Barbara Jagiellon

Barbara Jagiellon
Duchess consort of Saxony
Barbara Jagiellon
Spouse	George, Duke of Saxony
Issue
Christoph Johann of Saxony Wolfgang Anna Christoph Agnes Friedrich of Saxony Christine, Landgravine of Hesse Magdalena, Electress of Brandenburg Margarethe
House	House of Jagiellon (by birth) House of Wettin (by marriage)
Father	Casimir IV Jagiellon
Mother	Elizabeth Habsburg of Hungary
Born	(1478-07-15)15 July 1478 Sandomierz
Died	15 February 1534(1534-02-15) (aged 55) Leipzig

Barbara Jagiellon (15 July 1478 – 15 February 1534^[1]) was a princess of Poland and a Duchess of Saxony.

Family

Barbara was the daughter of Casimir IV Jagiellon and his wife, Elizabeth Habsburg of Hungary. Her paternal grandparents were Jogaila and his fourth wife, Sophia of Halshany. Her maternal grandparents were Albert of Hungary and Elizabeth of Luxemburg, daughter of King Sigismund of Hungary.

Barbara shared her name with her great-grandmother, Barbara of Cilli. She was the twelfth of thirteen children born to her parents. Barbara's siblings included Vladislas II of Hungary, Jadwiga, Duchess of Bavaria, Saint Casimir, John I Albert of Poland, Alexander Jagiellon, Sigismund I the Old, Anna, Sophia, Margravine of Brandenburg, and three sisters named Elizabeth.

Life

Barbara was married on 21 November 1496 in a glittering ceremony in Leipzig to George, Duke of Saxony (1471–1539). At the wedding, 6,286 German and Polish nobles were said to be present. This marriage was a key part of maintaining good diplomatic relations between Germany and Poland. For Barbara's family, the marriage was also important due to their rivalry with the House of Habsburg.

In 1513, Barbara and her husband founded Meissen Cathedral; several Masses and liturgical celebration of Easter have been recorded to have taken place since then. Barbara sent letters to her husband while he was at battles. Witnesses say the couple had a very loving and happy marriage. Barbara died on 15 February 1534. George was so stricken by grief that he grew a beard during this time, which was why he was nicknamed "the Bearded".

Barbara was buried in the cathedral of Meissen in her husband's funeral chapel, built between 1521-1524. Barbara and George were the last Prince and Princess of the House of Wettin to be buried at the cathedral. The altarpiece in the funerary chapel was the work of Lucas Cranach the Elder. They are surrounded by apostles and saints.^[2]

George and Barbara had ten children:

1. Christoph (died young)
2. Johann of Saxony (24 August 1498 – 11 January 1537); married Elisabeth of Hesse.
3. Wolfgang (died young)
4. Anna (died young)
5. Christoph (died young)
6. Agnes (died young)
7. Friedrich (15 March 1504 – 26 February 1539)
8. Christine of Saxony (25 December 1505 – 15 April 1549); married Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.
9. Magdalena of Saxony (7 March 1507 – 25 January 1534); married Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg.
10. Margarethe (died young)

Ancestry

References

This article incorporates information from the revision as of 3 October of the equivalent article on the German Wikipedia.