Yolanda of Poland or Yolanda of Hungary, also Blessed Yolanda (''Jolanta'' in Polish; ''Jolán'' in Hungarian; also known as Helen; 1235 – 11 June 1298) was the daughter of King
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV (1206 – 3 May 1270) was King of Hungary and King of Croatia, Croatia between 1235 and 1270, and Duke of Styria from 1254 to 1258. As the oldest son of Andrew II of Hungary, King Andrew II, he was crowned upon the initiative of a group ...
and
Maria Laskarina
Maria Laskarina (, , 1206 – 24 June or 16 July 1270) was a Greek Queen consort of Hungary by marriage to King Béla IV of Hungary. She was the daughter of Theodore I Laskaris and Anna Komnena Angelina.
Life
She was a younger sister of Irene ...
. She was the sister of
Margaret of Hungary
Margaret of Hungary (''Margit'' in Hungarian; b. 1175 – d. after 1229) was a Hungarian princess from the House of Árpád. She was a Byzantine Empress by marriage to Isaac II Angelos (d. 1204), and Queen of Thessalonica by marriage to Boni ...
and
Kinga of Poland
Kinga of Poland or Kinga of Hungary, also Saint Kinga (also known as Cunegunda; , , ) (5 March 1224– 24 July 1292) is a saint in the Catholic Church and patroness of Poland and Lithuania.
Biography
She was born in Esztergom, Kingdom of Hun ...
(Cunegunda). One of her paternal aunts was the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
Elizabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary (, , ; 7 July 120717 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia.
Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her hus ...
.
Life
As a young girl, Yolanda was sent to Poland to be tutored under the supervision of her sister, Kinga, who was married to the Duke of Poland. There, she was encouraged to marry
Bolesław the Pious
Bolesław the Pious (1224/27 – 14 April 1279) was a Duke of Greater Poland during 1239–1247 (according to some historians during 1239–1241, sole Duke of Ujście), Duke of Kalisz during 1247–1249, Duke of Gniezno during 1249–1250, Duk ...
, which she did in 1257.
They had three daughters:
*
Elisabeth of Kalisz (1263 – 28 September 1304); married
Henry V, Duke of Legnica
Henry V (, ; – 22 February 1296), called the Fat (, ) was a Duke of Jawor from 1273, of Legnica from 1278, and Duke of Wrocław from 1290.
He was the eldest son of Bolesław II the Bald, Bolesław II the Bald, Duke of Legnica and Hedwig, daug ...
*
Jadwiga of Kalisz
Jadwiga of Kalisz ( Polish: ''Jadwiga kaliska'' (''Bolesławówna)''; c. 1266 – 10 December 1339) was a Queen of Poland by marriage to Ladislaus the Short. She was the mother of the last Piast King of Poland, Casimir III.
She was the second o ...
(1266 – 10 December 1339); married
Władysław I the Elbow-high Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to:
People Mononym
* Włodzis ...
,
King of Poland
Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Royal elections in Poland, free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electab ...
* Anna of Kalisz (born 1278, date of death unknown); a nun in
Gniezno
Gniezno (; ; ) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The city is the administrative seat of Gniezno County (''powiat'') ...
.
During the time of her marriage, she was noted for her great services to the poor and needy of the country, as well as being a major benefactor of the monasteries, friaries and hospitals connected to them. Her husband gave her so much support in her charities that he earned the nickname "the Pious". She was widowed in 1279.
Religious work
Following Boleslaus' death, Yolanda and Kinga, along with one of Yolanda's daughters, Anna, retired to the
Poor Clare
The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare (Latin: ''Ordo Sanctae Clarae''), originally referred to as the Order of Poor Ladies, and also known as the Clarisses or Clarissines, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Order, and the Sec ...
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
that Kinga had founded in
Sandez. Forced to relocate due to armed conflict in the region, Yolanda founded a new monastery in
Gniezno
Gniezno (; ; ) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The city is the administrative seat of Gniezno County (''powiat'') ...
. She was persuaded to become
abbess
An abbess (Latin: ''abbatissa'') is the female superior of a community of nuns in an abbey.
Description
In the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic), Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, Lutheran and Anglican abbeys, the mod ...
of the community of
nuns
A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of Evangelical counsels, poverty, chastity, and obedience in the Enclosed religious orders, enclosure of a monastery or convent.' ...
shortly before her death. She was believed to have been so devoted to
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
that shortly before dying,
Jesus Christ
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
appeared to her to foretell her of her death.
Veneration
She has been declared a candidate for
sainthood
In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orth ...
. She was
beatified
Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...
by
Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII (; born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiorre Girolamo Nicola della Genga; 2 August 1760 – 10 February 1829) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 28 September 1823 to his death in February 1829. ...
in 1827.
"Blessed Yolanda of Hungary", Roman Catholic Saints
/ref> Her sisters, Kinga and Margaret, have already been canonized.
References
Sources
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External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yolanda of Poland
1235 births
1298 deaths
13th-century Hungarian people
13th-century Polish nuns
13th-century venerated Christians
13th-century Hungarian women
Polish philanthropists
Beatified and canonised Árpádians
Hungarian princesses
Polish beatified people
Hungarian people of Greek descent
Franciscan beatified people
Poor Clare abbesses
House of Árpád
Duchesses of Greater Poland
Daughters of kings