# Sigismund I the Old

_King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/sigismund-i-the-old
Last updated: 2026-11-08

> 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.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1 January 1467 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Kozienice ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P19))
- **Died:** 1 April 1548 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P570))
- **Place of death:** Kraków ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Kingdom of Poland ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P27))
- **Occupation:** monarch ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P106))
- **Spouse:** Barbara Zápolya; Bona Sforza ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P26))
- **Positions held:** King of Poland (24 January 1507 – 1 April 1548); Oberlandeshauptmann of Silesia (1504–1507) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P39))
- **Awards:** Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece; Praise to King Sigismund ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056#P166))

## Questions

**When was Sigismund I the Old born?**  
Sigismund I the Old was born on 1 January 1467 in Kozienice.

**What positions has Sigismund I the Old held?**  
Positions held by Sigismund I the Old include: King of Poland (1507–1548); Oberlandeshauptmann of Silesia (1504–1507).

## Related

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- [Mieszko II Lambert](https://diginpl.com/people/mieszko-ii-lambert)
- [Sigismund III Vasa](https://diginpl.com/people/sigismund-iii-vasa)
- [Augustus II the Strong](https://diginpl.com/people/augustus-ii-the-strong)
- [Augustus III of Poland](https://diginpl.com/people/augustus-iii-of-poland)
- [Bolesław I the Brave](https://diginpl.com/people/bolesaw-i-the-brave)
- [Karl Eusebius, Prince of Liechtenstein](https://diginpl.com/people/karl-eusebius-prince-of-liechtenstein)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Sigismund I the Old](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismund_I_the_Old) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q54056](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54056) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Kulmbach Sigismund I the Old.jpg by Hans von Kulmbach (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kulmbach_Sigismund_I_the_Old.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Sigismund I the Old, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Kulmbach Sigismund I the Old.jpg — Hans von Kulmbach, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Sigismund I the Old". DigiNepal. Last updated 8 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/sigismund-i-the-old. Retrieved 8 November 2026.