Dobroniega of Poland

Dobroniega of Poland (Polish: Dobroniega Ludgarda, German: Dobroniega (Luitgard) von Polen; b. c. 1129 – d. by 1160), was a Polish princess, a member of the House of Piast and by marriage the Margravine of Lusatia.

She was the daughter of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland, by his second wife Salomea, daughter of Henry, Count of Berg. She was probably named after her paternal great-grandmother, Maria Dobroniega of Kiev.

Life

Around 1142, Dobroniega married Theodoric, second surviving son of Conrad, Margrave of Meissen and Lusatia.^[1][2][3] After her wedding, she changed her name to Ludgarda.

During her marriage she bore her husband two children: a son, Conrad, and a daughter, Gertruda.^[4] When Margrave Conrad died in 1157, he divided his domains between his sons; Dietrich became the Margrave of Lusatia (Orientalis marchio), and Dobroniega the Margravine consort. However, later Theodoric entered in a relationship with Cunigunde, the widowed Countess of Plötzkau, and abandoned Dobroniega,^[5] but apparently without divorcing her.

Death and Aftermaths

Dobroniega's date of death remains unknown. Her last mention as a living person was on 26 October 1147, but certainly she was alive by 1157 when her husband succeeded in Lusatia; some sources have her dead by 1160.^[6] Her son Conrad was killed in a tournament on 17 February 1175 and her daughter Gertruda became a nun in Gerbstedt.

Without surviving legitimate male issue, Margrave Theodoric I was succeeded upon his death in 1185 by his younger brother Dedi III.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Dobroniega of Poland

16. Mieszko II Lambert               8. Casimir I the Restorer                       17. Richeza of Lotharingia               4. Władysław I Herman                             18. Vladimir I of Kiev               9. Maria Dobroniega of Kiev                       2. Bolesław III Wrymouth                                   20. Bretislaus I, Duke of Bohemia               10. Vratislaus II of Bohemia                       21. Judith of Schweinfurt               5. Judith of Bohemia                             22. Andrew I of Hungary               11. Adelaide of Hungary                       23. Anastasia of Kiev               1. Dobroniega of Poland                                         12. Poppo, Count of Berg                       6. Henry, Count of Berg                             13. Sophia                       3. Salomea of Berg                                   28. Diepold I, Margrave of Cham-Vohburg               14. Diepold II, Count of Cham                       7. Adelaide of Mochental                             30. Berthold II, Duke of Carinthia               15. Liutgarde of Zähringen

References

1. Genealogica Wettinensis, MGH SS XXIII, p. 229.
2. Chronicon Montis Serreni 1184, MGH SS XXIII, p. 159.
3. K. Jasiński: Rodowód pierwszych Piastów, pp. 251–253.
4. Marek, Miroslav. "Complete Genealogy of the House of Wettin". Genealogy.EU. External link in |publisher= (help)
5. K. Maleczyński: Bolesław III Krzywousty, p. 317.
6. Chronological Dates in Stoyan