Prince Maciej Radziwiłł commented on the discovery of royal insignia, including those belonging to the Queen Barbara Radziwiłł. He has also outlined plans to commemorate her legacy and reminded the public of a lesser-known historical fact: Sigismund Augustus was not the only Jagiellonian king to fall in love with and seek to marry a woman from the Radziwiłł family.

What was your reaction to the discovery of the royal insignia of Polish-Lithuanian rulers Alexander Jagiellon, Barbara Radziwiłł and Elizabeth of Austria in Vilnius? 

This is very good news as these are missing elements of a set of treasures discovered earlier. They rather were rediscovered, because a group of people were aware of the treasure but they didn’t want to take it out during the World War II and the soviet time. The items are very important and some of them very beautiful. It's also crucial that these artefacts are connected to individuals significant to the history of Lithuania and Poland.

Photo in the left – prince Maciej Radziwiłł. Source: Official FB page.

Have you noticed any reactions in Poland about this discovery?

We had a lot of holidays last two weeks, and the media didn't cover this event properly. I've already noticed the reaction of Polish top managers of Polish museums, including Professor Andrzej Betlej, the director of Wawel Castle, where the majority of our common rulers are buried. He was also very impressed. I think he is already planning to borrow these items to show them in Krakow.

Regalia of three Polish-Lithuanian monarchs discovered in dungeon of Vilnius Cathedral. Burial crown of Barbara Radziwiłł. Photos by the Archdiocese of Vilnius / Aistė Karpytė. 

The legend of Barbara Radziwiłł has been immortal for almost 500 years. In Lithuania, she is still remembered with admiration – musicals, performances, exhibitions, films, books about the Queen from Radziwiłł family are very popular. Is she also so actively remembered in contemporary Poland? 

Of course, she is remembered, but her image in Lithuania and Poland differs significantly. A few years ago, when we celebrated the 500th anniversary of Barbara Radziwiłł in the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuanian in Vilnius, I had the privilege of placing flowers on her coffin, listening to the choir sing, praying at her sarcophagus and giving a short speech to an audience of about 500 people, mostly women. That would never happen in Poland, at least among the general public, outside of academic circles of professional historians.

I think Poland is influenced by some films and books, where Queen Bona Sforza is often described positively, while Queen Barbara Radziwiłł is not presented in as favorable light.

Moreover, we don’t know a lot about the personality of Barbara. Throughout history women have often been neglected, particularly in historical chronicles, perhaps because the majority of historians in the past were men. This resulted in women's roles, even significant ones, being downplayed or overlooked. This makes finding extensive historical records about Barbara as an individual more challenging.

Additionally, her young age at the time of her death further restricts information – nobody writes biographies about people who died around 30. However, the enduring power of love story of Barbara and Sigismund Augustus transcends these limitations, making their story a timeless and beautiful one, because of the universal desire to love and be loved.

Why do you think Lithuanians admire Queen Barbara so much?  

In Lithuania, Barbara Radziwiłł holds a unique place as the most significant queen to be buried within the country. This reverence is further enhanced by the Radziwiłł family's dedication to Lithuania for many generations. Also the family played a crucial role during the 16th and 17th centuries in preserving the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as a separate state within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This historical connection undoubtedly contributes significantly to the Lithuanian appreciation for Barbara Radziwiłł.

I’m always impressed to see how deeply she is remembered, not just by historians, but by the Lithuanian people, and now we have more souvenirs, related to her. The discovered crown was not the main crown of Barbara, but the one with which she was buried. Alongside it, rings and other jewelry were also found. However, it remains uncertain whether these items belonged specifically to Barbara Radziwiłł or to Elizabeth of Austria, Sigismund Augustus's first wife, as both queens are interred in the crypt. I don’t know on what basis the historians have determined what belongs to whom, because both queens lived in the same period. Let’s wait for some expert to determine it.

Barbara Radziwiłł in coronation robes and pearls that became her signature jewelry. 18th-century copy of an original 16th-century portrait.

What is your personal view about the love story of Barbara Radziwiłł and Sigismund Augustus, because it’s a quite controversial topic in Polish and Lithuanian history?

Historical figures like Mikołaj Radziwiłł "the Black" and Mikołaj Radziwiłł "the Red" are sometimes portrayed as cunning individuals who exploited the king's love for their sister and cousin Barbara. However, the historical reality is obviously different.

While rulers throughout history have undoubtedly fallen in love with beautiful women, Sigismund Augustus demonstrated an exceptional level of devotion to Barbara Radziwiłł. He vigorously pursued their marriage, overcoming significant opposition to crown her Queen. Moreover, during her illness, he was by her side. For me the most compelling evidence of the profound relations between Barbara Radziwiłł and King Sigismund Augustus lies in his actions after her death.

He accompanied her coffin on foot from Kraków to Vilnius, a distance of almost 800 kilometres. It's difficult to imagine a man who had merely a love affair undertaking such a demanding journey. This act, fulfilling the Queen's last wish to be buried in Lithuania, in Vilnius, serves as the best powerful to the depth of his love for her. I think the King had never recovered from the trauma of the death of his beloved wife. This is a crucial message, considering the limited historical information available about Barbara Radziwiłł.

 Sigismund II Augustus and Barbara Radziwiłł in Vilnius by Jan Matejko.   

What were the connections between the Radziwiłł family and the Jagiellonians before Barbara became queen?

Some in Lithuania and Poland believe that the Radziwiłł family gained their power solely through the relationship bet ween Sigismund Augustus and Barbara. However, this is inaccurate. The Radziwiłł family was already a powerful force in the region. They were the first family from Poland and Lithuania to be granted the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in the early 16th century.

The parents of Mikołaj "the Black", Barbara Radziwiłł and her brother Mikołaj "the Red", were top figures of the highest elite of Lithuanian and Polish nobility. It's important to remember that this was not a situation where the king fell in love with an ordinary noblewoman. The Radziwiłł family was already immensely powerful, holding significant influence within the political landscape, so Sigismund Augustus, Barbara, her brother and cousin all were acquainted from a young age.

The first husband of Barbara, Stanisław Gasztold, also was one of the greatest magnates of that time in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. So she belonged to the highest elite of society. Therefore, the portrayal of Barbara as a humble girl who unexpectedly captured the king's heart is inaccurate. She was a member of the elite. Of course, in that era, it was less common for a ruler to marry noble women. Royal marriages typically involved unions with other royal families.

Moreover, Sigismund Augustus was not the only Jagiellonian king to fall in love with a member of the Radziwiłł family, but it’s not a very well known story.

Please remind us this story too. 

The king Sigismund the Old was in love with Duchess Anna of Mazovia, who comes from the Radziwiłł family. She was the closest aunt of Barbara. Initially married to a Duke of Mazovia (a separate state at the time), Duchess Anna became widowed. Subsequently, Sigismund the Old, the youngest brother of the deceased king, ascended the throne. He had initially been intended to marry Duchess Anna, a figure of significant importance in the history of Warsaw. They fell in love, and Sigismund the Old was considering marrying her. However, under pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor, the king married Queen Bona Sforza instead. The Emperor, a powerful figure, sought to leverage this marriage to gain support for his political ambitions in Italy.

So Sigismund Augustus and Barbara Radziwiłł were not the first instance of a romantic connection between the two families. This fact should also be remembered, as the Radziwiłł and Jagiellonian families had already established close ties.

Death of Barbara Radziwiłł by Józef Simmler.

Barbara Radziwiłł by marrying King Sigismund Augustus connected the Radziwiłł family with the royal Jagiellonian dynasty. Thus, Barbara, together with her mother-in-law Bona Sforza, her husband's sisters, Queen Catherine of Sweden, Queen Ann of Poland, Queen Isabella of Hungary, belong to the circle of queens of the so-called Golden Age of Poland and Lithuania. How widely are the fates of all these queens interesting and known to contemporary Polish society?

The 16th century marked the peak of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's power, preceding the devastating Cossack Wars of the mid 17th century and the conflicts with Sweden and Muscovy that followed. I think in Poland’s historical memory all these queens are not much known except for queen Bona.  

I believe Polish historiography is often focused on the decline and eventual collapse of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century. As a result, some may view rulers who did not actively contribute to the centralization of power as negative figures. This is a simplified perspective, but many people believe that, nevertheless today we live in a world that often favours decentralization.

However, Queen Bona Sforza is remembered as a figure who strongly advocated for the centralization of power and the strengthening of the king's authority within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This emphasis on centralized power likely contributes significantly to her prominent place in historical memory.

Speaking of the connections between history and the present, are you planning any new initiatives concerning the Radziwiłł family in this area?

Recently, I sponsored the reconstruction of one of Barbara Radziwiłł's most beautiful dresses. It's a historically accurate reconstruction, meticulously detailed based on careful study of her portraits and descriptions of dresses’ design and techniques from her era. One dress was recently completed just before Christmas, and I hope to have the opportunity to exhibit it in Vilnius in the future.

A second dress is also being created by the same skilled tailor, with meticulous attention to detail. Not only are the dresses beautiful to look at from the outside, but they also reveal the intricate techniques and craftsmanship employed 500 years ago when you examine the underlying structure and construction.

Actually, the first reconstructed dress was slightly taller than I believe Barbara Radziwiłł would have worn. Historical records suggest she was shorter than 160 cm, while the dress we made was 170 cm. This was partly for some egoistic reasons, as my three daughters, who are all approximately 170 cm tall, served as the models for the dress.

How much does the personality of Barbara Radziwiłł interest your daughters, considering the many famous women within the Radziwiłł family?

My daughters are very young and interest in history usually develops later. However, they are already intrigued by Barbara Radziwiłł, primarily due to the tragic yet beautiful love story we talked before. All my children have knowledge about the Radziwiłł family, but understanding the full scope of their history can be challenging. This family boasts a 600-year lineage, encompassing over 400 individuals on their genealogical tree. Furthermore, our family has connections to other prominent families of the top elite of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. For example, my mother descends from the Czartoryski family, which traces its lineage back to Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania.

In the Radziwiłł family women played an extremely important role. While men were often away from their estates engaged in politics, warfare, and hunting, women assumed crucial responsibilities within the household. They oversaw domestic affairs, raised children, managed the family's finances, and engaged in philanthropic endeavors, such as supporting charities and the arts.

Regalia of three Polish-Lithuanian monarchs discovered in dungeon of Vilnius Cathedral. Photos by the Archdiocese of Vilnius / Aistė Karpytė. 

You are strongly devoted to supporting the legacy and historical memory of the Radziwiłł family in Lithuania and are a patron of many important initiatives in this area. Do you have any plans for projects in Lithuania?

I dream of making another exhibition. My previous exhibition about the Radziwill family took place in Vilnius at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. We gathered approximately 400 items from 40 collections, including 100 items from my own collection, spanning across 7 countries. It was one of the most significant exhibitions to have been held in Vilnius. This exhibition focused on the late 18th century and now I have a plan to showcase the history of the Radziwiłł family during the 19th and 20th centuries, demonstrating their continued legacy.

Also this time I think to gather and show the Radziwiłł family's extensive collection of armour. For example, Niasviž Castle, now located in Belarus, housed an impressive armoury collection. Records from the mid-16th century indicate the presence of over 100 complete suits of armour. This collection continued to grow over time, although it suffered losses due to various looting incidents. Nevertheless, public collections today still hold over 200 individual pieces of armour or armour components that once belonged to the Radziwiłł family.

Together with Mr. Vydas Dolinskas, the director of Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, we have a plan to gather these armours. This will be a significant undertaking, as components of the armour belonging are dispersed across various locations. For example, parts of the armour are located in France, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and other museums in the United States, Poland, Rome, and Vienna, Austria. I possess three pieces of armor from the family's original collection. My dream is to see these, alongside much other valuable and decorative armor, reunited in an exhibition. Vilnius would be the ideal location for such a display.

Also I often visit Lithuania and participate in the reconstruction project of Dubingiai Castle. A foundation has been established to focus on the rebuilding of the castle on this island.

Thank you for conversation.

Interviewed by Ilona Skujaitė