About Jarosław

Important figures: Anna Ostrogska

Wife of the voivode (province head) of Wołyń, Duchess, Lady in Jarosław to whom the town owes its bloom. She lived in the years 1575-1635. She was born in Jarosław, as the first-born daughter of Zofia of Sprowa and voivode Jan Kostka.

She was married to Duke Aleksander Ostrogski whose wife Anna became as the result of the urgings of relatives in 1594. In 1603, she became a widow and never decided to remarriage. She gave birth to seven children, of which two died in infancy. She was very pious, after the death of her husband she dedicated herself to raising children, foundation activity and charity. She financed hospitals for the poor, churches, assisted schools and those in need. During her reign, Jarosław education flourished. She brought the Benedictine Sisters to the town by donating them a church and monastery on St Nicholaus Hill. In 1610 she became the only owner of Jarosław (after redemption of the part of the town belonging to her sister Katarzyna).

She was the longest ruling person from the town owners. She set forth the highest number of decrees, rights and privileges for the townspeople. Thanks to the privileges she granted, Jarosław was quickly rebuilt after the fires in 1600 and 1625. She was dedicated to the town issues, even to those minor ones. She issued castle decrees, laws, regulations and provisions which concern various fields of town life. During her reign, she did not impose any new tribute to the castle on burghers. The town was ruled wisely and discreetly, but she was able to firmly assert her will.

She was engaged in the appearance and aesthetics of the town. According to her recommendations Wilhelm Orsetti had to expand his tenement building in such a way so that it would serve as a ‘decoration of the town and to its benefit’.

She was concerned about the town defensive capability. The town fortification was reinforced and extended to the suburbs on her recommendation.

In 1633, she funded a bronze statue of St Michael (the then patron of the town) which she ordered to set on the tower of the parish church of All Saints.

She granted the courts full freedom of action. She did not interfere in sentencing
and meting out penalties.

She paid particular attention to the matters related to trade in the town, was engaged in fairs that brought significant financial benefits to the castle and residents.

She was concerned about the poor and the needy whom she assisted. The people of that time stated that beggars always approached the carriage of the Duchess, they were sitting on town gates; rarely they went without the support of her. Along with her sons, she sometimes served the poor in Jarosław Holy Spirit Hospital .

She was an ardent Catholic who, under the spirit of the age, did not tolerate gentiles. She ordered the residents of Jarosław not to take any gentile to the town community, even if this would be the best craftsman or merchant. She opposed Jewish settlement in the town.

She died after a sudden three-day disease in her castle in 1635.
Her body was buried in the Jesuit church. Her heart and entrails were put into a tin coffin and placed in the basement of the Church of the Benedictine Sisters.

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