Agafia of Rus

Agafia Svyatoslavna of Rus (between 1190 and 1195 – after 2 June 1248) was Princess of Masovia by her marriage to Duke Konrad I. She was a member of the Olgovichi clan. Life Agafia was the daughter of Svyatoslav III Igorevich and his wife Yaroslava Rurikovna, a daughter of prince Rurik Rostislavich of Belgorod. Between 1207 and 1210, Agafia arrived in Poland to marry Konrad I of Masovia. The marriage was for political reasons, as her father had become an ally of Leszek I the White and wanted to improve relations with the Polish nobility. Agafia and Konrad were married for at least thirty years. Agafia was very supportive of bringing about the draft of the Teutonic Order. These efforts were successful and in 1227 the couple were greeted by Herman Balka, who brought the first knights. In 1239 there was a crime that involved Agafia's family. It started when their son Casimir married Constance, daughter of Henry II the Pious. John Heron, who had been good to the family and had educated Agafia and Konrad's sons, had shown disobedience towards Casimir after his marriage to Constance, John probably also disapproved over Konrad's rule in Plock. John was found guilty and put to death. He was tortured and then had a public hanging. Jan Długosz wrote: "And when he died his body was removed from the gallows and several brothers of a Dominican took him away to be buried. Since Agafia was involved in the conviction, she is now considered so blood thirsty, she became known as the second Jezebel. John was not buried, Agafia and Konrad had him hung in the Cathedral of Plock. The couple were also said to be cursed by Archbishop of Gniezno.