Another suitor…
Year 1657 was not good for Sobieski in terms of matters of the heart, but quite decent in the area of military successes. Miss d’Arquien was officially adored by Jan Zamoyski, who at the moment enjoyed more respect and privileges than Sobieski. It was not without significance that Zamoyski was always faithful to the King and Sobieski was not. The Queen also favored Zamoyski. Until the battle of Zamosc, he did not mean much in the political life of
Ordinate Zamoyski held in his hand 142 villages and 9 towns. The city of
If the Queen wanted him to share his life with Marysienka, she probably focused on his political and economic power and his proven loyalty to the Kingdom. She clearly ignored Zamoyski’s lifestyle. In the letter the Queen wrote to her friend Mrs. Choisy, she mentioned that Zamoyski promised Marysienka a wedding gift of one million golden coins of local currency. With every year of their marriage he was to add several thousand. And if she loved him dearly, more benefits were to be bestowed upon her.
The time of Zamoyski’s courtship ran parallel with his most significant military successes. Because of this, Maria Luisa was more than enthusiastic to prepare the wedding for her favorite maiden of the court. No one asked the sixteen-year old bride-to-be if she wanted Zamoyski. What the Queen wanted was far more important. And the Queen wanted Zamoyski to be the next King of Poland.
The wedding celebration
The wedding took place in the spring of 1658. Shortly before her big day, Maria Kazimiera d’Arquien had a horrible toothache, which she described in detail to her admirer. Zamoyski had to liquidate his harem. The girls received some money from him and returned to their parents.
On March 2, 1658, the marriage contract was signed. Miss d’Arquien agreed to be the wife of ordinate Zamoyski, although her heart belonged to Sobieski. The groom gave a huge, expensive ring to the bride. The next day the couple got engaged. This ceremony was followed by the reception. Later, the bride-to-be took a bath in perfumed water assisted by her girlfriends. Then she was led to the chamber of the groom-to-be to accept his gifts. A beautiful dress, generously embroidered with pearls, was among them.
The wedding was well – attended. The royal couple and a large number of senators were present. The Primate of Poland, Andrzej Leszczysnki, gave the newlyweds his blessing. In the evening, the ball for the newlyweds was held by the King. After the ball, the bride and the groom spend the night separately as the contemporary custom had it. The next day, the bride spent four hours receiving gifts and listening to speeches written for the occasion. Finally, she was taken to her husband. Zamoyski welcomed Marysienka with an exquisite dinner followed by another ball. During the few days of wedding festivities, 300 barrels of Hungarian wine were consumed.
After the wedding, the newlyweds spent a few weeks in