Historical Figures

Anna Cylejska (1381-1416)

Anna Cylejska

Queen of Poland, second wife of Władysław Jagiełło. She was the granddaughter of Kazimierz Wielki and Jadwiga from Żagań. Her parents were Anna, daughter of Casimir the Great, and Count Cylia Wilhelm, hence her nickname. After her mother remarried Count Teck, to whom she had left, after William's death in 1394, Anna Cylejska was brought up at the court of her uncle, Count Hermann II of Cylejski.

In 1400, the manor was visited by the Polish legation with a proposal to marry Anna with Władysław Jagiełło. This union, allegedly advised by Jadwiga and Polish lords, was to additionally strengthen the position of Jagiełło as the king of Poland. Due to the kinship of Anna and Jadwiga (they were great-granddaughters of Władysław Łokietek), it was necessary to obtain a dispensation from Pope Boniface IX. Anna's retinue arrived in Krakow on July 16, 1401, however, Władysław Jagiełło was not so delighted with the beauty of his future wife that he even suggested sending her back.

Under the pretext of the need to teach Anna the Polish language, the wedding was postponed for several months. Ultimately, it took place on January 29, 1402 in the Krakow cathedral. A year later, on February 23, 1403, Anna Cylejska was crowned Queen of Poland. During her marriage to Władysław, she was accused of infidelity several times, but these accusations have never been confirmed.

In 1408, the queen gave birth to a daughter, Jadwiga, who in 1413, due to the lack of a male heir, was recognized as the heir to the throne. All three of them traveled to Lithuania and Żmudź in the same year. Also in 1413, Anna was present at the conclusion of the Union of Horodel. She also supported the activities of the University of Krakow. She died on March 21, 1416. She was buried in the Wawel Cathedral.