Casimir IV Jagiellon: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
No edit summary
Undid revision 1304185535 by 2A06:5906:2047:2900:B49B:85D2:88EE:3823 (talk) Content removal
 
(532 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{Short description|King of Poland (1447–1492) and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1440–1492)}}
[[sv:Kasimir IV av Polen]]
{{Expand Polish|topic=bio|Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Casimir IV
| image = Kazimier Jagajłavič. Казімер Ягайлавіч (1645).jpg
| caption = Casimir IV, 17th-century depiction by an unknown artist
| succession = [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]]
| reign = 29 June 1440 – 7 June 1492
| coronation = 29 June 1440 in [[Vilnius Cathedral]]
| predecessor = [[Sigismund Kęstutaitis]]
| successor = [[Alexander I Jagiellon]]
| succession1 = [[King of Poland]]
| reign1 = 25 June 1447 – 7 June 1492
| coronation1 = 25 June 1447 in [[Wawel Cathedral]]
| predecessor1 = [[Władysław III of Poland|Władysław III]]
| successor1 = [[John I Albert]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505)|Elisabeth of Austria]]|1454}}
| issue = {{plain list|
* [[Vladislaus II, King of Bohemia and Hungary]]
* [[Hedwig Jagiellon, Duchess of Bavaria|Hedwig, Duchess of Bavaria]]
* [[St. Casimir Jagiellon]]
* [[John I Albert, King of Poland]]
* [[Alexander, King of Poland]]
* [[Sophia Jagiellon, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach|Sophia, Margravine of Brandenburg]]
* [[Sigismund I, King of Poland]]
* [[Frederick Jagiellon|Frederick, Archbishop of Gniezno]]
* [[Anna Jagiellon, Duchess of Pomerania|Anna, Duchess of Pomerania]]
* [[Barbara Jagiellon|Barbara, Duchess of Saxony]]
}}
| issue-link = #Children
| issue-pipe = more...
| dynasty = [[Jagiellon]]
| birth_date = 30 November 1427
| birth_place = [[Kraków]], [[Poland]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1492|6|7|1427|11|30|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Old Grodno Castle]]
| burial_place = [[Wawel Cathedral]], Kraków
| father = [[Władysław II Jagiełło]]
| mother = [[Sophia of Halshany]]
| full name = Casimir Andrew Jagiellon
}}
 
'''Casimir IV''' (Casimir Andrew Jagiellon; {{langx|pl|Kazimierz Andrzej Jagiellończyk}} {{IPA|pl|kaˈʑimjɛʂ jaɡʲɛ(l)ˈlɔj̃t͡ʂɨk||Pl-Kazimierz_Jagiellończyk.ogg}}; [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]]: {{audio|Kazimieras_Jogailaitis.ogg|''Kazimieras Jogailaitis''|help=no}}; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492){{sfn|Frost|2015|page=327}} was [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]] from 1440 and [[King of Poland]] from 1447 until his death in 1492. He was one of the most active Polish-Lithuanian rulers; under him, Poland defeated the [[Teutonic Knights]] in the [[Thirteen Years' War (1454–66)|Thirteen Years' War]] and recovered [[Pomerania]].
'''Casimir IV Jagiello''' ([[1427]] - [[1492]]) of the House of [[Jagiello]] was grand duke of [[Lithuania]] from [[1440]] and king of [[Poland]] from [[1447]] until his death.
 
The [[Jagiellonian dynasty]] became one of the leading royal houses in Europe. The great triumph of his reign was bringing [[Prussia]] under Polish rule.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/casimir%20iv| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141024092119/http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/casimir%20iv| archive-date = 2014-10-24| title = Casimir iv – Encyclopedia Article and More from Merriam-Webster}} </ref> The rule of Casimir corresponded to the age of "new monarchies" in western Europe. By the 15th century, Poland had narrowed the distance separating it from [[Western Europe]] and became a significant power in international relations. The demand for raw materials and semi-finished goods stimulated trade, producing a positive balance, and contributed to the growth of [[crafts]] and [[mining]] in the entire country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/466681/Poland/28176/Casimir-IV|title=Poland – history – geography|access-date=13 February 2017}}</ref> He was a recipient of the English [[Order of the Garter]] (KG), the highest order of chivalry and the most prestigious honour in England.
The son of king [[Ladislaus II of Poland|Ladislaus II]] and younger brother to [[Ladislaus III of Poland|Ladislaus III]], Casimir succeeded the latter after a three-year interregnum. His marriage in [[1454]] to Elisabeth (daughter of [[Albert II of Habsburg]]), a member of the [[Habsburg]] house as well as the granddaughter of [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor]], eventually allowed his son Ladislaus to combine the thrones of [[Hungary]] and [[Bohemia]]. The marriage also strengthened the ties between the houses of Jagiello and Habsburg. Elizabeth became known as the ''mother of the Jagiellonians''.
 
Following Casimir's death in 1492, [[John I Albert]] succeeded him as King of Poland, and [[Alexander Jagiellon]] was proclaimed Grand Duke of Lithuania.<ref>{{cite web | title=Valentas Šiaudinis. Lietuvos didžiųjų kunigaikščių kova už LDK savarankiškumą 15 a. | website=Voruta | date=10 January 2020 | url=https://www.voruta.lt/valentas-siaudinis-lietuvos-didziuju-kunigaiksciu-kova-uz-ldk-savarankiskuma-15-a/ | language=lt | access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref>
That same year, Casimir was approached by the [[Province of Prussia|Prussia]]ns for aid against the ruling [[Teutonic Order]], which he promised; however, when he tried to annex Prussia, civil war broke out among Prussian cities, resulting in the [[Thirteen Years' War]] ([[1454]]-[[1466]]). Casimir, in alliance with the [[Prussian Confederation]], defeated the [[Teutonic Order]], which in the ensuing [[Second Treaty of Thorn]] recognised Polish sovereignty over western [[Province of Prussia]] and the Polish crown's overlordship over eastern Prussia. Neither was recognized by the empire, which continued as administrators of Prussia, nor by the pope.
A daughter, Hedwig, was married to [[George the Rich]] [[Wittelsbach]] of [[Bavaria]]. Delegates had gone to [[Krakow]] to negotiate the marriage. Their so-called [[Landshut Wedding]] (''Landshuter Hochzeit'') took place in [[Bavaria]] with much pomp and celebration in [[1475]].
 
==Youth==
A son named Casimir was to have been married to the daughter of emperor [[Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick III]] but he instead chose a religious life, eventually becoming canonized as [[St. Casimir]].
Casimir Jagiellon was the third and youngest son of King [[Władysław II Jagiełło]] (known as Jogaila) and his fourth wife, [[Sophia of Halshany]].<ref>Marian Biskup, Karol Górski: Kazimierz Jagiellończyk: Zbiór studiów o Polsce drugiej połowy XV wieku. Warszawa: 1987. {{ISBN|978-83-01-07291-9}}.</ref> Casimir's mother was 40 to 50 years younger than his father, which caused widespread speculations that the children were the product of [[adultery]].{{sfn|Bogucka|1978}} A scandal erupted when Sophia was accused of marital infidelity and two of her [[ladies-in-waiting]] were subsequently arrested and tortured for disseminating the rumours. To eliminate hearsay, Władysław placed Sophia before a court. It is likely that the [[Teutonic Order]] and [[Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights|Grand Master]] [[Paul von Rusdorf]] were implicated. Following Casimir's birth, Sophia pledged an oath of innocence (''iuramentum purgatorium'') and the charges were dismissed. The question of paternity did not persist as many of the children, including Casimir, closely resembled their elderly father.{{sfn|Bogucka|1978}}
 
He was baptised on 21 December 1427 and was named after his deceased brother.{{sfn|Biskup|Górski|1987|p=9}} [[Stanisław Ciołek]], [[Bishop of Poznań]], or [[Mikołaj z Radomia|Nicholas of Radom]] composed a [[panegyric]] [[contrafactum]] titled ''Hystorigraphi aciem'' in honour of his birth which was sung at the christening ceremony.{{sfn|Kowalska|1993|p=140}} In his early years, Casimir was nursed by his mother and supervised by vice-chancellor [[Wincenty Kot]], the future [[Archbishop of Gniezno]] and [[Primate of Poland]], as well as by a knight named Piotr of [[Rytro]]. Casimir often relied on his instinct and feelings and had little political knowledge, but shared a great interest in the diplomacy and economic affairs of the country. After the accession of his brother, [[Władysław III of Poland|Władysław III]], to the throne of Poland, the tutelage was assigned to Cardinal [[Zbigniew Oleśnicki (cardinal)|Zbigniew Oleśnicki]], however, the cleric neglected his duties as he felt a strong reluctance towards Casimir, believing that he would be an unsuccessful monarch following Władysław's death.{{sfn|Biskup|Górski|1987|pp=9–10}}
 
==Grand Duke of Lithuania==
[[File:Lithuanian Denar of Kazimieras Jogailaitis with the Columns of Gediminas and Lithuanian Vytis (Waykimas) 2.jpg|thumb|left|Lithuanian coin of Grand Duke Casimir IV Jagiellon with the [[Columns of the Gediminids]] and [[coat of arms of Lithuania|Vytis (Pogonia)]]]]
 
The sudden death of [[Sigismund Kęstutaitis]] left the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] without a monarch, thus increasing its vulnerability. His assassination, reportedly orchestrated by political opponents associated with [[Švitrigaila]], created a power vacuum that intensified the ongoing rivalry between factions in the Grand Duchy.<ref name="Rowell">{{cite book |last=Rowell |first=Stephen Christopher |date=1994 |title=Lithuania Ascending: A Pagan Empire Within East-Central Europe, 1295–1345 |___location=Cambridge |publisher=University Press |pages=245–248 |isbn=9780521450119}}</ref> The [[Voivode of Trakai]], [[Jonas Goštautas]], and other magnates of Lithuania, supported Casimir as a candidate to the Lithuanian throne.<ref name="Rowell"/> However, many Polish nobles hoped that the thirteen-year-old boy would become a [[Vicegerent|vice-regent]] for Poland in Lithuania to secure Polish interests there.<ref name=Kiau>J. Kiaupienė Valdžios krizės pabaiga ir Kazimieras Jogailaitis. Gimtoji istorija 2: Nuo 7 iki 12 klasės (Lietuvos istorijos vadovėlis). CD. (2003). Elektroninės leidybos namai: Vilnius.</ref> Casimir was invited by the Lithuanian magnates to Lithuania, and when he arrived in [[Vilnius]] in 1440, he was proclaimed as the [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]] on 29 June 1440 by the [[Council of Lords]], contrary to the wishes of the Polish noble lords — an act supported and coordinated by Goštautas.<ref name=Kiau/>
 
When the news arrived in the Kingdom of Poland concerning the proclamation of Casimir as the Grand Duke of Lithuania, it was met with hostility, even to the point of military threats against Lithuania.<ref name=Kiau/> The Polish side had expected to oversee the transition of power in Lithuania and feared the loss of leverage over its eastern partner. Throughout the early 1440s, there were repeated efforts by Polish envoys to reassert influence over Lithuania or to compel Casimir to recognize Poland’s suzerainty. These efforts were rebuffed by the Lithuanians, who used Casimir’s youth and local presence as a political tool. Despite the fraternal relationship between Casimir and Władysław III, no formal reconciliation occurred during this time.{{sfn|Frost|2015|pages=275–277}} Tensions remained unresolved, partly because Władysław, after assuming the [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungarian crown]] in 1440, became increasingly entangled in affairs beyond the [[Carpathians]], including preparations for a crusade against the [[Ottoman Empire]].{{sfn|Frost|2015|pages=275–277}} His focus on Hungary and the [[Balkan]] frontier diverted attention from Lithuanian affairs, allowing Casimir to solidify independent rule.{{sfn|Frost|2015|pages=275–277}}<ref name="Engel">{{cite book |last=Engel |first=Pál |date=2001 |title=The Realm of St Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary, 895–1526 |___location=London |publisher=Tauris |pages=251–253 |isbn=9781860640612}}</ref>
 
Since the young Grand Duke was underage, the supreme control over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was in the hands of the Council, personally presided by Goštautas. Furthermore, Casimir was taught the [[Lithuanian language]] and the customs of Lithuania by appointed court officials.<ref>[http://ualgiman.dtiltas.lt/vid..html#Hermanas_Vartbergietis_ Lietuvių kalba ir literatūros istorija<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026081117/http://ualgiman.dtiltas.lt/vid..html#Hermanas_Vartbergietis_ |date=26 October 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Stryjkowski |first1=Maciej |authorlink1=Maciej Stryjkowski |title=Kronika Polska, Litewska, Zmódzka i wszystkiéj Rusi. |date=1582 |publisher=Warszawa Nak. G.L. Glüsksverga |page=207 |url=https://archive.org/details/kronikapolskalit02stryuoft/page/206/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date=17 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kurie Lietuvos valdovai mokėjo protėvių kalbą, kurie – ne? / Laida "Lietuva – mūsų lūpose" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_I9qGa1J44 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/o_I9qGa1J44| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|website=YouTube.com | date=22 February 2021 |publisher=Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania |access-date=3 October 2021 |language=lt}}{{cbignore}}</ref> During Casimir's rule the rights of the Lithuanian nobility — dukes, magnates, and [[boyar]]s (lesser nobles), irrespective of their religion and ethnicity — were put on an equal footing to those of the Polish [[szlachta]]. Additionally, Casimir promised to protect the Grand Duchy's borders and not to appoint persons from the [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Polish Kingdom]] to the offices of the Grand Duchy. He accepted that decisions on matters concerning the Grand Duchy would not be made without the Council of Lords' consent. He also granted the subject region of [[Eldership of Samogitia|Samogitia]] the right to elect its own [[Elder of Samogitia|elder]]. Casimir was the first ruler of Lithuania baptized at birth, becoming the first native Roman Catholic Grand Duke.
 
==King of Poland==
[[File:Kazimerzjagiello.jpg|thumb|right|15th-century seal depicting Casimir IV on the throne.]]
===Dynastic struggle===
In 1427, the [[Polish nobility]] initiated an anti-[[Jagiellonian]] opposition and attempted to have [[Władysław II Jagiełło]]'s sons [[Władysław III Jagiellon|Władysław III]] and Casimir IV Jagiellon declared illegitimate to the Polish throne as they, being sons of a [[Lithuanian nobility|Lithuanian noblewoman]] [[Sophia of Halshany]], had no blood link to the previous ruling Polish dynasty, the [[Piasts]], however Casimir's father ensured the succession for his sons.<ref name="Oxford">{{cite web |title=Jagiellonians Timeline |url=https://www.jagiellonians.com/jagiellonians-timeline |website=Jagiellonians.com |publisher=[[University of Oxford]] |access-date=20 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Moreover, the death of Casimir's elder brother, Władysław III, at the [[Battle of Varna]] (1444) during a crusade against the Ottoman Empire, created a potentially dangerous leadership vacuum. Władysław's death left Poland without a clear successor and Casimir was fraught with political maneuvering and rivalries within the Polish nobile class.
 
After a three-year [[interregnum]] marred by political contestation and negotiations, Casimir was elected King of Poland in 1447. His ascension was supported by key factions, but not without opposition. The [[Prussian Confederation]], composed of the cities in the region of [[Prussia]], as well as some nobles viewed his reign as a shift towards centralisation. Casimir's acceptance of the Polish crown was contingent upon his willingness to adopt a dual role as both King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, thereby maintaining the balance of power between the two realms. At his coronation on June 25, 1447, Casimir became both the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a position he would hold until his death.
 
===Royal authority===
{{main|Szlachta}}
The question of the political relationship between Poland and Lithuania was an ongoing handicap throughout Casimir’s reign. While the two states had been bound together in personal union since the [[Union of Krewo]] (1385), they were politically distinct entities, each with its own laws and institutions. Poland then was more of a [[Homogeneity and heterogeneity|homogenous]] and Catholic society whereas Lithuania remained multicultural and a predominantly [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] dominion that expanded across vast regions once part of the [[Kievan Rus]]. It was also highly decentralised.
 
Casimir worked to harmonize the interests of the Polish and Lithuanian nobility while also maintaining his position as the supreme ruler of both states. The [[Tęczyński]] family often mediated between the crown and the upper class. Their influence ensured that Casimir had strong support within the domestic sphere while advancing his diplomatic agenda abroad. In Lithuania, the Grand Chancellor of Lithuania, [[Mikołaj II Radziwiłł]], was instrumental in strengthening ties with the Polish Crown while safeguarding Lithuanian autonomy. He was nicknamed "Amor Poloniae" by contemporaries due to his pro-Polish stance and sentiment. Casimir's reign was marked by efforts to enhance cooperation, and also strived to secure southern and eastern frontiers which were constantly threatened by the [[Crimean Tatars]] and the [[Grand Duchy of Moscow]].
 
===Thirteen Years' War===
{{main|Thirteen Years' War (1454–66)}}
[[File:Polish Knights 1447-1492.PNG|thumb|right|Polish knights and soldiers during the [[Thirteen Years' War (1454–66)]]]]
In 1454, Casimir was approached by the Prussian Confederation for aid against the [[Teutonic Order]], which he promised, by making the separatist [[Prussia (region)|Prussian]] regions a protectorate of the [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Polish Kingdom]]. However, when the insurgent cities rebelled against the Order, it resisted and the [[Thirteen Years' War (1454–66)|Thirteen Years' War]] (1454–1466) ensued. Beginning in 1457, the Teutonic army from [[Königsberg]] unsuccessfully besieged their former seat at [[Siege of Marienburg (1457–1460)|Marienburg]] and lost the nearby town of Marienburg (Malbork) in effect. At the [[Battle of Świecino]] (''Schlacht bei Schwetzin'') in September 1462, the Polish army and hired mercenaries decimated the Teutonic force, simultaneously cutting their future supply routes from [[Western Europe]]. A year later, the Teutonic rescue fleet was sunk at the [[Battle of Vistula Lagoon]], resulting in the decisive end of Teutonic Order's navy. In the [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)]], the declining Order recognized Polish sovereignty over the seceded western Prussian regions, [[Royal Prussia]], and the Polish crown's overlordship over the remaining [[Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights|Teutonic Monastic State]]. It was transformed following Casimir's death into a duchy, which became known as [[Ducal Prussia]] (1525).
 
===Foreign relations and diplomacy===
Casimir sought to maintain influential relations with the [[Habsburg]]s and the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. In 1454, he married [[Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505)|Elisabeth of Austria]], daughter of King [[Albert II of Germany]] and [[Elizabeth of Luxembourg]],{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=xi}} a descendant of King [[Casimir III of Poland]]. Her distant relative was [[Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor]]. The marriage strengthened the ties between the house of Jagiellon and the sovereigns of Hungary-Bohemia and put Casimir at odds with the emperor through internal Habsburg rivalry. Elisabeth's only brother [[Ladislaus the Posthumous|Ladislaus, king of Bohemia and Hungary]], died in 1457, and after that Casimir and Elisabeth's dynastic interests were directed also towards her brother's kingdoms.
 
The threat from the [[Ottoman Empire]], which was expanding rapidly in the [[Balkans]] and along the [[Black Sea]], loomed over [[Eastern Europe]] during Casimir’s reign. While Poland-Lithuania did not engage directly in military conflict with the [[Turkish people|Turks]], Casimir faced increasing pressure from the Ottomans’ allies, including the Crimean Tatars, whose raids intensified. He was, nonetheless, able to maintain a semblance of stability on the eastern border, skillfully negotiating with the Muscovites and the [[Crimean Khanate]] to avoid full-scale war. His diplomacy helped prevent the dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian alliance, and ensuring territorial integrity. In around 1480 Casimir was allied with the [[Great Horde]] against Muscovy and Crimea, however, his failure to support [[Ahmed Khan bin Küchük|Khan Akhmed]] at the [[Great stand on the Ugra River]] contributed to Russia in gaining its independence from the steppe nomads.
 
[[File:Jagiellon countries 1490.PNG|thumb|Countries ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty in 1490]]
 
The intervention of the [[Roman curia]], which hitherto had been hostile to Casimir, was due to the permutations of [[European politics]]. The pope was anxious to get rid of the [[Hussite]] King of Bohemia, George Podebrad, as the first step towards the formation of a league against the Ottoman Turks. Casimir was to be a leading factor in this combination, and he took advantage of it to procure the election of his son [[Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary|Vladislaus II]] as the [[Kingdom of Bohemia|King of Bohemia]]. But he would not commit himself too far, and his ulterior plans were frustrated by the rivalry of [[Matthias Corvinus]], King of Hungary, who even went so far as to stimulate the [[Teutonic Order]] to rise against Casimir. The death of Matthias in 1490 was a great relief to Poland, and Casimir employed the two remaining years of his reign in consolidating his position still further.{{sfn|Bain|1911|p=448}}
 
In 1490, Casimir's son [[John I of Poland|John Albert]] was elected the [[Kingdom of Hungary|King of Hungary]] by a party among the [[Hungarian nobles]]. He was, however, defeated by his older brother, King Vladislaus II of Bohemia. Casimir, who wanted to secure a separate realm for his sons, proposed John Albert. Most Hungarian barons and prelates preferred Vladislaus because his rule in Bohemia had indicated that he would respect their liberties. Vladislaus was crowned King of Hungary on 18 September 1490 in [[Székesfehérvár]].
 
==Personal life and appearance==
According to the ''[[Chronica Polonorum (1519)|Chronica Polonorum]]'' by [[Maciej Miechowita]], Casimir was of tall stature and completely bald at the mid-frontal point ([[Hair loss|advanced receding hairline]]); his face was oval and lean.{{sfn|Biskup|Górski|1987|p=341}} Miechowita also writes that the king spoke with a [[speech impairment]] ([[lisp]]) and was an avid huntsman from his youth.{{sfn|Biskup|Górski|1987|p=341}} He often hunted in the primeval tranquil woodlands extending over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which were abundant in [[Game (hunting)|game]].{{sfn|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863|p=534}} Casimir appeared modest and did not exude a sense of [[pride]], but is said to have enjoyed occasional opulence and splendor for significant conventions.{{sfn|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863|p=534}} At times, his lack of frugality and preference for field sports over the affairs of state were met with staunch disapproval.{{sfn|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863|p=534}} Records show that the king was fond of birthday celebrations for his children and watched [[Tournament (medieval)|tournaments]].{{sfn|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863|p=534}} He was also known to be a [[teetotaller]], and abstained from drinking wine, [[mead]] or beer at banquets.{{sfn|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863|p=534}} Historian [[Julian Bartoszewicz]] described the king as "wise [in thought], driven by reason and characterised by longaminity and forbearance".{{sfn|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863|p=533}} Casimir cared deeply for his children's education and employed the finest tutors, chiefly [[Jan Długosz]], to supervise his sons John Albert and Alexander.{{sfn|Kuropieska|1992|p=64}} It is likely that Casimir was Poland's last [[illiterate]] monarch as there are no surviving signatures, initials or monograms present on official edicts, though this claim is disputed.{{sfn|Samsonowicz|2007|p=461}}
 
==Tomb==
{{main|Tomb of Casimir IV Jagiellon}}
[[File:Pomnik Kazimierza Jagiellończyka w katedrze krak.jpg|thumb|right|Tomb of Casimir IV in the [[Wawel Cathedral]], late [[Gothic art|Gothic]] masterpiece by [[Veit Stoss]]]]
Casimir was interred at [[Wawel Cathedral]] in Kraków, in a red marble tomb sculpted by [[Veit Stoss]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Chipps Smith |first=Jeffrey |editor-last1= Emmerson|editor-first1=Richard Kenneth | chapter=Stoss, Veit |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DqhHVb2zp7oC&dq=casimir+IV+wawel+tomb&pg=PA609 |title=Key Figures in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia |year=2006 |publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-97385-4 |page=609}}</ref> In 1973 a research team of 12 experts opened the tomb. Shortly afterward, 10 of the team died prematurely. It was subsequently found that the deaths were caused by toxins originating from fungus present in the tomb.<ref>{{cite book |last= Jones|first=Barry |title= Dictionary of World Biography|year= 2018|isbn=978-1-76046-218-5 |publisher= Australian National University Press|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DO1fDwAAQBAJ&dq=casimir+iv+jagiellon+tomb+fungus&pg=PA154|page=154}}</ref>
 
==Children==
Casimir and Elizabeth had:
* [[Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary|Vladislaus]] (1 March 1456 – 13 March 1516); combined the thrones of [[Hungary]] and [[Bohemia]] as Vladislaus II{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=x}}
* [[Hedwig Jagiellon, Duchess of Bavaria|Hedwig Jagiellon]] (21 September 1457 – 18 February 1502); married [[George of Bavaria|George the Rich]], of the [[Wittelsbach]] dynasty of [[Bavaria]].{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=x}} Delegates had gone to [[Kraków]] to negotiate the marriage, and their "[[Landshut Wedding]]" took place in [[Bavaria]] with much pomp and celebration in 1475, starting a tradition which continues to this day.
* [[Saint Casimir|Casimir Jagiellon]] (3 October 1458 – 4 March 1484);{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=x}} was to have married [[Kunigunde of Austria]], but instead chose religious life, eventually being canonized as Saint Casimir.
* [[John I of Poland]] (27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501); succeeded Casimir IV as the king of Poland (1492–1501){{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=x}}
* [[Alexander I of Poland]] (5 August 1461 – 19 August 1506); King of Poland (1501–1506){{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=x}}
* [[Sophia Jagiellon, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach|Sophie]] (6 May 1464 – 5 October 1512); married to Margrave [[Frederick V of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]{{sfn|Ward|Prothero|Leathes|1934|p=table 37}}
* [[Sigismund I the Old]] (1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548); King of Poland (1506–1548){{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=xi}}
* [[Frederick Jagiellon]] (27 April 1468 – 14 March 1503); Bishop of Kraków (1488–1503), Archbishop of Gniezno and Primate of Poland (1493–1503){{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=xi}}
* [[Anna Jagiellon, Duchess of Pomerania|Anna Jagiellon]] (12 March 1476 – 12 August 1503); married [[Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania]];{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=xi}} they had eight children, including [[Sophie of Pomerania]], who became queen of Denmark
* [[Barbara Jagiellon|Barbara]] (15 July 1478 – 15 February 1534); married [[George, Duke of Saxony|Duke Georg dem Bärtigen]] of the [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxony]]{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=xi}}
* Elizabeth Jagiellon (13 November 1482 – 16 February 1517); married [[Frederick II of Legnica]]{{sfn|Nowakowska|2019|p=xi}}
* Two additional daughters named Elizabeth<ref>Paweł Jasienica, Jagiellonian Poland</ref>
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kazimierz IV Jagiellonczyk (275186).jpg|Casimir IV in advanced age, by [[Jan Matejko]]
File:Casimir IV Jagiellon (89922099).jpg|Portrait of King Casimir, by [[Aleksander Lesser]], 1860
File:Giovanni da Capistrano and Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon.PNG|[[Giovanni da Capistrano]] and King Casimir IV
File:Statue of Casimir IV Jagiellon in Malbork.JPG|Statue of Casimir IV Jagiellon in [[Malbork]]
File:IRP 1466.PNG|Poland and Lithuania in 1466, under Casimir's rule
Król Kazimierz Jagiellończyk.jpg|Polish stamp, 1938
File:Garter-Encircled Arms of Casimir IV, King of Poland, KG.png|Garter-Encircled Arms of Casimir IV, King of Poland, KG]]
</gallery>
 
==See also==
* [[History of Poland during the Jagiellonian dynasty]]
* [[History of Lithuania]]
* [[List of Poles#Royalty|List of Poles]]
* [[Statutes of Nieszawa]]
 
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
 
== General and cited sources ==
* {{EB1911|wstitle= Casimir IV. |volume= 5 | pages = 447–448 |last1= Bain |first1= Robert Nisbet |author-link1=Robert Nisbet Bain}}
* {{cite book |last1=Biskup |first1=Marian |last2=Górski |first2=Karol |date=1987 |title=Kazimierz Jagiellończyk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYcdAAAAMAAJ&q=kazimierz%20jagiellonczyk%20seplenil |___location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=PWN |lang=pl |isbn=9788301072919}}
* {{cite book |last=Bogucka |first=Maria |date=1978 |title=Kazimierz Jagiellończyk |___location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=Książka i Wiedza |oclc=
831031178 |lang=pl}}
* {{cite book |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=1863 |title=Encyklopedia powszechna |volume=14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=puxJAAAAIAAJ |___location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=S. Orgelbrand |lang=pl |oclc=835929692 |ref={{sfnref|Encyklopedia powszechna|1863}} }}
* {{cite book|last1=Frost|first1=Robert|title=The Making of the Polish-Lithuanian Union 1385–1569, Volume 1|date=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|___location=Oxford|isbn=9780198208693|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gc0kCQAAQBAJ&q=Casimir+I+the+Restorer}}
* {{cite book |last=Kowalska |first=Zofia |date=1993 |title=Stanisław Ciołek, podkanclerzy królewski, biskup poznański, poeta dworski |___location=Kraków |publisher=Universitas |isbn=9788370521813 |lang=pl}}
* {{cite book |last=Kuropieska |first=Józef |date=1992 |title=Od października do marca |volume=1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BYneAAAAMAAJ&q=kazimierz%20jagiello%C5%84czyk%20analfabeta |___location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=BGW |isbn=9788370662172 |lang=pl}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Nowakowska |editor-first=Natalia |title=Remembering the Jagiellonians |publisher=Routledge |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-138-56239-4 }}
* {{cite book |last=Samsonowicz |first=Henryk |date=2007 |title=Historia Polski |volume=1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-KojAQAAIAAJ&q=kazimierz+jagiello%C5%84czyk+analfabeta |___location=Warszawa (Warsaw) |publisher=PWN |lang=pl |isbn=9788301150389}}
* {{cite book |title=The Cambridge Modern History |volume=XIII |editor-first1=A.W. |editor-last1=Ward |editor-first2=G.W. |editor-last2=Prothero |editor-first3=Stanley |editor-last3=Leathes |publisher=Cambridge at the University Press |year=1934 }}
 
{{S-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sigismund Kęstutaitis|Sigismund Kestutian]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Grand Duke of Lithuania]]|years=1440–1492}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alexander I Jagiellon|Alexander I]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Władysław III of Poland|Władysław III]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[King of Poland]]|years=1447–1492}}
{{s-aft|after=[[John I Albert]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Monarchs of Lithuania}}
{{Monarchs of Poland}}
{{Authority control}}
 
[[Category:1427 births]]
[[Category:1492 deaths]]
[[Category:15th-century Polish monarchs]]
[[Category:Burials at Wawel Cathedral]]
[[Category:Kings of Poland]]
[[Category:Grand dukes of Lithuania]]
[[Category:Jagiellonian dynasty]]
[[Category:Knights of the Garter]]
[[Category:Medieval child monarchs]]
[[Category:Nobility from Kraków]]
[[Category:Polish Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Polish–Ottoman War (1485–1503)]]