Agnes of Babenberg

Agnes of Babenberg

Agnes of Babenberg (Polish: Agnieszka Babenberg, German: Agnes von Babenberg; b. ca. 1108/13 – d. 24/25 January ca. 1160/63), was a German noblewoman member of the Babenberg dynasty and by marriage High Duchess of Poland and Duchess of Silesia.

She was the daughter of Leopold III, Margrave of Austria, and his second wife Agnes, daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.

Life

Family and Personality

Through her mother, Agnes was a descendant of the Salian Dynasty, who ruler the Holy Roman Empire since 1024 until 1125. She was the half-sister of Duke Frederick II of Swabia and Conrad, since 1138 King of Germany (both born from her mother's first marriage with Frederick I, Duke of Swabia). From her full-siblings, one sister Judith married William V, Marquess of Montferrat and one brother was Otto of Freising, later German bishop and chronicler.

According to Wincenty Kadłubek, Polish chronicler and Bishop of Kraków (and this opinion is shared by other sources), Agnes was a very ambitious, energetic woman, and proud of her origins. No wonder the Bishop called her in the pages of the Polish Chronicle, "Tigress" (Polish: tygrysicą).

Marriage

The ruler of Poland, Bolesław III Wrymouth, wanted to obtain a powerful ally against Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III. He made an alliance with the Babenbergs and the Hohenstaufen families, who, as heirs of the extinct Salian dynasty, are the natural enemies of the Emperor. In order to seal this alliance, was decided the marriage between Bolesław III's eldest son Władysław with Agnes, half-sister of Duke Frederick II of Swabia (head of the Hohenstaufen family) and daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria (head of the Babenberg family). The wedding took place around 1125; according to some historians, the couple received Silesia from Bolesław III as a gift. Agnes bore her husband five children, four sons (Bolesław I the Tall, Mieszko I Tanglefoot, Konrad Spindleshanks and Albert) and a daughter (Richeza, by her three marriages Queen of Galicia, Castile and León, Countess of Provence and Countess of Everstein).

High Duchess of Poland

Bolesław III died on 28 October 1138. In his will, he divided Poland between his sons. As the oldest son, the supreme authority in the country was assigned to Władysław II with the title of High Duke (Princeps). In addition to Silesia, he received the Seniorate Province (which included Lesser Poland, eastern Greater Poland and western Kuyavia) and the authority over Pomerania. His half-brothers Boleslaw IV, Mieszko III and Henry received hereditary fiefs as Junior Dukes. In addition, Władysław II also received Łęczyca (which was granted by Bolesław III to his widow Salomea of Berg in perpetuity as her Oprawa wdowia and reverted to the Seniorate upon her death).

Almost inmediately, the High Duke began his efforts to unificated the country under his rule. Wincenty Kadłubek stated that the confrontation between Władysław II and his half-brothers was mainly instigated by Agnes, who believe that her husband, as the eldest son, had the right to be the sole ruler of the whole country.

In order to to strengthen the authority of the High Duke, is believed that Agnes took part in the downfall of one of the most powerful nobles in the country, the voivode Piotr Włostowic, who supported the Junior Dukes: he was muted, blinded and exiled. According to a legend, the capture of Włostowic was thanks to Agnes, because she send her personal slanders to his castle and took him during the night. This event is recorded in German contemporary historiography; however, since this story is not confirmed, remained discarted by modern historians. Agnes demanded Włostowic's death, but her husband decided instead to make an example of him.

Deposition and Exile

The tiranical rule of Władysław II and Agnes caused that many of their subjects switched their allegiance to the Junior Dukes. In early 1146 the High Duke's forces were defeated Poznań. Władysław II escape to Bohemia, but Agnes and her children remained in Kraków, where for some time they could maintain the resistance against the Junior Duke from the Wawel castle. However, the attempts to defend the city were unsuccessfully, and at the end the whole family was reunited in the exile.

After a short time in the Bohemian court, Agnes' half-brother King Conrad III of Germany offered his hospitality to the Polish royal family, who settled their residence in the Saxon town of Altemburg. At first, it seemed that Władysław II would regain power over Poland very soon. The German expedition against the Junior Dukes was launched in 1146, but due to flooding of the Oder River and the pressures on the German king by Albert the Bear and Conrad of Meissen the campaign finally failed.

The failure of the expedition didn't discourage Agnes, who continue with her attempts for the restoration of her husband. Soon later she asked the intervetion of Pope Eugenius III, who decided to raise the question in the Synod at Reims, and sent his legate Guy to Poland with the purprose to obtain the submit of the Junior Dukes. However, they refused to accept the return of Władysław II, and the Pope declared the ban over Poland. The penalty, thanks for the cohesive support of the Polish church hierarchy by the Junior Dukes, was virtually without repercussions.

In 1152 King Conrad III died and was succeeded by his nephew Frederick Barbarossa. With this, the hopes of Agnes and Władysław II of returning to Poland were reborn. Following the inducements of his aunt, the new German King launched a new expedition against Poland in 1157. The campaign was a success but unexpectedly Barbarossa did not restore Władysław II to the Polish throne. Bolesław IV was declared a vassal of Frederick Barbarossa and was compelled to pay tribute to him. In compensation, he forced Bolesław IV to promise the restitution of Silesia to Władysław II's sons.

Death and Aftermaths

Both Agnes and Władysław II knew that their battle was finally lost. They remained in Altenburg, where Władysław II died on 30 May 1159. Agnes' day of death is generally placed by sources between 24 and 25 January, but the year remained disputed among historians and sources. Certainly she survived her husband, and is known that she never return to Silesia with her sons when they were finally restored in their heritage in 1163. Thus, is believed that Agnes died between 1160 and 1163.

References

• Allstrom, Carl Magnus. Dictionary of Royal Lineage (Poland), 1902
• thePeerage.com: Agnes Babenberg
• Louda, Jirí and Michael MacLagan. Lines of Succession: Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe, 2nd edition. London, UK: Little, Brown and Company, 1999.