Constance, Duchess of Wodzisław

Constance (Polish: Konstancja) (died 1351) was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and sovereign Duchess of Wodzisław Śląski from 1324 until her death.

Her name appears twice in contemporary sources: firstly, in a letter of Pope John XXII dated 22 September 1321, where she is named "Duchess of Racibórz", and secondly in the Chronicle of Racibórz, who give her the title of "Duchess of Wodzisław" (księżną wodzisławską) and mentions her death in 1351. None of these sources showed Constance's parentage. Historians and sources are agreed that she was a member of the Piast dynasty; however, the difficult of establishing who was her father, caused two theories to emerge about her origins.

The first hypothesis states that Constance was the daughter of Duke Władysław of Opole and wife of Henry IV Probus, Duke of Wrocław, who repudiated her after several years of marriage. She moved to Racibórz at the court of her brothers Mieszko I and Przemysław, who given to her the district of Wodzisław as her own Duchy, where she remained until her death. Historians who dispute this theory alleged that Władysław of Opole had a daughter of unknown name, who died shortly after her marriage with Henry IV, or between her repudiation and Henry IV's subsequent marriage.

According to the second hypothesis, based on Constance's titles showed in sources: Duchess of Racibórz and Duchess of Wodzisław, she was the daughter of Duke Przemysław of Racibórz. Certainly she remained unmarried and settled in Wodzisław (which probably was her own independent Duchy) until her death.

In medieval sources, it is only known that from the marriage between Euphemia, daughter of Władysław Odonic, Duke of Greater Poland, and Władysław, Duke of Opole, was born a daughter who married Henry IV Probus, Duke of Wrocław. No source directly specified her name, and therefore the historiography is divided about this fact and her correct identification in the Piast dynasty. Some historians share the view that she was Constance of Wodzisław, but the opponents of this idea argue that her name remains unknown. Also not gaining universal approval are the hypotheses arguing that Władysław of Opole's daughter was named either Margareta or Grzymisława. In the absence of proper sources who could clarify this matter, all the information and theories only created more difficulties in reconstructing her life.

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