Elizabeth Richeza of Poland | |
---|---|
Elizabeth Richeza of Poland by Anton Boys
|
|
Queen consort of Bohemia | |
Tenure | 1303-1305 |
Predecessor | Judith of Habsburg |
Successor | Viola of Teschen |
Queen consort of Poland | |
Tenure | 1303-1305 |
Predecessor | Margaret of Brandenburg |
Successor | Viola of Teschen |
Queen consort of Bohemia Duchess consort of Austria and Styria |
|
Tenure | 1306-1307 |
Predecessor |
Blanche of France (in Austria) Viola of Teschen (in Bohemia) |
Successor |
Elisabeth of Carinthia (in Austria) Anna of Bohemia (in Bohemia) |
Born |
Poznań, Greater Poland |
1 September 1288
Died | 19 October 1335 Brno, Moravia |
(aged 47)
Burial | Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, Brno |
Spouse |
Wenceslaus II of Bohemia Rudolph III of Habsburg Henry of Lipá (?) |
Issue | Agnes of Bohemia |
House | House of Piast |
Father | Przemysł II of Poland |
Mother | Rikissa of Sweden |
Elizabeth Richeza of Poland (Czech: Eliška-Rejčka; Polish: Ryksa-Elżbieta; 1 September 1288 – 19 October 1335), was a Polish princess member of the House of Piast and by her two marriages Queen consort of Bohemia, Poland and Duchess consort of Austria and Styria.
She was the only child of Przemysł II, Duke of Greater Poland (since 1295 King of Poland) and his second wife Rikissa, herself a daughter of ex-King Valdemar of Sweden and Sofia of Denmark.
Born in Poznań, Ryksa was the only child born from her parents' marriage. She was named after her mother, who died after her birth, although the exact date is unknown (probably between 1289-1292). During her first years of life, she was raised by her paternal aunt Anna in the Cistercian monastery in Owińska, where she was the Abbess. It was probably there that Ryksa received the news of her father's failed kidnapping and murder on 8 February 1296 in Rogoźno. The death of the Polish King completely changed the geopolitical situation in this part of Europe, and also clearly influenced the fate of the now orphaned young princess, who was now placed under the care of her stepmother Margaret of Brandenburg, member of the House of Ascania (who took part in the conspiracy to kill Przemysł II). During the marriage ceremony of Przemysł II and Margaret (bef. 13 April 1293), Ryksa was betrothed to Otto of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (Margaret's brother), so her stepmother was also her future sister-in-law. Although Margaret received parts of Greater Poland as her Oprawa wdowia, shortly after her husband's death, and for unknown reasons, she returned to Brandenburg, taking Ryksa with her. Otto's unexpected death on 11 March 1299 ended the betrothal and Ryksa returned to Greater Poland.