Sophia Olelkovich Radziwill
| Sophia Olelkovich Radziwill | |
|---|---|
Saint Sophia
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| Born |
Sophia Olelkovich May 1, 1585 Slutsk, then Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, now Belarus |
| Died | March 19, 1612 (aged 26) Myleniec (Omelevo), near Chervyen, then Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, now Belarus |
| Cause of death | Complications of childbirth |
| Resting place | Holy Spirit Cathedral, Minsk |
| Spouse(s) | Janusz Radziwill |
| Parent(s) | Yuri Olelkovich, Barbara Kishkis |
Sophia Olelkovich Radziwill (Saint Sophia of Slutsk, Princess Sophia of Slutsk; May 1, 1585 – March 19, 1612) was the last descendant of the family Olelkovich-Slutsk (princes of Slutsk and Kopyl) who were descended from Prince Algirdas. She was canonized by the Orthodox Church in 1983. The church of St. Sophia of Slutsk in Minsk is named after her.
Sophia was born on May 1, 1585. Her mother died the same year, and her father Prince Yury Semenovich died on May 6, 1586. Sophia was raised by distant relatives, first by the governor of Samogitia province Yury Chodkiewicz (of the Chodkiewicz family) who took her to Vilnius, and then by the governor of Brest province, Hieronymus Chodkiewicz.
Because of debts the Chodkiewiczes owed to the Radziwill family, it became expedient to make a match between Sophia and Janusz Radziwill, Prince of Nesvizh and a son of the governor of Vilnius, Prince Krzysztof Radziwill. At this time Sophia was eleven years old. The wedding between Sophia and Janusz was scheduled for February 6, 1600 in Vilnius. Before this happened there was a falling out between the Chodkiewiczes and the Radziwills, almost certainly over the financial arrangements that the wedding was contingent upon. The matter proceeded to a court but the decision was in favor of the Radziwills, possibly because the judge rendering the verdict was Jerzy Radziwill.
Rather than accept the verdict the Chodkiewiczes retreated with Sophia to their castle in Vilnius. Janusz Radziwill’s father Krzysztof collected 6,000 troops in Vilnius and prepared for battle against the Chodkiewiczes with their 2,500 troops. The tense situation was only calmed when four senators sent by the Polish King Sigismund III Vasa arrived and began to resolve the conflict through negotiations. A compromise was hammered out whereby the property claims of the Radziwills against the Chodkiewiczes were nullified and the latter were indemnified for their handling of the assets of Princess Sophia.
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