Rozalia Lubomirska

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rozalia Lubomirska (born September 16, 1768 - died June 30, 1794) was a Polish noblewoman, most noted for her death.

Born Rozalia Chodkiewicz in Czarnobyl, she was the daughter of Jan Mikołaj Chodkiewicz and Maria Ludwika Rzewuska, who was a daughter of hetman and writer Wacław Rzewuski.

She was married in 1787 (at age of 19) to Książę (Duke) Aleksander Lubomirski. A year later she bore their daughter, Aleksandra.

Known for her beauty, Rozalia traveled to France during the Revolution with her children, where she was arrested and tried for conspiracy against the Revolution and cooperation with the royalists. As a result, the 26-year-old duchess was sentenced to death and soon beheaded by guillotine, although her guilt was, and remained, widely questioned.

After her death, Rozalia became the subject of legends. According to one, her ghost appears in Lubomirski's palace in Opole Lubelskie. The writer Adolf Dygasiński claimed he saw her ghost.

This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding Polish Wikipedia article as of 2007-10-10.