Barbara Giza

Barbara Giza (Polish: Barbara Gizanka; ca. 1550 – May 1589), was the mistress of King Sigismund II Augustus of Poland during 1570-1572. She was the daughter of Warsaw burgher Jan Giza, a merchant and usurer, and his wife Anna, whose origins are unknown.

Life

According to tradition, she was born in a tenement house at 5 Świętojańska Street in a Warsaw patrician family from Franconia. She had a sister who was married to Krzysztof Szawłowski. She grew up in a convent of Bernardine nuns outside Warsaw. Young Barbara was met by the royal servant, Mikołaj Mniszech. The Jewish merchant Egidius made his visits to Gizanka easier. Mniszech visited Barbara in the guise of a nun. The circumstances in which Barbara met the King are unknown. Probably Mniszech family used the girl's physical resemblance to the late Queen Barbara Radziwiłł to gain influence over the King. Most likely, Barbara met Sigismund II Augustus at the end of 1570, but according to an investigation carried out after the King's death, Barbara was brought to the king on 6 January 1571. Their relationship attracted considerable attention and was regarded as a scandal.

Eight months later, on 8 September 1571, she gave birth to a daughter, Barbara. The nobility didn't believe in the King's paternity, but Sigismund II Augustus didn't pay attention to the voices of the opposing court. After her daughter was born, Barbara became the King's constant companion. However, despite his relationship with Barbara, Sigismund II Augustus didn't ended his affair with Anna Zajączkowska, who was staying in Witów. The King gave Barbara 20,000 złoty and arranged a palace for her in Bronów.

Thanks to Barbara's intercession, the Vice-Chancellor Franciszek Krasiński obtained the position of the Bishop of Kraków, and the Grand Crown Marshal Jan Firlej secured his position of Voivode of Kraków. After the death of the Queen Catherine of Austria in February 1572, rumors circulated that Sigismund II Augustus wanted to marry Barbara. In June 1572, Barbara left with her lover to Knyszyn, where on 7 July the King died aged 51.

Before 14 July 1573, Barbara Giza married the prince of Volhynia, Michał Woroniecki, Prince of Volhynia, who legally recognized her daughter. Six children were born from this marriage: Mikołaj (died after 1601), Stefan (a priest; died after 1614), Jakub (died after 1621), Florian Tomasz (a Dominican monk in Warsaw; born 1586, died after 5 June 1615), Katarzyna (wife of Jakub Pilchowski; died after 1592) and Anna (wife of Jan Kosiński; died after 1614).

Bibliography

• Rudzki E., Polskie królowe, t. 2, wyd. 2, Instytut Prasy i Wydawnictw Novum, Warsaw 1990, pp. 265–266.
• Boniecki, Adam, Poczet rodów w Wielkiém Księstwie Litewskiém w XV i XVI wieku, [print:] J. Berger, Warsaw 1887, pp. 387–388. (online)
• Szenic, Stanisław, Królewskie kariery warszawianek, Iskry, Warsaw 1959, s. 5–47.