Marysieńka is a figure who can be seen in many portraits. She was an exceptional person. She came to Poland at just four years old. While married to voivode Jan Zamoyski, she embarked on a mysterious romance. We present the most interesting facts from the life of Maria Kazimiera.
Marysieńka in Poland
Maria Kazimiera was born on June 28, 1641. She came from a poor family. Her father was a soldier, and her mother worked for the Polish queen, Ludwika Maria Gonzaga. It was she who held her in her arms during baptism. Ludwika and little Maria became very close to each other, so their relationship was extremely lasting and strong. Maria was considered Ludwika’s protégée, which is why she was disliked.
She came to Poland at the age of four – as a member of Queen Ludwika Maria’s retinue. She was raised in Poland for a short time. After two years, she had to return to France. She was regarded as a woman through whom Polish men could ally themselves with the French court.
In accordance with Queen Ludwika’s demands, the woman had to marry Jan Zamoyski. He was loyal to King John II Casimir Vasa during the Swedish Deluge. This union produced four children, who died without reaching adulthood.
It quickly became apparent that the spouses were not getting along. The woman embarked on a romance with Jan Sobieski – who was then the Crown Standard-Bearer. In 1661, they secretly professed their love before God in one of the Carmelite churches located in Warsaw. Their relationship was very passionate; the couple had genuine feelings for each other.
Interestingly, the woman was not yet divorced from her previous husband at that time. In 1665, when Zamoyski died, Jan Sobieski joined the court faction. It was then that the couple had an official wedding in one of Warsaw’s chapels.
Marysieńka as Queen
On February 2, 1676, two years after Jan Sobieski’s coronation, Maria was proclaimed Queen of Poland. After her husband’s death, she wanted to settle in France, but Louis XIV did not allow her to remain in Paris and Versailles.
Maria Kazimiera suffered from ailments related to her teeth. She very often experienced gum and tooth pain, which also caused swelling. It is believed that the woman had teeth extracted when she was plagued by severe pain. It can also be mentioned that her first husband, Jan Zamoyski, infected her with syphilis, which affected the fate of their children who died early.
Unlike Ludwika Maria, who was honored in France with a parking lot bearing her name, Marysieńka was not honored in such a way by her compatriots.
Interesting Facts About Marysieńka
It is known that love letters addressed to Sobieski survived from Marysieńka, the content of which still causes blushes to this day. In these letters, Sobieski and Maria hid under pseudonyms. Sobieski called the woman „Dawn Star, Rose,” while Maria called her lover „Celadon, Autumn.”
The woman had an excellent figure and a beautiful fair complexion with rosy cheeks. Her wasp-shaped waist made many other women envious. Everyone wanted to match her, tightening their corsets to the point of fainting. The woman greatly valued her appearance, and had high demands of artists who were to portray her in paintings regarding the execution of works bearing her image.
Maria was a very sickly person, yet despite this she had a strong constitution. She lived to be seventy-five years old. She probably went through seventeen childbirths. The woman died on January 30, 1716, at the Château de Blois.
