Jadwiga is crowned King of Poland

Jadwiga, a ten year old girl, the daughter of Louis (Ludwik Wegierski), King of Poland and Hungary, arrived in the Wawel Castle in Kraków on the 13^th of October, 1384. Just three days later, on the 16^th of October, she was crowned the King of Poland. The king? Yes, she was the first female in Poland who was given the full status and position of a king. Although she did not have a chance to rule as the king, for she was too young, she held the title till the end of her short life, when she died at the age of 25. During her funeral, when the whole of Poland grieved for the death of their beloved queen,  the Chancellor of the Kraków Academy spoke of her wisdom, her kindness and exceptional ability to be queen for all of the people. He called her, …’ the mother of the poor’,  ‘the defender of orphans’,  ‘the protector of all her subjects.’

The marriage of Queen Jadwiga and Władysław II Jagiełło

In the time of Queen Jadwiga, marriages of members of royal families were arranged so that countries could benefit from new alliances and new combined kingdoms. Such was also the case with Jadwiga. Her husband-to-be became the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Jagiełło. Lithuania had been the last pagan country in Europe. In 1386  Jagiełło was baptized as Władysław in Kraków. Jadwiga and Władysław were married three days later and Władysław was crowned King of Poland as Władysław II Jagiełło. In 1387 he converted Lithuania to Catholicism, and thus began the great union between Poland and Lithuania, which lasted for centuries.

Queen Jadwiga – an exceptional young royal

Queen Jadwiga was an exceptional young royal. She was extremely well educated, spoke 5 languages, loved books, but was also known to enjoy music and dancing. She supported her much older husband, King Władysław Jagiełło in governing the country, mediated in his name and managed to bring about a truce between him and his cousin Duke Witold of Lithuania, thus paving the way for his support in the Battle of Grunwald with Teutonic Knights.

Jadwiga – the Queen of Poland

Queen Jadwiga was well aware of the importance of education. In her will she dedicated her property, all of her jewels and her insignia to the Kraków Academy, one of the first 14^th century universities in Europe. At the same time, she was brave and was not afraid to stand at the head of the army when her husband was away. In 1399 Queen Jadwiga gave birth to a baby girl, but as was often the case in those times, both the baby and Jadwiga died a few days later. The whole nation was devastated and till this day she is revered as the Queen of Poland. She was made a saint by John Paul II in 1997.

Marcello Bacciarelli, English: Portrait of Queen Jadwiga Anjou, between 1768 and 1771

Aleksander Augustynowicz, Królowa Jadwiga (Queen Jadwiga), 1925

Władysław Ciesielski, Baptism of Lithuania, 1900

Józef Simmler, Queen Jadwiga’s oath, 1867

Thomas Weissfeld, Święta Jadwiga, between 1704 and 1705

Jan Matejko, Jadwiga Andegawenska, circa 1893

Photo:Romek79 (June 27, Category:Tomb monument of Jadwiga of Anjou in the Wawel Cathedral, attribution: Cezary Piwowarski