The House of Jagiellon: Reborn From the Eagle Egg

The Changing Bride of Sigismund II Augustus



Archduchess Elizabeth of Austria (b.1526: d.1538)

3rd of October, 1540: The betrothal of Sigismund Augustus and Elizabeth of Austria comes to an end after the Austrian Princess suffers an extreme epileptic seizure and ends up with a mortal wound to the head. This loss means the alliance between Poland and the Habsburg is put in jeopardy.

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Archduchess Anna of Austria, Queen of Poland (b.1528: d.1590)

12th of November, 1540: To compensate for the loss of his bride, Sigismund Augustus is offered the hand of Archduchess Anna of Austria. As the bride in question is a known beauty, it is agreed and the young woman began taking lessons in Polish (independent of her parent's wishes) as to ensure her acclimation to the Kingdom of Poland. She also found herself talking to Polish visitors.
 
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Your original draft had Elizabeth's death and the betrothal two years later, so Anna would be 12, at which age you can already tell a beauty from an ugly frog :)

Will be following!
 
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8th of August, 1541: The wedding by proxy between Anna of Austria and Sigismund Augustus takes place.

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11th of February, 1545: The 16 year old Anna of Austria enters Poland, greeting her husband in Polish, to the surprise of the court. She and her husband seem to find each other pleasing.
 
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6th of January, 1546: Barbara Radziwill, widow of Stanislovas Gostautas, Voivode of Nowogrodek, found herself placed in a powerful position as the mistress Sigismund Augustus. The two are quite affectionate and there are rumours that the queen, Anna of Austria, will be displaced by the beautiful noblewoman.

5th of April, 1546: Rumours that the Queen of Poland is pregnant begin to circulate.



10th of December, 1546: Anna of Austria begins a public feud with he mother-in-law, Bona Sforza. The Queen is a woman who is known for her opinionated nature and blunt language, which did not go well with the quiet, overly polite Anna. This animosity caused Sigismund the Old to attempt to isolate his daughter-in-law and Anna of Austria would find herself unhappy until her father-in-law's death.

12th of December, 1547: Anna of Austria announces her first pregnancy.

1st of April, 1548: Sigismund I 'the Old' dies, allowing his son to ascend as Sigismund II of Poland and for his hated daughter-in-law to ascend as Queen of Poland.
 
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2nd of June, 1548: The Queen of Poland, Anna of Austria, gives birth to her first child by the King of Poland, Alexander Jagiellon.

21st of December, 1548: Queen Mother Bona Sforza leaves Poland to live in her native Bari.
 
4th of September, 1549: Anna of Austria announces her second pregnancy, to the joy of all at court. Her husband, Sigismund II Augustus, celebrates by holding a dinner with his mistress. As you do.

18th of November, 1549: Bona Sforza, Queen Dowager of Poland, dies during her movements back to Poland in anticipation of her next royal grandchild. She would be buried with her husband.

20th of January, 1550: Barbara Radziwill, mistress of the King of Poland, takes ill.

1st of February, 1550: Barbara Radziwill dies. Sigismund retreats from the court.

12th of February, 1550: Anna of Austria, Queen of Poland, gives birth to the first daughter of the King, Helena Anna Hedwig Jagiellon.
 
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