Władysław I Herman - Marriages and Issue

Marriages and Issue

Before Władysław took the title of Duke of Poland, probably during the 1070s, he had a relationship with certain Przecława, whose exact origins are unknown, although some sources stated that she belonged to the Prawdzic clan. Her status is also a matter of dispute among the historians: some believed that she only was Władysław's mistress and others asserted that she was his wife, but this union was performed under pagan rituals and in consequence not recognized by the Church as a valid marriage. By 1080, one year after Władysław ascended to the Polish throne, Przecława either died or was sent away; it's believed by some sources that after she was dismissed by the Duke, Przecława took the veil under the name of Christina (Polish: Krystyna) and died around 1092. This union produced a son, Zbigniew (b. ca. 1070/73 – d. ca. 1112/14), who was considered illegitimate.

In 1080 Władysław married firstly with Judith (b. ca. 1056 – d. 25 December 1086), daughter of Duke (and since 1085 King) Vratislaus II of Bohemia. They had one son:

1. Bolesław III Wrymouth (b. 20 August 1086 – d. 28 October 1138).

In 1089 Władysław married secondly with Judith (b. 9 April 1054 – d. 14 March ca. 1105), daughter of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor and widow of King Solomon of Hungary. They had four daughters:

1. Sophia (b. ca. 1089 – d. bef. 12 May 1112), married bef. 1108 to Iaroslav Sviatopolkovich, Prince of Volyn (see Sviatopolk II of Kiev and Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia)
2. Agnes (b. ca. 1090 – d. 29 December 1127), Abbess of Quedlinburg (1110) and Gandersheim (1111).
3. Adelaide (b. ca. 1091 – d. 25/26 March 1127), married bef. 1118 to Dietrich III, Count of Vohburg and Margrave of the Northern March.
4. A daughter (b. ca. 1092 – d. bef. 1111), married ca. 1111 with a Polish lord.