Birth of Isabella Jagiełło – Queen of Hungary

Birth of Isabella Jagiełło – Queen of Hungary

Born in Kraków on 18th January 1519, Isabella was the oldest child of King Sigismund I and his Italian wife Bona Sforza.

She spent most of her childhood at Wawel Castle in Kraków with her three younger sisters.

Bona Sforza favoured her oldest daughter, arranging her marriage early, while the other three daughters were neglected and married late.

Isabella received a good education, she could speak and write four languages – Polish, Latin, German, and Italian.
Around 1531, a plan emerged to wed Isabella to John Zápolya, King of Hungary.

Isabella met John Zápolya for the first time on 22nd February.
The next day the wedding ceremony took place and Isabella was crowned as Queen of Hungary.

The wedding celebrations continued for a week.

Married life was short and not very happy.

20-year-old Isabella had to deal with a 52-year-old husband, who complained of gout and ill health.

In spring 1540, John Zápolya traveled to quell a revolt in Transylvania.

Isabella stayed behind in Buda, as she was pregnant.
Their son John Sigismund Zápolya was born on 7th July 1540.

John Zápolya succeeded in subduing the rebels, but he died on 22nd July 1540, from a cerebral hemorrhage.

John Zápolya succeeded in subduing the rebels, but he died on 22nd July 1540, from a cerebral hemorrhage.

In September 1540 the infant John Sigismund was elected King of Hungary, and Isabella as his regent.

Isabella was young, noted for her beauty, and scolded for her expensive tastes.

Three surviving pieces of jewelry are attributed to her: a diamond ring, a large pendant with 16 opals, and a gold necklace.

Despite her frivolities, Isabella faced multiple political challenges.
She succeeded in keeping peace with the Ottomans, and blocking Ferdinand’s attempts at taking over Transylvania.

In December 1541, Isabella signed an agreement with Archduke Ferdinand to abandon Transylvania.

However, when the Ottomans attacked again, Ferdinand did not have enough military power to defend his territories, and the agreement remained forgotten.

In July 1551 Isabella signed the Treaty of Weissenburg.
She agreed to give up Transylvania in exchange for Opole, Racibórz.

A month later, she gave up the Holy Crown of Hungary.

The cross on top of the crown was broken off, and kept by John Sigismund who hoped one day to reunite the pieces.

In September 1551, Isabella departed from Transylvania.

According to a legend, when Isabella stopped to have a rest at the gates of Meszes, she etched the abbreviation of her motto into the bark of an old oak tree:
“It is the will of fate.”

This same motto can be found on her jewellery, and her coins.

When Isabella reached Opole, she found the buildings where she was to live were unsuitable for habitation, her income was only half of what the treaty provided, and Ferdinand did not hurry to pay the agreed cash sums.

A month later she left Opole for Poland, where she lived with her family for the next five years.

In Isabella’s defence, Sultan Suleiman threatened to invade Hungary in 1555–56, forcing the nobles to invite Isabella back to Transylvania.

She returned in October 1556, and ruled as her son’s regent until her death.

After a long illness, Isabella died aged 40, on 15th September 1559, just three years after her return to Transylvania.

She was buried at St. Michael’s Cathedral, Alba Iulia, Romania.