Kazimierz Jagiellończyk after Jan Matejko

Casimir IV the Jagiellonian

King of Poland of the Jagiellonian dynasty, son of Władysław II Jagiełło and Zofia Holszańska. Lithuanian Grand Duke from 1440, proclaimed against the protests of Poles. Invited to the Polish throne in 1445, after his older brother, Władysław, died in the Battle of Varna. He was crowned only two years later, after a long conflict, which was caused by the need to confirm noble privileges. After initial difficulties and disarming the difficult dispute with the powerful bishop of Krakow, Zbigniew Oleśnicki, he gained enormous authority by ruling the country in an almost absolute fashion.

From 1454 to 1466, he waged a decisive war with the Teutonic Order, known as the Thirteen Years' War. After initial defeats, he managed to seize the most important fortresses of the order, including Malbork in the capital, whose mercenary crew was bribed. Pursuant to the peace agreement, Poland conquered Gdańsk Pomerania, the Chełmno Land and Warmia, and the Grand Master of the Order recognized the king's sovereignty as his sovereign.

Kazimierz Jagiellończyk was the creator of the Jagiellonian dynastic empire, which for a short time covered a huge area not only of Poland and Lithuania, but also of Bohemia and Hungary, where the king's son Władysław was enthroned. Many historians consider him one of the most outstanding - or even the most outstanding - among Polish monarchs.

From an exceptionally well-chosen and harmonious marriage with Elżbieta Rakuszanka, he had as many as thirteen children, including the future Polish kings:Jan Olbracht, Aleksander Jagiellończyk and Zygmunt Stary. It is known that he raised his descendants in a very strict manner, and in the opinion of the Renaissance journalist Stanisław Orzechowski, "the greatest pleasure was for him to cry his son when he was beaten with a rod by that teacher."