Jadwiga

Jadwiga is a feminine given name of Polish origin. It is the Polish form of the Germanic name Hedwig, from elements commonly interpreted as meaning “battle” and “war” or “strife.” The name has a long association with Polish history and Catholic tradition.

The most famous bearer is Jadwiga of Poland (c. 1373–1399), also known in English as Hedwig of Poland. She was the daughter of Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Bosnia and became Queen of Poland through her marriage to Jogaila, who would become King Władysław II Jagiełło. Crowned in Kraków in 1384, she helped promote the Polish–Lithuanian union and supported the Christianization of Lithuania. She was a generous patron of education and religious life, contributing to Kraków’s scholarly and ecclesiastical institutions and underpinning the city’s growing prominence in the region.

Jadwiga died in 1399 at a young age, and her legacy endured in Polish religious and cultural life. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1997 as Saint Jadwiga (Saint Hedwig) of Poland and is regarded as a patron saint of Poland alongside other saints.

Beyond this historical figure, the name Jadwiga remains primarily Polish in use. Variants and cognates appear in other languages as Hedwig, Hedvika, or Jadviga. The name is associated with a tradition of learning, piety, and national identity in Polish history.