Historically who is the most important Pole?

[hollister]

Who do you think has contributed the most to Poland in history?
Why?

[leslie]

The Hungarian Princess, then Queen of Poland, Kinga, who (according to the legend) brought major economic and welfare increase to the life of the Poles in the early 13th century as a result of the magical discovery of the major salt mine of Wieliczka through Kinga's ring appearance in Polish soil from its thrown place in Hungary.

I believe it anyway!

Leslie

[hollister]

The discovery of salt would have been incredibly important. I would have made Poland very wealthy - at that time salt was more valuable than gold in many regions. I always find it fascinating to see the very ornate salt cellers on display. many even had locks so the "help" wouldn't help themselves!

[justjohn]

hollister said:

Who do you think has contributed the most to Poland in history?
Why?

Poland's Italian Queen

Bona Sforza on the 500th Anniversary of her Birth
by Wanda Sławińska

The following is the edited text of a presentation made on June 15, 1994 at a meeting of the Polish Arts Club of Buffalo.

1994 marked the 500th anniversary of the birth of a Polish Queen who, because of her love of fruits and vegetables, changed not only the Polish palate, but left a lasting influence on the language as well. We cannot relegate her to the kitchen, however, because she had a regal upbringing which predestined her to play a leading role in the politics of the Polish court.


Bona Sforza was born in 1494 (Italian sources give the date 1493) into the princely family of Milan. The family name "Sforza" means "force" and was originally the nickname of the mercenary soldier, Jacopo Attendolo. Coming from the lesser gentry, the family gained the principality of Milan through their own efforts. Bona was the daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and Isabella of Aragon. After her father's untimely death, the Milan principality was taken over by her paternal uncle, Ludovico Moro. Isabella took Bona to the principality of Ban, which had been given to her the year before, and gave her daughter a good education. The curriculum included the study of Vergil, Cicero, Petrarca, history, music, dance, horseback riding and hunting. More importantly, Isabella, mindful of her daughter's future prospects, taught her the art of ruling. Bona immediately put the lessons into practice, for she had her own court at Bari.

Isabella's ambition of retiring to her own principality of Milan was wiped Out by the conquest of Milan by Francis I of France. She was determined, therefore, to find a good suitor for her daughter. Her first two choices, Prince Maximillian Sforza, and then Philip, brother of Charles of Savoy, came to naught. Elizabeth subsequently entrusted the search to her uncle, Maximillian I of Austria. Maximillian found for her the recently widowed Sigismund I (the Old) of Poland. The Polish suitor had a humanistic education from the Italian, Callimachus, (Filippo Buonaccorsi), knew German and Latin, and loved art and architecture. He founded the Rorantist choir, which is active to this day. The King, it was true, was 24 years her senior, but it could not be discounted that he was the ruler of a country that territorially was the fifth or sixth largest. He was eloquent and ruled in the spirit of medieval values based on Christian ethics.

It was in Maximilian's interest to make this match, because it would allow him to keep an eye on Poland. The bride was his wife's niece and a cousin of Francis I of France.
Marriage
The formal engagement took place per procuram, or proxy, at the Castle of Capuano near Naples. Stanisław Ostroróg, son of the writer of the same name, represented the King. He was distinguished for his eloquence and dazzled those in attendance with his attire. He wore gold braided clothes and the jewels on his hat were worth fifty thousand ducats. The ceremony was officiated by Jan Konarski, Bishop of Cracow and took place on December 6, 1517. Ostroróg's ceremonial duties were to recite the sacramental phrases, place the King's ring on Bona's finger, kiss his own two fingers, touch them to Bona's forehead, kiss them again, and to bow deeply. Accompanied by Prospero Colonna and joined by Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, Bona arrived in Cracow on April 15, 1518 with a court of 345 ladies and gentlemen to a rousing welcome. Three days later the marriage and coronation ceremonies began and went on for eight days.

Poland had centuries of contacts with Italy. They were mostly through papal legates, commissioners, and secretaries. Beginning with the 15th century, merchants, miners, adventurers and scholars began arriving with increasing frequency. Hundreds of Poles studied at the Universities of Padua, Bologna, and Ferrara.

Italy seemed to the Pole a country whose customs were noble and worthy of imitation. It was a center of art and scholarship, a model of administration and life. One learned there refined manners and forgot one's own shortcomings. It was the fashion capital not only for dress, but also for dance and music. For a century, everything from the church choir (capella) to poetry, to speech, to food made an impression because it was Italian.

In coming to Poland, Bona opened the door wide to Italian artists. Besides her courtiers, she brought with her builders, architects, artisans and painters to make her new country as beautiful as the one she left. Her husband had himself come to admire Renaissance architecture during his stay (1498-1501) as Crown Prince in Buda (as in Buda-pest) at the court of his brother, Władysław, King of Hungary. When he returned to Cracow in 1502 he brought with him Francesco Florentino, an architect from Florence.

More at this URL:

info-poland.buffalo.edu/classroom/Bona/Bona.html

[hollister]

JJ
Thanks for the post and the link! She always looks so severe in her portraits - but reading her bio - she seems so full of life - she certainly made things happen! I like how she was responsible for straightening out the treasury.
Bona's son married Barbara Radziwill who's descendants are the Kennedys right?

[Jaga]

It is very interesting that two people for now mentioned women as the most important

[justjohn]

admin said:

It is very interesting that two people for now mentioned women as the most important

We like women!!! Especially Polish women !!!