Marriage to Jogaila (1385-92) Jadwiga of Poland

saint florian s psalter, commissioned jadwiga in around 1370, held in national library of poland in warsaw

jogaila signed union of krewo in august 1385, promising queen elizabeth s representatives , polish lords envoys convert catholicism, pagan kinsmen , subjects, if jadwiga married him. pledged pay 200,000 florins william of habsburg in compensation. william never accepted it. 2 days after union of krewo, teutonic knights invaded lithuania.

the aeltere hochmeisterchronik , other chronicles written in knights territory accused polish prelates , lords of forcing jadwiga accept jogaila s offer. according polish legend, jadwiga agreed marry jogaila due divine inspiration during long prayers before crucifix in wawel cathedral. siemowit iv of mazovia resigned claim poland in december.

the polish lords envoys informed jogaila obey him if married jadwiga on 11 january 1386. jogaila went lublin general assembly unanimously declared him king , lord of poland in february. jogaila went on kraków baptized, receiving christian name, władysław, in wawel cathedral on 15 february. 3 days later, 35-year-old władysław-jogaila married 12-year-old jadwiga. władysław-jogaila styled himself dominus et tutor regni poloniae ( lord , guardian of kingdom of poland ) in first charter issued after marriage.

archbishop bodzanta crowned władysław-jogaila king on 4 march 1386. poland transformed diarchy – kingdom ruled on 2 sovereigns. jadwiga , husband did not speak common language, cooperated closely in marriage. accompanied him greater poland appease local lords still hostile him. royal visit caused damage peasants lived in local prelates domains, jadwiga persuaded husband compensate them, saying: have, indeed, returned peasants cattle, can repair tears? , according długosz s chronicle. court record of order judges in favour of peasant shows protected poor.

pope urban vi sent legate, maffiolo lampugnano, kraków enquire marriage of royal couple. lampugnano did not voice objections, teutonic knights started propaganda campaign in favour of william of habsburg. queen elizabeth pledged assist władysław-jogaila against enemies on 9 june 1386, hungary had sunken anarchy. group of slavonian lords captured , imprisoned jadwiga s mother , sister on 25 july. rebels murdered queen elizabeth in january 1387. month later, jadwiga marched @ head of polish troops ruthenia 1 of governors submitted without opposition.

queen jadwiga s oath, józef simmler, 1867

duke vladislaus of opole had claim on ruthenia not convince wenceslaus, king of romans, intervene on behalf. jadwiga confirmed privileges of local inhabitants , promised ruthenia never again separated polish crown. after reinforcements władysław-jogaila sent lithuania arrived in august, halych, fortress resist, surrendered. władysław-jogaila came ruthenia in september. petru muşat, voivode of moldavia, visited royal couple , paid homage them in lviv on 26 september. władysław-jogaila confirmed privileges jadwiga had granted ruthenians in october. instructed subjects show same respect husband herself: in letter addressed burghers of kraków in late 1387, stated husband natural lord .

on william s demand, pope urban vi initiated new investigation marriage of jadwiga , władysław-jogaila. sent bishop dobrogost of poznań rome inform pope of christianization of lithuania. in letter bishop dobrogost, pope urban jointly mentioned royal couple in march 1388, implied had acknowledged legality of marriage. however, gniewosz of dalewice, had been william of habsburg s supporter, spread rumours secret meetings between william , jadwiga in royal castle. jadwiga took solemn oath before jan tęczyński, stating had had marital relations władysław-jogaila. after witnesses confirmed oath, dalewice confessed had lied. did not take vengeance on him.