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| Portrait of Princess Aniela Czartoryski nee Radziwill by Elisabeth Vigee Lebrun |
Princess Aniela Radziwill was born on 3 October 1781 in Vienna, the eldest daughter of prominent Polish-Lithuanian nobleman Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł and Helena Przeździecka. She was also the younger sister of Prince Anton Radziwill, husband of Princess Louise of Prussia.
Princess Aniela was one of the leading beauties of her time. By the time she was 16, she was starting to make a charming impression on every young man who made her acquaintance. Aniela's sister-in-law, Princess Louise of Prussia, the wife of her brother Anton, wrote about Aniela in her memoirs: "My sister-in-law had grown much prettier... Her noble features, her beautiful touching face won her a great deal of admiration." She had many admirers, one of them was the Comte Clary. There were talks of marriage between the two, but Aniela's family had to give up the idea when they learned that she and Prince Constantine Czartoryski, a Polish nobleman, had fallen in love with each other.
It was said that he had eyes for no one but Aniela, and he was very keen in marrying her. But the marriage did not take place immediately. Prince Constantin's mother was not enthusiastic about the match because of some old resentment between her and Aniela's mother. But Princess Czartoryski had a change of heart after she met Aniela.
Constantin and Aniela were married in 1802 in Nieborow, and soon after the wedding, the portrait painter Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun was tasked to paint a portrait of Aniela. "Her beauty matched the portrait they had drawn of her," wrote Princess Louise, "but the gentle and engaging expression of her features, the rather melancholy look in her eyes, the expressive tones of her voice - especially when she sang - everything threw a charm over her face such as I have never known in anyone else." Constantin and Aniela settled in Pulawy where they enjoyed a happy married life.
Aniela had always had a delicate health, and she became constantly ill the years after her marriage. Unfortunately, only six years after her wedding, she succumbed to an illness and died, leaving her husband with two small children, Eudoxia and Adam.
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Princess Aniela Czartoryska (Radziwiłł) and Prince Constantine Czartoryski had one son named Adam (24 June 1804- 19 December 1880) married first to Princess Augusta Radziwiłlł and second to Elżbieta Dzialynska. Wikipedia stated they had another child named Eudoxie, but I cannot find her name in any genealogical site.
Thank you very much for that information Henrieta! On some genealogical sites, there seems to be no information about her and Prince Czartoryski having children. But upon checking Wikipedia, it appears that she had two children by him. I've been trying to look for more information about Aniela like her personality but couldn't find anything other than basic info.
Before marrying Constantine, 17 years old Aniela met (in Lower Silesia), fell in love, and almost married Prince Leopold Henry Clary et Aldringen. Aniela was charming to his father, but her father was not charmed by this match and he invented all kind of problems for this engagement. Finally, the groom family broke it off.
Aniela was heartbroken and her mother brought her to aristocratic houses, where Aniela met and was matched with Constantine.
Constantine was in love with Aniela and they were married on July 16, 1802. The marriage happened under unusual circumstances (the sun was shining and it was cloudless when they came, during the wedding a violent storm broke out, and as the couple and guests left a rainbow appeared). It was a popular marriage and celebration lasted around a week. They settled in Miedzyrzecz.
After the birth of Eudoxia (who died soon after the birth), Aniela began to get sick. On June 24, their son was born but Aniela was getting weaker and developed tuberculosis. A travel to south of France did not help her health. She died on September 16, 1808 in Vienna. Burried in Nieborowie (Constantine wanted her to be buried in Miedzyrzecz). He was distraught, but remarried to Maria Dzierżanowska.
What valuable information you've kindly provided, Henrieta! Thank you so much. Princess Aniela was such a charming girl, and yes, judging from the Vigee Le Brun portrait, she was a fragile beauty. It's nice to know that Prince Constantine loved her and was heartbroken when she died. By the way, I read from the memoirs of a Russian lady-in-waiting that Prince Constantine was once infatuated with Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia. And his brother Prince Adam was in love with Anna's sister-in-law, the future Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna!
Hello, I simply wanted to take time to make a comment and say I have really enjoyed reading your site.
Descendants of Prins Konstanty Adam Czartoryski, Brigadier General since 1815 in Congress Poland
I prins Konstanty Adam Czartoryski, Brigadier General since 1815 in Congress Poland was born on Sunday 28 December 1777 in Warsaw,Voivodeship Masovian, Poland, son of Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski and Princess Izabela Dorota von Fleming. prins died on Tuesday 24 April 1866 in Vienna, Austria, aged 88.
(1) At the age of 22 or 23, prins married Aniela Radziwill, aged 19 or 20, in 1802 in Nieborow, Lowicz County, Lódz Voivodeship, Poland. Aniela was born on Wednesday 3 October 1781 in Vienna, Austria, daughter of Michal Hieronim Radziwill and Helena Przezdziecka. Aniela died in 1808, aged 25 or 26.
(2) At the age of 32, prins married Maria Dzierzanowska, aged 19 or 20, on Tuesday 20 March 1810 in Wieden, Austria. Maria was born in 1790. Maria died on Monday 28 November 1842 in Wieden, Austria, aged 51 or 52.
Children of prins and Aniela:
1 Eudoxie Czartoryska.
2 Adam Konstanty Czartoryski, born on Sunday 24 June 1804 in Warsaw,Voivodeship Masovian, Poland. Follow II.
Children of prins and Maria:
3 Aleksander Roman Czartoryski, born on Thursday 7 February 1811 in Poland. Aleksander died on Monday 9 July 1888, aged 77.
4 Maria Zuzanna Czartoryska, born on Monday 11 August 1817 in Poland. Maria died in 1888, aged 69 or 70.
5 Konstanty Maria Czartoryski, born on Tuesday 9 April 1822 in Poland. Konstanty died on Sunday 31 October 891, aged 930.
6 Jerzy Konstanty Czartoryski, born on Thursday 24 April 1828 in Poland. Jerzy died on Monday 23 December 1912, aged 84.
II Adam Konstanty Czartoryski was born on Sunday 24 June 1804 in Warsaw,Voivodeship Masovian, Poland, son of prins Konstanty Adam Czartoryski, Brigadier General since 1815 in Congress Poland (see I) and Aniela Radziwill. Adam died on Sunday 19 December 1880 in Rokosowo, Gostyn County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, aged 76.
(1) Adam married Princess Augusta Radziwill.
(2) Adam married Elzbieta Dzialynska.
Thank you for the information Yvonna!
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