Background
Being the eldest daughter of the King of Hungary and Poland who had no sons, Catherine was a much wanted bride.
Being the eldest daughter of the King of Hungary and Poland who had no sons, Catherine was a much wanted bride.
When she was only four years old, she was betrothed to Louis, a younger son of King Charles V of France and future Duke of Orléans. Their marriage was supposed to establish a connection between the two branches of the French royal house. This agreement is known as the Privilege of Koszyce.
Thus, Catherine was expected to reign over Hungary and Poland.
The King of France asked Catherine"s father to have Catherine recognised as heiress to the Holy Crown of Hungary. Although Provence was important to Charles, establishing a cadet branch of the House of Valois on the Hungarian throne was also significant, as Catherine"s prospect of becoming queen of Naples was not realistic.
The agreement between her father and the noblemen became null and void. Catherine"s youngest sister Hedwig eventually became monarch of Poland.
Her other sister Mary, who was betrothed to her fiancé, became heiress presumptive and eventually monarch of Hungary.