Barbara Radziwiłł (Polish: Barbara Radziwiłłówna, Lithuanian: Barbora Radvilaitė; 6 December 1520/1523 – 8 May 1551) was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund II Augustus, the last male monarch of the Jagiellon dynasty. Barbara, already widowed and considered a great beauty, became a royal mistress most likely in 1543 and married Sigismund in secret in July or August 1547. The marriage caused a scandal and was vehemently opposed by Polish nobles, including the queen mother, Bona Sforza.
Sigismund Augustus, with the support of Barbara's cousin Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Black and her brother Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Red, worked tirelessly to gain recognition for their marriage and to crown Barbara as Queen of Poland. Their efforts succeeded, and her coronation was held on 7 December 1550 at Wawel Cathedral. However, her health was already deteriorating, and she died just five months later. Despite the brevity of her reign, Barbara's marriage propelled the Radziwiłł family to new heights of political power and influence.
Contemporaries of the time generally viewed Barbara in a negative light, accusing her of promiscuity and witchcraft. Her life became surrounded by rumors and legends, and she emerged as a heroine in many literary works. From the 18th century onward, Barbara's life was romanticized as a great tragic love story, often portraying Bona Sforza as the chief antagonist. This narrative captured the public imagination and inspired numerous poems, plays, films, and other works, making Barbara Radziwiłł one of the best-known and most recognized women in the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland.
Barbara was the youngest child of Jerzy Radziwiłł, Voivode of Trakai and Vilnius and Great Lithuanian Hetman, and his wife Barbara Kolanka, daughter of Voivode of Podolia. She was also a descendant of Queen Elizabeth of Pilica, wife of the first Jagiellonian King of Poland, Władysław Jagiełło (the great-grandfather of Barbara's second husband, Sigismund II Augustus).
Barbara was born 6 December of unknown year between 1520 and 1523. Some historians favour 1520 based on Radziwiłł family's genealogy found in Nesvizh. However, the plaque found inside her coffin says she died having "not completed 28th year of life", which would place her birth in 1523; it is supported by the epitaph written by Piotr Roizjusz and the epitaph in Vilnius Cathedral, as well as inscription on the coffin, which all claims the Queen died "in her third decade" of life, therefore before turning 30. Additionally, Salomon Rysiński who was a courtier of Radziwiłł family at the end of 16th century, recorded 1522 as the year of Barbara's birth. Therefore, according to historian Agnieszka Januszek-Sieradzka, "the preserved sources seem to leave no room for doubt" that Barbara was born after 1520.
Details of her education are unknown, but it is unlikely that it was extensive. From her correspondence it is known Barbara spoke and wrote in Polish; she also knew Ruthenian, but apparently never wrote in it herself. From a February 1549 letter, it could be inferred that she understood at least some Latin, but her letters to Sigismund Augustus had not a single Latin phrase. She was raised and grew up to be Catholic.
According to her contemporaries, Barbara was very beautiful. Moreover, she had an interest in fashion and cosmetics, and used perfumes and face powder.
As Vilnius royal castle and Radziwiłł family's Vilnius palace were placed next to each other, Barbara most likely met her future husband, Sigismund II Augustus, when they were both children, although they did not enter into relationship until mid 1540s.
Marriage to Stanislovas Goštautas
In 1536, Stanislovas Goštautas, Voivode of Nowogrodek, canceled his betrothal to Anna Elżbieta Radziwiłł, elder sister of Barbara. Jerzy Radziwiłł then offered the hand of Barbara even though it was against custom for a younger sister to wed first. The wedding treaty was signed on 20 October 1536 in Radun. Another plan to wed either Anna Elżbieta or Barbara to Ilia Ostrogski, the only son of Great Hetman Konstanty Ostrogski, fell through. The wedding of Barbara and Stanislovas Goštautas took place on 18 May 1537 in Goštautas' residence in Hieraniony. Her dowry included numerous silver and gilded tableware items, 24 fine horses, dresses of satin and damask decorated with gold and precious stones. In exchange, Stanislovas transferred property worth 8,000 kopas of Lithuanian groschens to Barbara. Their marriage was childless. Stanislovas died unexpectedly after a brief illness on 18 December 1542.
Marriage to Sigismund Augustus
Love affair and secret marriage
Stanislovas Goštautas was the last male member of the Goštautai family and, according to law regarding childless widows, the majority of his possessions were inherited by Sigismund I the Old, Grand Duke of Lithuania. On 15 June 1543, Sigismund transferred the property to his son Sigismund II Augustus who visited Hieraniony in October 1543 to take over the estate. It is likely that it was when Barbara and Sigismund Augustus became lovers, though there is no evidence of the affair until after the death of Sigismund Augustus' first wife.
In July 1544, Sigismund Augustus traveled to Brest and returned with his wife Elizabeth of Austria in October to Vilnius, where Barbara resided with her mother. On 15 June 1545, Elizabeth died from epileptic seizures. Sigismund Augustus and Barbara were free to enjoy each other's company – rumors spread about their romantic rendezvous, hunts, and parties. Sigismund Augustus spent 223 days in 1546 hunting. It was said that Sigismund Augustus ordered construction of a secret tunnel connecting the Royal Palace with the nearby Radziwiłł Palace so that the couple could meet frequently and discreetly. At the same time, Sigismund Augustus and his parents searched for a new bride. Sigismund I the Old contemplated a marriage to Anna Sophia, daughter of Albert, Duke of Prussia. Other candidates included Anna d'Este of Duchy of Ferrara, widowed Anna of Lorraine, Princesses Mary I of England and Margaret of France.
Sometime in 1547, Sigismund Augustus and Barbara wed in secret. Neither exact date nor circumstances are known. The Lithuanian Chronicles recorded the doubtful claim that Sigismund Augustus was forced into the marriage when he was caught with Barbara by the Radziwiłł cousins; it is widely dismissed by historians. The King himself in the letter to his cousin Albrecht Hohenzollern as the reason of marriage with Barbara cited love.
According to research by Władysław Pociecha, the wedding probably took place between 26 July and 6 August. Her cousin Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł was sent to Kraków to inform the Polish court that Sigismund Augustus and Barbara were married since 25 November 1545. It seems he failed the assignment and Sigismund Augustus had to travel to Poland himself. He departed Vilnius on 15 November; Barbara was sent to the Radziwiłł estate in Dubingiai. In a letter dated 20 November, courtier Stanisław Dowojno, starosta of Merkinė, informed Sigismund Augustus that due to the difficult journey Barbara had a miscarriage. If that indeed was true, and not an elaborate intrigue by the Radziwiłłs, it would explain the secret marriage – an attempt to provide legitimacy to the child. However, it seems more likely that Barbara became pregnant after the wedding, as the loss of a child appear to have happened early in the potential pregnancy. Another explanation could be that the bleeding was caused by a rupture of an internal abscess, an early sign of her terminal illness.
Political struggle for recognition
Sigismund Augustus informed his parents of the marriage on 2 February 1548 in Piotrków Trybunalski. The news caused an uproar among Polish nobles as Sigismund Augustus wed without the approval of the Senate. What was worse, Barbara was his subject and lover. Queen mother Bona Sforza was one of the most vocal opponents. In the ensuing campaign against recognizing the marriage, Barbara was widely accused of promiscuous behavior and of using witchcraft or poison to seduce Sigismund Augustus. Various authors, including Stanisław Orzechowski and Mikołaj Rej, published and distributed various derogatory pamphlets. The charge of promiscuity often enters works of modern historians though it is not based on any actual evidence. Lithuanian nobles did not openly protest the marriage, but were distrustful of the Radziwiłłs and their rise to power.