1427. Five years after the marriage, Frederick II would be eligible to become King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The young Brandenburg prince had to live in Poland as soon as was possible, in order to get acquainted with the language and customs of his future country. The agreement would be void if Jagiello had surviving sons. Ten months later, Jagiello married Sophia of Halshany, who was just a few years older than Hedwig. Frederick I was not satisfied with the marriage and sent his son to Kraków to be with his fiancé. Tensions continued to rise as Brandenburg did not provide troops in the Gollub War against the Teutonic Knights. Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, lobbied against the marriage while Scandinavian King Eric renewed his proposal for the Polish–Scandinavian–Pomeranian alliance against Brandenburg. Despite political pressure, Jagiello did not annul the agreement. Fearing an assassination attempt, Grand Duke Vytautas took Frederick II from Kraków to Lithuania in 1424. In October 1424, Sophia gave birth to Jagiello's son, but Frederick continued to pursue the marriage. A party of Polish nobles wanted Hedwig and her future husband to succeed her father, instead of her father's sons by Sophia of Halshany, who were not descended from the Piast dynasty of Poland. The death of her maternal grandmother, Anna of Poland, in 1425 left Hedwig without any close relatives in the power struggle with Sophia. Due to uncertainties of inheritance, Hedwig's marriage was postponed. For about a year, Hedwig battled an unknown illness. She died in December 1431 and was buried in the Wawel Cathedral. Queen Sophia had to defend herself against rumors that she poisoned the princess. There is evidence to suggest that Frederick II was genuinely in love with Hedwig and suffered bouts of depression as a result of her death. References Notes References Bibliography Łowmiański, Henryk, Polityka Jagiellonów, Poznań 2006. Tęgowski, Jan, Pierwsze pokolenia Giedyminowiczów, Poznań - Wrocław 1999. Wdowiszewski, Zygmunt, Genealogia Jagiellonów i Domu Wazów w Polsce, Kraków 2005. 1408 births 1431 deaths Hedwig Nobility from Kraków Polish princesses Burials at Wawel Cathedral 15th-century Polish nobility 15th-century Polish women Daughters of kings