Constance (Polish: Konstancja; died 1351) was a Polish princess from 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 difficulty of establishing who her father was 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 gave 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.
Contents
Life
Daughter of Władysław of Opole
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.
The exact birth date of the daughter of Władysław of Opole is unknown. The approximate year of birth was established on the basis of one of the two supplications addressed to the Pope, whose credibility are now called into question. In those documents, her brothers (considered by historians as the authors of the two complaints) requested an adjournment of their sister's wedding with Henry IV, since they felt that her age wasn't appropriate for a bride. Since the marriage's date was established between 1277 and 1280, she could be born about 1265. Her birth probably took place in Opole, the capital of her father's Duchy, or in Racibórz. By convention, among the offspring of Władysław of Opole and Euphemia of Greater Poland, she is placed as the fifth and last child, although she could be older than Przemysław of Racibórz. If her name was Constance, she probably was named after her cousin Constance, daughter of Przemysł I of Greater Poland.
Władysław of Opole's daughter was married with Henry IV Probus, Duke of Wrocław. Historians place the wedding between the second half of 1277 and March 1280, this is, between the six-months of captivity of Henry IV by his uncle Bolesław II the Bald (since 22 July 1277) and the Congress of Vienna. The wedding couldn't take place prior to 1277, because in the description of the events of Henry IV's imprisonment in the Polish-Silesian Chronicle, the Duke of Wrocław is identified as a boy, which would be impossible if he was then married. In the Congress of Vienna was settled the dispute between the Dukes of Wrocław and Opole, proved in a document were Władysław called Henry IV his son-in-law. It's possible that the consolidation of the agreement was just the wedding between Henry IV and Władysław's daughter.
Daughter of Przemysław of Racibórz
According to another theory, Constance was the daughter of Duke Przemysław of Racibórz and his wife Anna, daughter of Duke Konrad II of Czersk. Probably born before 1307, is understood that she was the youngest child of Ducal couple. She probably named after Constance, Abbess of Trzebnica and daughter of Duke Ziemomysł of Inowroclaw, while her brother, Leszek, was named after Leszek II the Black (Ziemomysł's brother). Constance probably never married. Until her death in 1351 she lived in Wodzisław Śląski, which certainly represented her personal fief.
Assuming that this hypothesis were true, it's easier to explain the title given to Constance in the Papal letter: Duchess of Racibórz. According to some historians, if Constance was the daughter of Władysław of Opole, the appropriate title for her in this document would be Duchess of Opole. In addition, is hard to believe that Constance, daughter of Władysław of Opole, could live almost 86 years. Another point in favor of the hypothesis about the origin of Constance is the fact that after the death of Anna of Czersk, Duke Leszek of Racibórz give the district of Wodzisław (Anna's dower) to Constance, which is more understandable if she was his sister rather than an old paternal aunt. Another argument who supported this view was provided by the archaeological research in the Dominican monastery of Racibórz. The experts founded that in the first half of the 14th century, was buried there an approximately 40-year-old woman who died as result of a disease. If this remains belonged to Constance, they proved that her father could be Przemysław of Racibórz.
Rule of Constance in Wodzisław
Following the hypothesis who identified Constance as the daughter of Władysław of Opole, after she was repudiated by her husband came to Racibórz at the side of her brothers Mieszko I and Przemysław. Probably because she lived in that district was called Duchess of Racibórz in the Papal letter of 22 September 1321, in which Duke Władysław of Oświęcim and his wife Euphrosyne of Płock received the right to choose their own confessor. The issue is determined how long Constance stayed in Racibórz. According to one theory, shortly after her arrival, Mieszko I gave to Constance the district of Wodzisław as her own Duchy during her lifetime. Another hypothesis assumes that Constance resided in Racibórz until the death of Anna of Czersk (aft. 13 July 1324), Przemysław's widow, who received Wodzisław as her dower. Then Duke Leszek of Racibórz (son of Przemysław and Anna) gave Constance the domain over Wodzisław, a fact who is easier to explain, if Constance was his sister and not his aunt.
During the reign of Constance, in Wodzisław occurred two significant events. The first of them was the invasion of Casimir III the Great in Silesia from June 1345 during the Polish-Czech War. Polish troops gained the towns of Pszczyna, Rybnik and Żory, all adjacent to Wodzisław. Only the presence of the Bohemian King John of Luxembourg in Fryštát could stop the imminent attack to Constance's duchy. The second event was the epidemic of plague (commonly known as Black Death), by which perhaps the Duchess Constance had died.
Constance ruled over Wodzisław until her death in 1351, according to the message of the Chronicle of Racibórz. Then the heir of the Duchy of Racibórz as husband of Princess Anna, Duke Nicholas II of Opawa, reunited the land to Racibórz.
Place of burial
Constance's burial place is unknown. It is believed that she was buried either in the parish church or a Franciscan monastery in Wodzisław Śląski, or - more likely - in the Dominican monastery in Racibórz.
In 1992 during excavations in the church of the former Dominican monastery (now a museum) in Racibórz, was a tomb from the first half of the 14th century. Inside were the remains of a woman who died aged about 40 years. Next to them were discovered numerous traces of lime, a fact who proved that the person who resting in the grave died as result of an infectious disease. It is known that during 1349–1351 the Duchy of Wodzisław was affected by a plague epidemic. Therefore, if during the excavations uncovered the remains of Constance, it could be inferred that she was the daughter of Przemyslaw of Racibórz.
Constance in art and culture
The nickname "preclarissima" (the brightest), given to Constance in the Chronicle of Racibórz, indicates that as a ruler, she gained wide respect from her subjects. This is proved by the local legends, where she is named the Gray Lady or Lady of Wodzisław.
In Wodzisław are signs which commemorate Duchess Constance. Her name was given to one street (Duchess Constance Street), a school (The Duchess Constance Gimnazjum No 4), and one of the monumental oak trees on the beach near Balaton lake (Constance). Also, in a niche of the corners of the market town was placed a statue of her.
