“My father is a king from the noble Jagiellonian dynasty, which ruled half of Europe. My mother is a relative of the ruling family of the Duchy of Milan, fighting for Poland and Lithuania like a lioness. I must be an obedient daughter and a dutiful princess.” With these words, writer Ilona Skujaitė, author of the bestseller “The Bride of War,” introduces the youngest daughter of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund the Old and Queen Bona Sforza, as well as the sister of Sigismund Augustus. Reading this novel with a pencil in hand and marking all the castles mentioned in its pages reveals an extensive travel route across Poland, Lithuania, Finland, and Sweden. Most of the pearls in Catherine’s chain of fate are scattered across Sweden. How can they be discovered, and what do they reveal about the heritage of the Lithuanian and Polish princess who became Queen of Sweden? Writer I. Skujaitė shares her insights.
The traces of Catherine Jagiellon in Sweden, discussed in this interview by Gerda Butkuvienė and Ilona Skujaitė, remind us that the marks of Lithuanian history around the world extend far beyond what we know today.
Photo by Gerda Butkuvienė.
Heritage Commission is an expert and advisor to the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, President of the Republic of Lithuania and to Government of the Republic of Lithuania regarding the national policy of cultural heritage protection, its implementation, evaluation and improvement.
The article prepared by Gerda Butkuvienė is part of the project “Map of Cultural Heritage Significant to Lithuania in the Kingdom of Sweden” implemented by the National Commission for Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Lithuania. The project was partially funded by the Cultural Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture.