Justina Szilágyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Justina Szilágyi de Horogszeg |
|
|---|---|
Szilágyi coat of arms
|
|
| Princess consort of Wallachia | |
| Tenure | 1476(–1477) |
| Born | before 1455 |
| Died | 1497 |
| Spouse | Wenceslas Pongrác Vlad III of Wallachia Paul Suki John Erdélyi |
| Family | Szilágyi |
| Father | Ladislaus Szilágyi (?) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Justina Szilágyi de Horogszeg (born before 1455 – died 1497) was an important Hungarian noblewoman. She is best known for being the second wife of Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula. Vlad was a powerful ruler, called the Voivode (or Prince) of Wallachia.
Justina was related to a very important person: Matthias Corvinus, who was the King of Hungary. King Corvinus played a big role in her life and marriages. She was married four times. Her most famous marriage was to Vlad the Impaler.
Contents
Who Was Justina Szilágyi?
Not everything about Justina's early life is clear. Historians have different ideas about who her father was. Some records say her father was Osvát Szilágyi. He was the uncle of King Matthias Corvinus. Other documents suggest her father was Osvát's younger brother, Ladislaus.
It is believed that Justina was born in the early 1450s. If Ladislaus was her father, he died when she was very young. Some historians think Osvát Szilágyi might have become her guardian. This could be why he was sometimes mistakenly called her father.
Justina's Marriages
Justina Szilágyi had four marriages during her lifetime. Each marriage was important for her social standing or to secure her land.
First Marriage: Wenceslas Pongrác
Justina's first marriage was arranged by King Matthias Corvinus. She married Wenceslas Pongrác of Szentmiklós. He came from a powerful noble family in Hungary.
King Corvinus made Pongrác give up some of his lands in Upper Hungary (which is now part of Slovakia). In return, Pongrác and Justina received new lands in Transylvania. These new lands included a castle at Gernyeszeg (now Gornești in Romania). These lands had been taken from other families earlier.
Wenceslas Pongrác died in 1474. After his death, Justina was often called "Pongrác's widow" in official papers.
Second Marriage: Vlad the Impaler
Justina's second husband was Vlad the Impaler. Vlad had been held prisoner by King Matthias Corvinus since 1462. He was released in early 1475.
After his release, Vlad married Justina. King Corvinus recognized Vlad as the rightful ruler of Wallachia in 1475. However, the King did not give Vlad much help to take back his throne from another ruler, Basarab Laiotă cel Bătrân.
Vlad bought a house in Pécs, Hungary. It became known as "Dracula's house." Records from 1489 mention this house and also refer to "Justina, the widow of the late voivode Dragwlya."
In November 1476, Vlad invaded Wallachia with help from Hungarian and Moldavian forces. He forced Basarab Laiotă to flee. Vlad became the ruler of Wallachia again. He even asked people from Brașov to send builders to his new home in Târgoviște. However, Vlad was killed in battle soon after, in late 1476 or early 1477.
Some historical accounts say Vlad had three sons. Some historians believe Justina might have given birth to Vlad's second son. This son was also named Vlad. Other historians think that Vlad and Justina did not have any children together.
Later Marriages
After Vlad's death, Justina faced challenges. In 1478, other noble families tried to claim her castle at Gernyeszeg. To protect her lands, she married Paul Suki. He was related to the families who used to own those lands. Justina was first mentioned as Suki's wife in January 1479. However, Paul Suki died in the same year. This led to more arguments over her lands.
About two years later, Justina married for the fourth time. Her last husband was John Erdélyi of Somkerék. He outlived Justina. Justina Szilágyi died sometime after June 1497.
Images for kids
-
Szilágyi coat of arms
See also
In Spanish: Justina Szilágyi para niños
