Cecilia Renata of Austria

Cecilia Renata of Austria
Queen consort of Poland Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania
Tenure	13 September 1637 – 24 March 1644
Coronation	13 September 1637
Spouse	Władysław IV Vasa
House	House of Vasa House of Habsburg
Father	Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Maria Anna of Bavaria
Born	16 July 1611 Graz, Austria
Died	24 March 1644(1644-03-24) (aged 32) Vilnius, Lithuania

Archduchess Cecilia Renata of Austria (German: Cäcilia Renata; Polish: Cecylia Renata; 16 July 1611 – 24 March 1644) was Queen of Poland as consort to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's King Władysław IV Vasa.

Biography

Cecilia Renata was a daughter of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, of the House of Habsburg, and Maria Anna of Bavaria. Born in 1611 in Graz, she was chosen as bride by the Polish nobility. She married Władysław 9 August in Vienna by proxy, and then in Warsaw in person on 13 September 1637, and the same day was crowned at St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw. This was the first coronation outside of Kracow; it angered the Polish nobility, and a law was instigated to reserve coronations to Kracow in 1638.

Young and energetic, she soon began organizing the royal court to her liking. She was popular, especially for her politeness. One noble wrote in his memoirs that she insisted other women sit with her, even though she was queen. Cecilia could not remove her husband's mistress, Hedwig Łuszkowska, by herself, so she arranged a marriage between Hedwig and Starosta Merecki, John Wypyski. In 1638, Cecilia and Władysław visited Vienna.

Cecilia advocated the Habsburg and pro-Catholic point of view and allied herself with the pro-Habsburg faction of chancellor Jerzy Ossoliński and pro-Catholic Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł. Her political opponent at the court was the faction of Adam Kazanowski, whose influence over King Władysław, his childhood friend, diminished after her marriage. Kazanowski was allied with Chancellor Piotr Gembicki, who thus became one of her opponents. Her influence was strong for the first 2–3 years of marriage, and she had much to say about the royal nominations for important official positions. After 1638/1639 when Władysław realised that Habsburgs were prepared to give him little assistance, her power waned, and he started to disregard her advice.

Cecilia kept in contact with her brothers and continued an intimate attachment with them; she also became friends with her sister-in-law Anna Catherine. She enjoyed music and theatre.

Her two children died in childhood (Sigismund Casimir: 1 April 1640 – 9 August 1647; Maria Anna Isabella: 8 January 1642–1643). Cecilia Renata died in 1644 in Vilnius. The cause of death is stated to have been infection. She was mourned by Waldyslaw and also left a good impression on the public.

Sources

• This page is a translation of its Polish equivalent.

See also

• Kazimierzowski Palace

External links

• Discussion of the portrait, in Polish It is unknown whether this picture presents Cecylia Renata or Gryzelda Konstancja z Zamoyskich Wiśniowiecka, as the historical sources are indecisive.
• The Significance of the Crown Portrait of King Sigismund II Augustus by Peter Danckerts de Rij

Cecilia Renata of Austria House of Habsburg Born: 16 July 1611 Died: 24 March 1644
Royal titles
Preceded by Constance of Austria	Queen consort of Poland Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania 1637–1644	Succeeded by Marie Louise Gonzaga