Out-of-wedlock offspring of the Rulers in Central Europe in the 14th c.

On the example of the rulers of Central Europe in the 14th century, the author showed not only the phenomenon of illegitimate offspring of kings, but above all, he drew attention to their social status. Undoubtedly, it was the out-of-wedlock offspring of king Kazimierz Wielki /Casimir the Great/ that occupied the lowest position on the social ladder (3 illegitimate sons: Niemierz, Jan and Pełka), about whom little is known, whereas more detailed information concerning it is known from the writings of historian Jan Długosz who lived in the 15th century. The natural sons of the Polish king were completely forgotten by their father who did not ensure them decent posts and offices. The plight of the illegitimate children of the Czech and Hungarian rulers is quite different. Almost every illegitimate son of a Czech or Hungarian king became a bishop or else received another high church benefice, ensuring a high level of material existence. Koloman, the son of Charles Robert, became a bishop of Győr; Jan Voltek, the son of the Czech king Vaclav II, became a bishop of Olomuniec; Nicolas, the son of John of Luxemburg, was the bishop of Naumburg, and subsequently a patriarch of Aquilea. Whereas Elizabeth, the daughter of Vaclav II (or III), became an abbess. A career within the church seemed to be quite natural for the illegitimate offspring of the ruling families, as they were deprived of the rights to inherit the crown.

Out-of-wedlock offspring of the Rulers in Central Europe in the 14th c.

On the example of the rulers of Central Europe in the 14th century, the author showed not only the phenomenon of illegitimate offspring of kings, but above all, he drew attention to their social status. Undoubtedly, it was the out-of-wedlock offspring of king Kazimierz Wielki /Casimir the Great/ that occupied the lowest position on the social ladder (3 illegitimate sons: Niemierz, Jan and Pełka), about whom little is known, whereas more detailed information concerning it is known from the writings of historian Jan Długosz who lived in the 15th century. The natural sons of the Polish king were completely forgotten by their father who did not ensure them decent posts and offices. The plight of the illegitimate children of the Czech and Hungarian rulers is quite different. Almost every illegitimate son of a Czech or Hungarian king became a bishop or else received another high church benefice, ensuring a high level of material existence. Koloman, the son of Charles Robert, became a bishop of Győr; Jan Voltek, the son of the Czech king Vaclav II, became a bishop of Olomuniec; Nicolas, the son of John of Luxemburg, was the bishop of Naumburg, and subsequently a patriarch of Aquilea. Whereas Elizabeth, the daughter of Vaclav II (or III), became an abbess. A career within the church seemed to be quite natural for the illegitimate offspring of the ruling families, as they were deprived of the rights to inherit the crown.