Maria Dobroniega of Kiev
Encyclopedia
Maria Dobroniega of Kiev (b. aft. 1012 – d. 1087), was a Kievian Rus princess of the Rurikid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of Poland.
. The identity of her mother is disputed among historians and web sources.
Grand Prince Vladimir I had married seven times and had fathered many children, legitimate and illegitimate. Anna Porphyrogeneta, his sixth wife, is known to have predeceased Vladimir by four years. Chronicle Thietmar of Merseburg
, writing from contemporary accounts, mentions that Boleslaw I of Poland
captured Vladimir I's widow during his raid on Kiev
in 1018. The historians long had no clue as to identity of this wife. The emigre historian Nicholas Baumgarten, however, pointed to the controversial record of the "Genealogia Welforum" and the "Historia Welforum Weingartensis" that one daughter of Count Kuno von Oenningen (future Duke Konrad I of Swabia
) by "filia Ottonis Magni imperatoris" (Otto the Great's daughter; possibly Rechlinda Otona [Regelindis], claimed by some as illegitimate daughter and by others legitimate, born from his first marriage with Edith of England) married "rex Rugorum" (King of Rus). He interpreted this evidence as pertaining to Vladimir I's last wife. This woman is a possible identity for Maria's mother.
. This marriage helped Casimir to gain support in his reclaim over the Polish throne. Casimir had attempted to seize the throne twice before, both times he failed. With the support of Maria's brother, Yaroslav I the Wise
, Casimir was able to make a successful claim.
The couple had five children:
Maria's husband died on 28 November 1058. Her sixteen year old son, Bolesław, became King of Poland. Bolesław II is considered one of the most capable of the Piast rulers; however, he was deposed and expelled from the country in 1079. Bolesław II died two years later, in 1081.
Maria survive her son six years and died in 1087, aged seventy-seven or seventy-six.
Family
She was one of the youngest children of Vladimir I, Grand Prince of KievVladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir Sviatoslavich the Great Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь Old Norse as Valdamarr Sveinaldsson, , Vladimir, , Volodymyr, was a grand prince of Kiev, ruler of Kievan Rus' in .Vladimir's father was the prince Sviatoslav of the Rurik dynasty...
. The identity of her mother is disputed among historians and web sources.
Grand Prince Vladimir I had married seven times and had fathered many children, legitimate and illegitimate. Anna Porphyrogeneta, his sixth wife, is known to have predeceased Vladimir by four years. Chronicle Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...
, writing from contemporary accounts, mentions that Boleslaw I of Poland
Boleslaw I of Poland
Bolesław I Chrobry , in the past also known as Bolesław I the Great , was a Duke of Poland from 992-1025 and the first King of Poland from 19 April 1025 until his death...
captured Vladimir I's widow during his raid on Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
in 1018. The historians long had no clue as to identity of this wife. The emigre historian Nicholas Baumgarten, however, pointed to the controversial record of the "Genealogia Welforum" and the "Historia Welforum Weingartensis" that one daughter of Count Kuno von Oenningen (future Duke Konrad I of Swabia
Conrad I, Duke of Swabia
Conrad I was Duke of Swabia from 983 until 997. His appointment as duke marked the return of Conradine rule over Swabia for the first time since 948....
) by "filia Ottonis Magni imperatoris" (Otto the Great's daughter; possibly Rechlinda Otona [Regelindis], claimed by some as illegitimate daughter and by others legitimate, born from his first marriage with Edith of England) married "rex Rugorum" (King of Rus). He interpreted this evidence as pertaining to Vladimir I's last wife. This woman is a possible identity for Maria's mother.
Marriage
Maria married around 1040 to Casimir I the Restorer, Duke of PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. This marriage helped Casimir to gain support in his reclaim over the Polish throne. Casimir had attempted to seize the throne twice before, both times he failed. With the support of Maria's brother, Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
, Casimir was able to make a successful claim.
The couple had five children:
- Bolesław II the Bold (b. ca. 1043 – d. 2/3 April 1081/82).
- Władysław I Herman (b. ca. 1044 – d. 4 June 1102)
- MieszkoMieszko KazimierzowicMieszko Kazimierzowic was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast. According to some scholars, he was probably Duke of Kuyavia since 1058 until his death.- Life :...
(b. 16 April 1045 – d. 28 January 1065). - Otto (b. ca. 1046 – d. 1048).
- Świętosława (b. ca. 1048 – d. 1 September 1126), married ca. 1062 to Duke (and since 1085 King) Vratislaus II of BohemiaVratislaus II of Bohemia-Literature:*Vratislav Vaníček: Vratislav II. . První český král. Vyšehrad 2004, ISBN 80-7021-655-7*Hans Patze: Die Pegauer Annalen, die Königserhebung Wratislaws v. Böhmen und die Anfänge der Stadt Pegau. JGMODtl 12, 1963, 1-62...
.
Maria's husband died on 28 November 1058. Her sixteen year old son, Bolesław, became King of Poland. Bolesław II is considered one of the most capable of the Piast rulers; however, he was deposed and expelled from the country in 1079. Bolesław II died two years later, in 1081.
Maria survive her son six years and died in 1087, aged seventy-seven or seventy-six.