Jadwiga of Lithuania

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Jadwiga (Lithuanian: Jadvyga Jogailaitė) (8 April 1408 - 8 December 1431) of the House of Jagiellon was a daughter of Jogaila (ca. 1351-1434), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania by his second wife Anna of Celje (1380-1416). Jadwiga received her name in honor of Władysław's first wife, Jadwiga of Poland (died in 1399), who later was canonized as a saint in 1997.

Her maternal grandparents were William, Count of Celje and Anna of Poland, Countess of Celje (1366-1425). Her grandmother Anna was a daughter of king Casimir III of Poland (1309-70). Her father then married in 1417 Elisabeth of Pilica, and in 1422 Sophia of Halshany. She grew up under stepmothers. Her Celje grandmother tried to gain influence in Poland, apparently for Jadwiga's future benefit.

In 1421 Jadwiga was betrothed to the future Frederick II, Margrave of Brandenburg, at the time still the second son and an heir of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg. A party of Polish nobles wanted Jadwiga and her future husband to succeed her father, instead of her father's sons by Sofia, who were not descended from Piast dynasty of Poland.

In 1425 Jadwiga's maternal grandmother Anna of Poland, Countess of Celje, died. This left her without any strong relatives on her side. Jadwiga died in 1431, rumoredly poisoned by her stepmother Sophia.