Sigismund I the Old

King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania

Source-basedStable

Lived 1467–1548, aged 81

PoliticiansHistorical Figure

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Era
1467–1548
Aged 81

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People connected to Sigismund I the Old

SpouseBona Sforza

ChildSigismund II Augustus

ChildAnna Jagiellon

ChildCatherine Jagiellon

SiblingVladislaus II of Hungary

SiblingSaint Casimir

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Ruled Poland and Lithuania for over 40 years as a Jagiellonian, racking up duchies across Central Europe before his son inherited the throne. Got "the Old" tacked onto his name posthumously just to avoid confusion.

Biography

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Sigismund I the Old was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. He was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the son of Casimir IV and younger brother of Kings John I Albert and Alexander Jagiellon. He was nicknamed "the Old" in later historiography to distinguish him from his son and successor, Sigismund II Augustus. Before ascending to the Polish and Lithuanian thrones, he was Duke of Głogów from 1499, Duke of Opava from 1501, and governor of Silesia from 1504 on behalf of his brother, King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary.

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