Judith of Habsburg was the youngest daughter of Rudolph I of Germany and his wife Gertrude of Hohenburg.
Background
When Judith was five, she became the object of her father"s political plans. Her father signed the Vienna peace treaty with Premysl Otakar II of Bohemia, and they decided that Judith should marry Wenceslaus, son and heir of Premysl Otakar. Judith"s sisters also married powerful kings and dukes.
Her sister Klementia married Charles Martel of Anjou, son of Charles II of Naples, and her sister Matilda married Louis II, Duke of Bavaria.
Career
The formal marriage (engagement) was in 1279 in Jihlava, the second marriage took place in early 1285 in Cheb, and the bride was given a dowry "from the Duchy of Austria, Moravian border to the border of Danube". The wedding in Cheb was followed by a "festive" wedding night, but soon after, Rudolph took Judith back to Germany, since she was still of a young age. Wenceslaus" coronation had to be canceled because Judith was not present.
Judith helped bring Zavish to trial and he was eventually executed in 1290, five years after the death of Queen Kunigunda.
She also brought German influences to the Prague court, like the introduction of knights at court. She made Prague a cultural centre
They were crowned King and Queen of Bohemia in 1297.
She died weeks later. According to the family chronicles, Judith was described as beautiful, noble and virtuous.
She supported her husband"s claim on Poland.
Judith died 21 May 1297 in Prague, aged only twenty six. She was having constant pregnancies over the twelve years of marriage, almost one child per year. Wenceslaus and Judith had ten children:
Přemysl Otakar ( 6 May 1288 – 19 November 1288).
Wenceslaus III ( 6 October 1289 – 4 August 1306).
King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and King of Poland. Agnes ( 6 October 1289 - after 1292 before 1306), twin of Wenceslaus, betrothed to Rupert, son of Adolf, King of Germany but died young.
Anna ( 10 October 1290 – 3 September 1313), married in 1306 to Henry of Carinthia. Elisabeth ( 20 January 1292 – 28 September 1330), married in 1310 to John I of Bohemia
Judith ( 3 March 1293 – 3 August 1294).
John ( 26 February 1294 – 1 March 1295).
John ( 21 February 1295 – 6 December 1296). Margareta ( 21 February 1296 – 8 April 1322), married to Bolesław III the Generous, Duke of Wrocław. Judith (born and died 21 May 1297).
Of the ten children only four lived to adulthood.
Membership
Judith was a member of the Habsburg family.