Anna Jagiellonica

This article deals with the daughter of Sigismund I, the daughter of Casimir IV. Jagiełło see Anna Jagiellonica (1476–1503) .

Queen Anna Jagiellonica in coronation regalia as head of state of Poland-Lithuania, 1576

Anna Jagiellonica (Polish Anna Jagiellonka , Lithuanian Ona Jogailaitė ; born October 18, 1523 in Krakow , † September 9, 1596 in Warsaw ) was a Polish-Lithuanian princess from the Jagiellonian family . She was formally from 1575 until her death, as the "king" of Poland and "Grand Duke" of Lithuania , elected head of state of Poland-Lithuania .

title

Anna's official title was, like that of Hedwig of Anjou , actually "Krol" Anna (lat. Anna Dei Gratia Rex Poloniae ), that is king Anna, since they own right was the Kingdom ruler and one in Poland no female succession knew . All crowned rulers of Poland in their own right bore this title regardless of gender. The wives of the kings were given the title "Królowa" (lat. Regina Poloniae ) - queen only through marriage .

As a result of King John II Casimir's official commitment to Catholicism as the state religion (Lviv Oath 1656) and as a legal guarantee for this, Our Lady was also crowned "Królowa Polski" (regina). A similar procedure took place in Spain and Portugal.

Life

She was born as the daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland and the Italian Princess Bona Sforza and was later the wife of Stephan Báthory .

49-year-old Anna was still unmarried when her brother King Sigismund II died childless in August 1572. As one of the last representatives of the Jagiellonian dynasty, this made her the main figure in political life in the kingdom. The newly elected king was to marry Anna. The crown was given to the French Prince Heinrich von Valois in 1573 . However, after leaving Poland a year later (without formally abdicating) to ascend the French throne following the unexpected death of his brother, a power vacuum developed in Krakow. On December 15, 1575 Anna was elected to succeed him. At the same time, the search for a suitable husband began for her. On the advice of Chancellor Jan Zamoyski , the decision was made for Stephan Báthory , the ruling prince of Transylvania , who was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . Anna was chosen as a legally equal “co-ruler”, but the de facto power in the country was in the hands of her husband in the years 1576–1586.

Heir and descendants

Anna survived her husband and died childless. Her only heir was Sigismund , the son of her younger sister and Queen of Sweden Katharina . Anna helped him to the Polish throne as Sigismund III. To climb Wasa after the death of Stephan Báthory.

The Queen-Widow died on September 9, 1596 in Warsaw during the reign of her nephew Sigismund. She found her final resting place in the tomb created around 1580 in the Sigismund Chapel in the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow .

gallery

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  Young Anna

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  Anna Jagiellonica as a widow

predecessor	Office	Successor
Catherine of Austria (as king's wife)	Queen of Poland 1576–1586 (96)	Anna of Austria (as king's wife)