Zofia Szydłowiecka

Zofia Szydłowiecka
Coat of arms
Odrowąż
Consort Jan Tarnowski
Issue
Zofia Tarnowska
Jan Krzysztof Tarnowski
Szlachta Szydłowiecki
Father Krzysztof Szydlowiecki
Mother Zofia z Targowiska
Born c. 1513
Died 1551

Zofia Szydłowiecka (Lithuanian: Zofija Šydlauskaitė) (c. 1513-1551) was a Polish-Lithuanian noble lady.

Daughter of Court and Great Chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki and Zofia z Targowiska. She married Hetman Jan Amor Tarnowski on May 8, 1530.

The marriage came about following her proposal to him due to his prevarication. The union of these two heralded an era of unsurpassed prosperity for the people of Southern Poland. On the anniversary of this proposal (18 November) it is believed that any woman who proposes to her suitor will achieve the same happy and prosperous life for herself and husband that Zofia and Jan enjoyed. A refusal on his part however, is said to bring about a life of loneliness and pain for the pair.

Zofia was beatified in 1612 and achieved Sainthood in 1676. Saint Zofias day is 18 November and she is known as the patron saint of love and fortitude.