The tomb of Anna Jagiellonka in St Vitus Cathedral in Prague – a memorial in white marble

To appreciate the treasures hidden within it – both the literal ones in the cathedral treasury and those stemming from the richness of the cathedral’s architecture and interior design (over 20 chapels, two unusual entrances, a belfry housing a bell with a tone identical to that of Kraków’s ‘Zygmunt’, and a triforium featuring stone portraits of the most important figures from the time of the church’s construction), a visit lasting just a few hours is simply not enough. It is therefore worth dividing the tour into several stages, one of which could be a visit to the choir, the chancel and the Habsburg mausoleum. Apart from its artistic merits, the mausoleum bears witness to the international significance of the Jagiellonian dynasty at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries.

For the sake of historical accuracy, let us add that this is not the only Polish connection in the church. After all, it was here, in 1303, that the wedding took place between Wenceslaus II, King of Bohemia and Poland of the Přemyslid dynasty, and Elizabeth of Ryksa, daughter of the Polish King Przemysł II. The precious artefacts and priceless relics of Saint Adalbert are also, in a sense, a Polish connection, as they were looted in 1039 from Gniezno Cathedral by Prince Brzetysław I.

The marriage of Anna Jagiellon to Ferdinand I – the outcome of the Congress of Vienna (1515)

There have been many disputes in Polish-Czech history, but it is worth looking at the events that unite rather than divide. A wedding provides an excellent opportunity for this, especially if it is accompanied by the motto: ‘Marry off the young, provided it is profitable!’. The historian Paweł Jasienica attributed these words to the Habsburgs, whose motto in matrimonial policy for centuries had been lucrative marriages.

And so, at the memorable Congress of Vienna in July 1515, three rulers met: Władysław II Jagiellon, King of Bohemia and Hungary; his younger brother Sigismund the Old, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania; and Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg. The key outcome of the congress was the consent of the Jagiellonian dynasty – threatened by an alliance between the Empire, the Teutonic Order and the Muscovite state – to a double marriage between the children of Władysław II Jagiellon, Prince Louis, and our heroine, Princess Anna, to Maximilian I’s grandchildren – Maria of Austria and Archduke Ferdinand (later Emperor Ferdinand I).

The situation was complicated in that Anna Jagiellon (let us remember not to confuse her with her namesake and cousin, the wife of Stefan Batory) had originally been betrothed by proxy to Emperor Maximilian, and only later was Ferdinand, the son of the Spanish royal couple Philip the Handsome and Joanna the Mad, chosen as her husband. In return, the Emperor undertook to cease supporting the Teutonic-Muscovite alliance. In the long term, the Treaty of Vienna proved advantageous for the Habsburgs, securing them the Bohemian and Hungarian crowns (following the childless death of Louis Jagiellon, who was killed in the Battle of Mohács against the Turks in 1526).

The second ceremony, during which the young couple were formally introduced to one another and married, took place in May 1521 in Linz. The wedding was officiated by Cardinal Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, and the guests included many crowned heads, aristocrats and bishops. Although the festivities were not as grand as those in Vienna, the accompanying jousting tournament went down in history.

The marriage of Anna Jagiellonka and Ferdinand I – love until death

Princess Anna Jagiellonka was reportedly initially reluctant to marry her future husband, but – as time showed – the choice proved a happy one for her. According to biographers, Ferdinand I was “a handsome young man with thick blond hair, a round face, large eyes, a short, well-shaped nose and expressive lips”. Biographers, on the other hand, when describing Anna, drew attention to her “narrow, delicate face with small, delicate lips, pale-red hair and blue eyes” and highlighted the French origins of her mother, Anne de Foix. We also know that the girl, born in Buda, where Władysław II ruled, learnt Hungarian, Latin and, in time, Czech from a very young age.

After their wedding, the young couple settled in Prague, which was at that time an incredibly dynamic, bustling city. The people came to love their queen, who stood out for her wisdom and modesty. Her husband, too, was devoted to her for life. He not only confided his feelings to her, but also consulted her on matters of state. The couple had fifteen children; however, the last of these births, on 27 January 1547, proved to be the cause of the death of Queen Anne, known as the Czech-Hungarian Queen.

In accordance with the customs of the time, a ruler did not remain a widower for long, and a new wife was found for him as quickly as possible. Ferdinand I, however, remained faithful to his first love until the end. As a sign of his grief, he grew a beard and began to wear black robes, which, according to historians, marked the beginning of black’s popularity as a colour of mourning throughout Bohemia. Finally, he ordered that he be buried beside his beloved so that ‘even in death he might be by her side’. The king’s last wish was fulfilled. Although he died in Vienna, his body was laid to rest in the family tomb at St Vitus Cathedral, the extension of which Anna had also helped to fund. Years later, his eldest son, Maximilian II Habsburg, was symbolically laid to rest alongside his parents.

The Habsburg Mausoleum in Prague – architecture

Rudolf II, son of Maximilian II and grandson of Anna and Ferdinand, was responsible for this spectacular commemoration of his ancestors. During his reign, Prague became the de facto capital of the Habsburg states. Whilst Rudolf II’s politics are highly controversial, there is no doubt that he contributed to the city’s artistic and intellectual flourishing. International artists worked under his patronage, so it is hardly surprising that the family tomb also acquired a new, spectacular setting.

The tomb was probably more modest in design at first, but Rudolf II, known for his grandiosity, commissioned a carved mausoleum from the Flemish artist Alexander Colin. Interestingly, the white marble elements were crafted in Innsbruck and, according to legend, were only then transported by sledge to the new capital. Only the frame, in the form of a wrought-iron lattice with a gilded finish, was crafted by a local craftsman, Georg Schmidthammer.

The structure, known as the Colin Mausoleum, is situated in the centre of the cathedral’s chancel and is a kind of superstructure built over an underground tomb, in which the royal remains from the old crypt were laid to rest. It consists of a catafalque, resembling a large bed for three people with a headboard adorned with coats of arms. Lying upon it, on stone sheets and pillows with tassels, are full-length figures of Maximilian II, Ferdinand I (in the centre) and Anna Jagiellonka.

The monarchs are dressed in ceremonial robes and hold royal apples in their hands. The queen, however, wears only the crown from her regalia, along with an ornate double chain, rings and a belt with a clasp fastening the fabric at the waist. The richly decorated sleeves of the dress are particularly striking.

The royal figures are guarded by seven angels; in the central section, above Ferdinand’s head, there are two sets of angels. On a raised platform, but outside the area depicting the figures of the deceased, stands a small sculpture of the Risen Christ holding a cross in his hand. The sides of the pedestal are adorned with medallions of the Bohemian kings.

Anna Jagiellonka – Mother of the Nation

For a long time, this part of the cathedral was closed to visitors. It was not until the 1970s that the remains were exhumed and the site was opened to the wider public. However, from surviving accounts, we know that the people of Prague in those days held the tomb – and the queen herself – in very high regard, even bestowing upon her the nickname ‘Mother of the Nation’. It is just a pity that Polish literature has devoted so little space to this fascinating woman, the ‘Queen of the Romans, Czechs and Hungarians’. On the other hand, however, we must remember that during her lifetime she was not a frequent visitor to Polish lands, which is why her story still awaits the description it deserves.