Helena of Moscow

Helena Ivanovna of Moscow (Russian: "Елена Ивановна"; Lithuanian: "Elena"; Polish: "Helena Moskiewska"; 19 May 1476 – 20 January 1513) was a Grand Duchess of Lithuania and titular Queen of Poland as a wife of king of Poland Alexander Jagiellon.

Biography

Helena was the daughter of a Grand Prince of Moscow, Ivan III [ [http://www.poczet.com/aleksander.htm poczet.com] , Aleksander I Jagiellończyk] , and of a niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Paleologue. Helena was a younger sister of Grand Prince of Moscow Vasili III of Russia. [ [http://wiadomosci.polska.pl/kalendarz/kalendarium/article.htm?id=58794 polska.pl] , Bitwa pod Orszą.] In 1495 the marriage between Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Helena was held in the Cathedral of the Theotokos in Vilnius, in the presence of Saint Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow. She didn't converted to Catholicism to become Queen of Poland and remained faithful to her Eastern Orthodox Church believes. That is why she was never crowned.

Helena became pregnant and miscarried at least twice (1497 and 1499). According to the rumor, she was poisoned by Mikołaj Radziwiłł. She was buried in the Cathedral of the Theotokos in Vilnius. [ [http://www.miastaeuropy.pl/europa/zabytki_miast_europy/wilno_miasto_wilno.html miastaeuropy.pl] , Wilno - zabytki Wilna.]

Ancestors

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1= Helena of Moscow
2= Ivan III of Russia
3= Sophia Paleologue
4= Vasily II of Moscow
5= Maria Jaroslavna of Malojaroslavsky
6= Thomas Palaiologos
7= Catherine Zaccaria of Achaea
8= Vasily I of Moscow
9= Sophia of Lithuania
10=Jaroslav of Borovsk, Prince of Malojaroslavsky
11=Marie Feodorovna Koshkina [ [http://www.rootsweb.com/ rootsweb.com] ]
12=Manuel II Palaiologos
13=Helena Dragaš
14=Centurione II Zaccaria
15=Creusa Tocco of Zakynthos

Trivia

Marie Louse Gonzaga de Nevers was the second Polish Queen after Helena whose family tree lead to the Byzantine emperor (Andronikos II Palaiologos).

References

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