), was a Polish prince of the House of Piast, Duke of Sieradz since 1261, Duke of Łęczyca since 1267, Duke of Inowrocław in the years 1273-1278, Duke of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland from ...
(1240-42 – 30 September 1288), Duke of the
Fragmentation of Poland
The period of rule by the Piast dynasty between the 10th and 14th centuries is the first major stage of the history of Poland, history of the Polish state. The dynasty was founded by a series of dukes listed by the chronicler Gall Anonymous in t ...
#
Ziemomysł of Kuyavia (1241-45 – 29 October or 24 December 1287), Duke of Kuyavia
Death
The date of death for Constance is disputed. With regard to the year, she is last noted as a living person in a document dated 25 May 1252, whereas the first document indicating her death is from 3 May 1257. As far as the day and month, ''Nekrolog strzeleński'' reported that she died on 21 February, but, according to ''Nekrologu opactwa św. Wincentego we Wrocławiu'' (en: obituary from the Abbey of St. Vincent in Wrocław), her death occurred on 23 February.
[O. Balzer, Genealogy Piast, Kraków 1895, p. 299, opted for the earlier date, as specified by the local source. He claimed that the obituary from Wrocław indicated a date two days later, as news of Constance's death arrived late to Silesia. According to him the two obituaries were independent of one another; K. Jasinski ''Pedigree of the Silesian Piast'', Thu. I, ed. II, Kraków 2007, pp. 120–121, recognized both dates as equally likely. According to him, the Wrocław obituary would have been able to keep the record from the ''Nekrolog strzeleński'' obituary, which allegedly took the initial information about the death of Constance. Neither obituary survives to the present day. The obituary from the Abbey of St. Vincent in Wrocław is known from a thirteenth-century manuscript, and the obituary from ''Nekrolog strzeleński'' with a later copy.] Thus, she is considered to have died on 21 or 23 February between 1253 and 1257. Due to the fact that the only three mentions of her death in the documents of Casimir I were from 1257 (3 May, 16 September, and 10 November), it is considered highly likely that she died earlier that year. Constance's burial place is unknown.
The document from 16 September 1257 was issued by her two sons and Casimir to the Bishop of Chełmno. Her sons wanted to have daily Mass celebrated for Constance's soul.
Ancestry
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Constance of Wroclaw
1220s births
1257 deaths
Piast dynasty
13th-century Polish women
13th-century Polish people
People of Byzantine descent
Mothers of Polish monarchs