Koligacje rodzinne Przemyślidów opawskich linii raciborskiej z możnowładztwem Królestwa Polskiego do początku XVI wieku

Abstract

The analysis of primary sources concerning the Opava-Ratibor Přemyslid family in the context of their familial relationships with the representatives of the Polish magnates in the 15th a nd t he b eginning of t he 16th c entury h as a llowed t o i ssue significant c orrections r egarding the previous state of genealogical knowledge regarding several generations of the dynasty, namely: Wenceslaus II, Duke of Opava-Ratibor (died 1456), who married Małgorzata of Szamotuły and their progeny: Jan (died 1493), Anna, and most importantly: Helena, who married Jan Ostroróg; Katarzyna, who married Włodko of Danabórz, the Castellan of Nakło; and Mikołaj of Ratibor (died 1506), the son of Jan, who married Anna of Tęczyn. Moreover, it has become possible to organize the data concerning the history of the estates in the Greater Poland, Ruthenia and the Duchy of Ratibor, which were given as dowry. In addition, the above analysis allows to form more general conclusions, namely, that the magnate families achieved prestige by marrying into ducal families, while the latter were given the means to increase their wealth due to the large dowries bequeathed by the wives. Thus, both sides benefited politically. Noble women, on the other hand, by marrying dukes were given the opportunity to become and be regarded as duchesses, even after they returned to their families as widows.