The early years of the marriage between Leszek the Black and Gryfina were far from easy. Although the union was expected to bring political benefits to both parties, it soon became clear that the young duchess’s ambitions extended far beyond running a modest court in Sieradz. Raised among the Hungarian and Czech aristocracy, Gryfina had no intention of playing a secondary role. Her strong temperament, high self-esteem, and excellent family connections quickly made her a figure as colourful as she was controversial.
The Marriage of Leszek and Gryfina
The marriage between Leszek the Black and Gryfina was one of those 13th-century dynastic unions that went well beyond the personal sphere. At the time of their wedding(1265), Leszek was already an adult, though still an inexperienced politician in need of both military alliances and prestige. Gryfina, descended from the powerful and far-reaching Árpád dynasty and connected to the Přemyslid rulers of Bohemia, offered him both. She was the daughter of Rostislav Mikhailovich, former prince of Halych and Ban of Slavonia, and the Hungarian princess Anna – making her a close relative of both the Hungarian and Czech kings.
This marriage marked a significant political elevation for Leszek. As Professor Roman Grodecki noted, Gryfina brought to the union not only noble lineage but also a network of political ties that Leszek would draw upon repeatedly. Historian Błażej Śliwiński adds that it was through this connection that Leszek was able to participate as an equal at the 1266 assembly of monarchs in Buda, sitting alongside the kings of Hungary and Bohemia – an unprecedented event in the history of Piast duchies.
There are no surviving records describing the wedding ceremony itself, which comes as no surprise – as medieval ceremony specialist Kazimierz Jasiński points out, Piast princely weddings were rarely documented in detail. What is known, however, is that shortly after the wedding, the couple settled in Sieradz, where Gryfina began to play an increasingly visible role at court.
A Woman of Character
Following their marriage, the ducal couple took up residence in Sieradz, where Leszek the Black established a court for his wife. He placed the court under the direction of the trusted knight Mścigniew, a member of the influential Awdaniec family.
Gryfina’s immediate entourage included numerous officials, the wives and daughters of local nobles, and members of the clergy. Later, when she moved to Cracow, she was accompanied by seven chaplains – a clear sign of her personal devotion and attention to religious matters. Her aunts Jolenta, Kinga, and Margaret had also shown similar religious dedication.
But Gryfina was not a typical duchess of her time. Unlike the humble, ascetic figures of other Piast princesses of the 13th century – such as Kinga or Jadwiga – Gryfina sought to enjoy life and openly expressed her desires. She was fiercely ambitious and viewed her time in Sieradz merely as a stepping stone, fully expecting that she would eventually rise to become the foremost duchess of the Piast realm in Cracow.
It remains unclear whether Gryfina was granted any formal holdings in the Duchy of Sieradz. However, a later charter issued by Leszek the Black for the Dominican friars of Sandomierz suggests that Gryfina enjoyed spending time near Sandomierz, due to favourable weather conditions along the Vistula River. Some historians interpret this as evidence that she held a landed endowment in that region.
Gryfina in Hungary
Gryfina is believed to have spent most of her time alone in Sieradz, surrounded by her court, while her husband travelled throughout the duchy on official matters. Leszek also regularly went on long and exhausting hunts. His favourite destination was the castellany of Wolbórz, where he met frequently with Bishop Wolimir – also a hunting enthusiast – for extended deliberations.
In 1266, Gryfina accompanied Leszek on a journey to Hungary – likely her first trip abroad since settling in Sieradz. The couple took part in an important political gathering on the Island of the Holy Virgin on the Danube, near Buda, aimed at resolving the civil war between Béla IV and Stephen V of Hungary. Also in attendance were the contending Hungarian kings, Anna of the Árpád dynasty, Ottokar II of Bohemia, and the Piast princes Bolesław the Chaste and Bolesław the Pious with their wives.
During the deliberations, all of Béla IV’s daughters – and likely Gryfina as well – supported Béla’s claim, which may have pressured the less politically fortified Stephen into concessions. Leszek the Black’s participation in the assembly was a great distinction: the duke of Sieradz was seated at the same table as the kings of Hungary and Bohemia and engaged in discussions of vital regional importance. He owed this not only to his adoption by Duke Bolesław of Cracow but also to his marriage with Gryfina, a close relative of both the Árpád and Přemyslid dynasties.
The Duchess’s Ambitions
Two years later, in 1268, Gryfina and her husband turned their attention to events unfolding in Kuyavia, where Leszek’s father, Casimir, had died after a long illness, transferring control of the territory to his younger son, Siemomysł. Although Leszek could have formally laid claim to his father’s legacy, he ultimately chose not to. The reasons for his restraint remain unknown.
Gryfina’s opinion on the matter is likewise unclear. Her ambition may well have inclined her toward advocating for a conflict, seeing it as an opportunity to expand the couple’s holdings. Yet Leszek may have ignored her counsel, having learned from past involvement in such disputes that internal conflicts could prove disastrous for both victors and losers.
Leszek the Black also refrained from intervening in the clashes that broke out between Siemomysł and the powerful Kuyavian noble families – the Łabędz, Pomian, Doliwa, and Leszczyc clans – who opposed the new duke’s reliance on foreign (mainly German) knights. Eventually, Bolesław the Pious entered the fray, seizing Bydgoszcz and Kruszwica and brokering a settlement between the warring sides.
It appears that had Leszek chosen to go to war against Siemomysł, he would not have been at a disadvantage. He could count on the support of the dukes of Lesser Poland and Greater Poland, as well as local knights. He would almost certainly have had Gryfina’s backing as well, given that her aspirations reached far beyond the provincial confines of Sieradz.
The Following Years of Marriage
As one of the most prominent Piast duchesses, Gryfina was invited, along with Leszek, to Cracow in 1270 by Bolesław the Chaste for a state visit from King Stephen V of Hungary. Stephen’s arrival in Lesser Poland was not motivated solely by familial ties. Following the example of his recently deceased father, Béla IV, the king sought reliable allies against his adversary, Ottokar II of Bohemia. He was not disappointed – both Bolesław and Leszek pledged military support to counter the pro-Ottokar Silesian Piasts.
King Stephen was welcomed in Cracow with great ceremony. He and his guests took part in daily tournaments and banquets. At the conclusion of the events, the winners were personally presented with rich prizes by the duchesses Kinga and Gryfina. Leszek the Black himself competed several times, showcasing his strength and skill – traits not common among Piast rulers of the time, and ones that surely filled his wife with pride.
The Cracow alliance was implemented in mid-1271, when Bolesław the Chaste and Leszek the Black dispatched their troops into Silesia. The invading forces ravaged the eastern regions of the Duchy of Wrocław in what was essentially a raiding expedition. The campaign achieved its goal: Ottokar II, now threatened on multiple fronts, agreed to peace talks and signed a treaty with Stephen V.
Surprisingly, later that same year, 1271, saw a sudden shift in alliances. Leszek the Black abandoned his pact with Stephen V and joined forces with Ottokar II. The Czech king confirmed the new alliance in a document issued on July 3, 1271, naming Leszek among his allies. Siemomysł, Leszek’s brother, also aligned with the Přemyslid king after being expelled from his territory by Bolesław the Pious. This reversal led him to seek support among Bolesław’s enemies – and thus into Ottokar’s camp. Historians believe Leszek and Siemomysł traveled to Prague to negotiate the alliance, where they were likely warmly received by Duchess Anna, Ottokar’s mother-in-law – and Leszek’s as well.
Bibliography:
-Barański M.K., Dynastia Piastów w Polsce, Warszawa 2005.
-Chmielowska A., Kamińska J., Łaszczewska T., Z dziejów średniowiecznego Sieradza, Wrocław 1964.
-Jaros Ł., Działalność militarna księcia krakowskiego, sandomierskiego i sieradzkiego w latach 1279–1288, „Z Dziejów Regionu i Miasta” 2014, R. 5.
Teterycz-Puzio A., Na rozstajnych drogach. Mazowsze a Małopolska w latach 1138–1313, Słupsk 2012.
-Włodarski B., Polska i Ruś 1194–1340, Warszawa 1966.
-Żmudzki P., Studium podzielonego królestwa – książę Leszek Czarny, Warszawa 2000.
Margot Cleverly
Margot's journey into women's history began with a box of forgotten letters in a Cambridge archive – suffragettes whose voices had been silenced for over a century. Since then, she's been on a mission to uncover the stories history overlooked.
What she writes about: Queens who ruled from the shadows. Scientists whose male colleagues took credit. Revolutionaries who risked everything. But also ordinary women – those who survived wars, raised families through upheaval, and shaped their communities in ways no one bothered to record.
Margot turns historical figures into real people. She writes with warmth and detail, making centuries-old stories feel surprisingly relevant. Rigorous research meets accessible storytelling – no dusty academic jargon, just compelling narratives backed by solid facts.
When she's not writing, you'll find her in regional archives, collecting oral histories, or visiting sites connected to the women she writes about.