Anna of Cilli

Anna of Cilli
Anna with Jogaila
Queen consort of Poland
Tenure	29 January 1402 – 21 May 1416
Coronation	25 February 1403
Born	c. 1381
Died	21 May 1416 Kraków, Poland
Burial	Wawel Cathedral
Spouse	Władysław II Jagiełło
Issue	Hedwig Jagiellon
House	House of Celje
Father	William, Count of Celje
Mother	Anna of Poland

Anna of Cilli or Anne of Celje (c. 1381 – 21 May 1416) was Queen consort of Poland (1402–1416). She was the second wife of Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło), King of Poland and Supreme Duke of Lithuania (reigned 1387–1434). Their marriage was politically motivated to strengthen Jogaila's ties with the Piast dynasty and his claims to the Polish throne. Their marriage was rather distant and during fourteen years Anna bore only one daughter, Hedwig Jagiellon, who died without issue.

Anna was the only child of William (1361–1392), Count of Celje, and his wife Anna of Poland (1366–1425), the youngest surviving daughter of the late king Casimir III of Poland. It is likely that Anna was born in Celje Castle which was ruled by her father William and his cousin Herman II. William died when Anna was around ten years of age. Two years later, her mother married Ulrich, Duke of Teck, and left Anna in care of Herman II and his wife Anna of Schaunberg in Celje. It is very likely that the girl was illiterate and spoke no Polish.

Jogaila's first wife and reigning Queen Jadwiga of Poland, Anna's second cousin, died in July 1399 after childbirth complications. Jogaila, who hailed from Lithuania, was left a ruler of a foreign country with no heir. Therefore, he sought a wife from Piast heirs with claims to the Kingdom of Poland to strengthen his claims to Poland and legitimize his rule. In 1401, Jogaila dispatched envoys to Celje to ask Herman II for the hand of Anna. On July 16, 1401, Anna arrived to Kraków where she was met by Jogaila at the city gates. However, Jogaila took a strong dislike of his intended bride. According to Jan Długosz, Jogaila was furious with the envoys who brought Anna to Poland for several years. The wedding was postponed citing the need for Anna to learn Polish. Anna lived in a monastery while Jogaila traveled in eastern territories of his kingdom. He returned only in January 1402. The wedding ceremony took place on January 29, 1402 in Wawel Cathedral. For unknown reasons, Anna's coronation as Queen of Poland was postponed for a year until February 25, 1403.