Wladislaus II of Poland
Categories: Lithuanian nobility | Lithuanian rulers | Polish monarchs | Polish nobility | Kings consort | 1350 births | 1434 deaths | History of Poland | History of Belarus | History of Lithuania
- Jagello redirects here. If you are looking for the Jagiellon dynasty, click the link.
Wladislaus II Jagiello (Polish: Władysław II Jagiełło, Lithuanian: Jogaila, Belarusian: Jahajla (Ягайла)) (c. 1351 – 1 June 1434 Gródek Jagielloński), Grand Prince of Lithuania from 1377 (or 1378) – 1381, 1382 – 1392 (or 1401), became King of Poland as Wladislaus II in 1386 after converting to Christianity and marrying Jadwiga, second of Poland's Angevin rulers.
His original name was Jogaila (Jagiełło) and his Christian name was Wladislaus (Polish: Władysław also seen Vladislaus, Ladislaus, Ladislas or Vladislav). Lancelot, is an English version of the name.
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Royal title
- Royal title in Latin: Wladislaus Dei gracia rex Polonie necnon terrarum Cracovie, Sandomirie, Syradia, Lancicie, Cuiavie, Lithuanie princeps supremus, Pomoranie Russieque dominus et heres etc.
- Lithuanian translation: Vladislovas, Dievo valia karalius Lenkijos ir žemių Krokuvos, Sandomiro, Sieradžo, Lenčycos, Kujavijos, Lietuvos didysis kunigaikštis, Pomeranijos ir Rusios valdovas ir paveldėtojas, etc..
- Polish translation: Władysław, z Bożej łaski król Polski, ziemi krakowskiej, sandomierskiej, sieradzkiej, łęczyckiej, kujawskiej, Nadrzędny Książe Litewski, pan i dziedzic Pomorza i Rutenii, etc
- English translation: Vladislaus by God's grace king of Poland, and lands of Kraków, Sandomierz, Sieradz, Łęczyca, Kuyavia, supreme-prince of Lithuania, lord and heir of Pomerania and Ruthenia, etc.
Please note that Wladislaus' title was 'supreme duke/prince of Lithuania' while as the same time the traditional title of 'high duke/prince of Lithuania' was reserved for his cousin Vytautas.
Biography
Jogaila (or Jagiełło) was from the Gediminid dynasty of dukes and grand dukes of Lithuania. His father was Algirdas (or Olgierd, ruled 1345-1377), duke of Lithuania, a son of Gediminas. He was born in Vilnius, Lithuania.
With the Union of Krewo in 1385, Jagiello married Queen Jadwiga of Poland (who was then only 11 years old) and established the Jagiellonian dynasty, which would rule in Poland and Lithuania until 1572. At the same time, Jagiello accepted Roman Catholicism, as did some other Lithuanian nobles. Thus he became King Władysław II Jagiełło (Wladislaus II) of Poland, and reigned 49 years. After the death of Jadwiga and their newborn daughter in 1399, Jagiello continued to rule, for yet 35 years. Many regarded that he had lost his entitlement to the crown with the death of Jadwiga. However, there were no obvious heirs of ancient Polish monarchs - all potential competitors, of which there existed a vast number, were distant relatives, and although Jagello faced from time to time difficulties, he remained king more or less by default. He tried to strengthen his position and rights by next marrying Anna of Cilli, granddaughter of Casimir III of Poland (d. 1370), whose mother Anna, Countess of Cilli (died 1425), daughter of king Casimir, tried to obtain influence. Anna of Cilli also died childless in 1416. Jegello did not yet have any heirs. His next marriages were with ladies from Polish and Lithuanian dominions, apparently having nothing to do with ancestors among Polish monarchs.
The Jagiellonian era is usually characterised as the start of Poland's "golden age", and saw the country become a major European power and extend its frontiers to the north and east.
Jagiello's conversion marked the establishment of Catholic Christianity as the official religion of Lithuania following a brief period of Catholic kingship in the 1250s. Though pagan beliefs continued in the country for some time, the Lithuanian nobility gave its support to the new order upon being promised (in 1401) a voice in the election of the future Polish-Lithuanian rulers.
In military terms, his reign is noted for the crushing defeat inflicted on the Teutonic Knights in neighbouring Province of Prussia by Polish and Lithuanian forces at the Battle of Grunwald 1410 (the military leader of this battle was his cousin Grand Duke Vytautas of LIthuania).
Jagiello was the first of the dynasty of Lithuanian princes who were also kings of Poland (1386-1572). He was succeeded by his son Wladislaus III, and after his death at the battle of Varna by second son Casimir IV. Previously rulers from this dynasty, called Gediminaičiai, were grand princes of Lithuania, and after the Krewo Union, Jogaila adopted both titles (Supreme duke of Lithuania and King of Poland). Later, however, up until the Union of Lublin, the title of Grand duke of Lithuania was sometimes under dispute and not always belonged to the King of Poland. However, both titles, if separate, were used to be held by members of same Gediminaičiai dynasty who were related to each other in close family ties.
Before that the Piasts were monarchs of Poland, in last century intermitting with the Bohemian Przemysls and followed by a brief period of Angevins.
Although Jagiellonian dynasty was not hereditary and in theory each king of this dynasty was elected, in reality every time when the father died, his son (or brother) was elected as new king.
After the last male member of the Jagiellonian dynasty died out, the kings of Poland were elected by the Polish nobles.
Dynastic Relations
Jagiello was married in 1386 to Queen Jadwiga of Poland (1374-1399). Their only child was:
- Elzbieta-Bonifacja (born and died 1399)
His second wife was Anna of Cilli (1386-1416), married in 1402, a Slovenian noblewoman, and (more importantly) the only child of Anna, a superseded daughter of Casimir III of Poland (d 1370). The mother, Anna Countess of Cilli died 1425 without surviving children. The only child of Jagiello and Anna of Cilli was:
- Jadwiga (1408-1431)
The third wife was Elisabeth of Pilica (Granowska). No children.
THe fourth wife was Sophia of Halshany, a noblewoman from Lithuanian nobility. Their children were:
- King Wladislaw III of Poland (1424-1444), King of Poland 1434-1444 and Hungary 1440-1444
- King Casimir IV of Poland (1427-1492), Grand Duke of LIthuania 1440-1492, King of Poland 1447-1492
Mother
- Juliana of Tver 1350 (ca 1325 - 1392)
Father
Wives
- Queen Jadwiga of Poland 1386 (1374 - 1399)
- Anna of Cilli 1402 (1386-1416)
- Elisabeth of Pilica 1417 (d. 1420)
- Sophia of Halshany 1422 (d. 1461)
Brothers
- Theodor (14th century - 1394/1400), Prince of Rylsk 1370 - 1399, Ratna 1387 - 1394, Briansk 1393
- Andrew (14th century - 12 August 1399), Prince of Pskov 1342 - 1349, Polock 1349 - 1387, governor of Novgorod 1394 - 1396
- Demetrius I the Elder (Dmitry; 1327 - 12 May 1399 Battle of the Worskla River), Prince of Trubchevsk 1357 - 1399, Briansk 1357 - 1379, Starodub 1370 - 1399, Druck 13?? - 13??
- Wladimir (14th century - after October 1398), Prince of Vitebsk till [1367]], Kiev 1367-1394, Kopyl and Sluck 1394-1398
- Skirgaila (Iwan; ca 1354 - 11 January 1397 Kiev), Prince of Trakai 1382 - 1392, Polock 1387-1394, Kiev 1394 - 1397, regent of Lithuania 1387 - 1392
- Kaributas (Korybut Demetrius, Dmitry; ca 1355 - after 1404), Prince of Novgorod-Seversky 1386 - 1392/93
- Lengvenis (Lingwen Simon; ca 1356 - after 19 June 1431), Prince of Mscislaw, regent of Great Novgorod
- Karigaila (Korygiello Kazimierz (Casimir); ca 1364/67 - 1390), Prince of Mscislaw, regent
- Mingaila (Minigiello; ca 1365]]/68 - before 1382
- Vygantas (Wigunt Aleksander; ca 1372 - 28 June 1392), Prince of Kernavė
- Švitrigaila (Swidrygiello, Svitrigaylo, Boleslaw; ca 1370 - 10 February 1452 Luck), Prince of Vitebsk 1392 - 1393, 1430 - 1436, Podolja 1400 - 1402, Novgorod-Seversky 1404 - 1408, 1420 - 1438, Chernigov 1419 - 1430, Grand Duke of Lithuania 1430 - 1432, lord of Volynia 1437 - 1452
Sisters
- Agripina (1342 or earlier - 1393?)
- Kenna (Joanna; ca 1351 - 27 April 1367), married to Kazko of Slupsk
- Euphrosina (ca 1352 - 1405//06, married to OLeg of Rezan
- Theodora (Fedora; 14th century), married to Sviatoslav of Karachev
- Helen (ca 1357/60 - 15 September 1437), married to Vladimir of Moscow in 1372, Princess of Borowsko-Sierpuchowsk and third part of the Principality of Moscow, Princess of Wolock and Rzewsk 1389 - 1405, Horodeck and Uglick 1405 - 1410
- Maria (born ca 1363), Princess of Lithuania, married to Vaidila, favorite of Algirdas and [Jagiello|Jogaila]] in 1379, then to David of Horodec.
- Aleksandra (ca 1368/70 - 19 June 1434), married to Siemowit IV of Masovia, Princess of Czersk, Rawsk, Sochaczewsk, Plock, Gostynin, Plonsk, Wisk, Kujawsk and Belsk
- Katherin (Katarzyna; ca 1369/74 - after 4 April 1422), married to Johan II, duke of Meklemburg in 1388
- Jadwiga (ca 1375 - after 1407), married to Duke Johan III of Oswiecim in 1394
Sons
- King Wladislaus III of Poland (1424 - 1444)
- Casimir (1426 - 1427)
- King Casimir IV of Poland (1427 - 1492)
Daughters
See also
Bibliography
Dlugosz, Jan, The Annals of Jan Dlugosz, translated and abridged by Maurice Michael, commentary by Paul Smith (Chichester, UK: IM Publications, 1997).
Drabina, Jan, “Die Religionspolitik von König Wladyslaw Jagiello im polnisch-litauischen Reich in den Jahren 1385-1434,” Zeitschrift für Ostforschung vol. 43 (1994), p. 161-173.
Jogaila, parašė J. Jakštas, Z. Ivinskis, S. Sužiedėlis, A. Šapoka, P. Šležas; redagavo A. Šapoka, Kaunas, 1935, 333 p.
Sruogienė-Sruoga, Vanda, “Jogaila (1350-1434),” Lituanus, vol. 33 (4) (Winter 1987), p. 23-34.
Tęgowski, Jan. Pierwsze pokolenia Giedyminowiczow, Poznań-Wrocław, 1999, 319, [1] p.
External links
- Pages and Forums on Lithuanian History
- Belarusian history club
- "Wladyslaw II" at the Directory of Royal Genealogical Data
- Władysław II Jagiełło
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