Catherine | |
---|---|
Queen consort of Poland Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania |
|
Tenure | 1705–1708 1733–1736 |
Coronation | 4 October 1705 |
Born |
Poznań, Poland |
13 October 1680
Died | 19 March 1747 Lunéville, France |
(aged 66)
Burial | Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, Nancy |
Spouse | Stanisław I |
Issue |
Anna Leszczyńska Maria, Queen of France |
House | Opaliński |
Father | Jan Karol Opaliński |
Mother | Zofia Czarnkowska |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Catherine Opalińska (Polish: Katarzyna Opalińska; 13 October 1680 – 19 March 1747) was Queen consort of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth twice and Duchess consort of Lorraine through her marriage with Stanisław I of Poland.
Catherine was the daughter of magnate Jan Karol Opaliński and Zofia Czarnkowska. On May 10, 1698 in Kraków she married Stanisław Leszczyński, who became Duke of Lorraine and was, briefly, king of Poland (reigned as Stanisław I). In 1699, she gave birth to Anna Leszczyńska, and in 1703, to Marie Leszczyńska, the future spouse of Louis XV of France.
In 1704, her spouse was elected King of Poland after having been supported as a candidate by Charles XII of Sweden, who had at the time placed Poland under his occupation. Between November 1704 and July 1705, Charles XII had his headquarters at Rawicz, and the royal couple held court at Rydzyna Castle nearby, were queen Catherine hosted balls and masquerades for the Swedish power holders and welcomed the wives of the Swedish commanders stationed there, such as for example Christina Piper, who visited Carl Piper in Ravicz and were introduced at the Polish court at the same time.
Queen Catherine was sent by Stanislaw through Gdansk to Stettin in 1708, when the political situation became unstable. In 1709, her spouse was deposed when the Swedish army lost the military upper hand in Poland, and the family was by Charles XII granted refuge in the Swedish city of Kristianstad in Scania, were they arrived in 1711 and stayed for three years.