Maria Dobroniega of Kiev

Maria Dobroniega (after 1012^[1][2] – 13 December 1087) was a princess of Kievan Rus', by marriage to Casimir I the Restorer she was titled Duchess of Poland.^[3][4]

Maria Dobroniega of Kiev
Duchess consort of Poland
Tenure	c. 1040–1058
Born	1012
Died	13 December 1087(1087-12-13) (aged 74–75)
Spouse	Casimir I the Restorer ​ ​ (died 1058)​
Issue Detail	Bolesław II the Bold Władysław I Herman Mieszko Kazimierzowic Otto Kazimierzowic Świętosława, Queen of Bohemia
Dynasty	Rurik
Father	Vladimir the Great

Life

Family

Maria was one of the younger children of Vladimir I, Grand Prince of Kiev.^[5][6] 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 Bolesław 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.

Marriage

Maria married around 1040 to Casimir I the Restorer, Duke of Poland.^[7] This marriage helped Casimir to gain support in his reclaim over the Polish throne.^[8] 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.^[9][10]

Issue

The couple had five children:

• Bolesław II the Bold (1043 – c. 2/3 April 1081/82.)
• Władysław I Herman (1044 – c. 4 June 1102.)
• Mieszko (c. 16 April 1045 – 28 January 1065.)
• Otto (1046 – 1048, died in infancy.)
• Świętosława (1048 – c. 1 September 1126), married in 1062 to Duke (and since 1085 King) Vratislaus II of Bohemia.

Maria's husband died on 28 November 1058. Her sixteen-year-old son, Bolesław, later (1076) became King of Poland.^[11] Bolesław II is considered one of the most capable of the Piast rulers. However, he was deposed and expelled from the country in 1079.

Maria survived her oldest son by five or six years, dying in 1087.^[12]

References

1. Marek, Miroslav. "Complete Genealogy of the House of Piast". Genealogy.EU.^{[self-published source]}
2. "Dobroniega Maria, Encyklopedia PWN: źródło wiarygodnej i rzetelnej wiedzy". encyklopedia.pwn.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-08-21.
3. Chwalba, Andrzej; Zamorski, Krzysztof (2020-10-15). The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: History, Memory, Legacy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-20399-8.
4. Pac, Grzegorz (2022-03-07). Women in the Piast Dynasty: A Comparative Study of Piast Wives and Daughters (c. 965–c.1144). BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-50853-8.
5. Wiszewski, Przemyslaw (2010-02-15). Domus Bolezlai: Values and social identity in dynastic traditions of medieval Poland (c.966-1138). BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-18136-6.
6. Gémar, Juan Márquez (2020-12-06). Manuscrito Radzivil, Historia de Rusia Medieval. Parte1 ª (in Spanish). Juan. Márquez Gémar.
7. Pranke, Piotr (2023-08-14). Between East and West: Studies on the History of Memory, Commemoration and Reception of Medieval Culture. V&R unipress. ISBN 978-3-7370-1598-1.
8. Ziemczonok, Józef (2008). Integracja Europy a Białoruś: historia i współczesność (in Polish). Katedra Białorutenistyki Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego. ISBN 978-83-60951-01-9.
9. Chwalba, Andrzej; Zamorski, Krzysztof (2020-10-15). The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: History, Memory, Legacy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-20399-8.
10. Koziara, Thomas P. (2020-11-18). Historia Nostra: The Complete History of Poland: Volume II: The 8th Century Until 1332. Aurifera S.A.
11. Pac, Grzegorz (2022-03-07). Women in the Piast Dynasty: A Comparative Study of Piast Wives and Daughters (c. 965–c.1144). BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-50853-8.
12. Chwalba, Andrzej; Zamorski, Krzysztof (2020-10-15). The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: History, Memory, Legacy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-20399-8.

Maria Dobroniega of Kiev Rurikid dynasty Born: bef. 1012 Died: 1087
Royal titles
Preceded by Richeza of Lotharingia	Duchess consort of Poland 1040–1058	Succeeded by Wyszesława of Kiev