Žofia Bošňáková was born in 1609 in Šurany, Slovakia. She married baron Michal Serényi at age 17 but was widowed after a brief marriage. In 1627 she married Francis Wesselenyi and they had two sons together. Žofia was known for her piety and charity, founding a shelter for the poor with her husband. When she died in 1644, her body was found to be intact when exhumed later, and is now preserved in a glass coffin in Teplička nad Váhom church.

1. LOMT, Slovakia
Authors: Mgr. Fabrová, Mgr. Franková, Ing. Christozová, Mgr.
Sobčáková, Tomáš Ličko, Jozef Drbiak, Maria Chovanová,
Košíková, Genšorová, Vojvodová, Straková

2. (* 2.june 1609 Surany † 28.april 1644 Strecno)
The name of the famous woman has been still alive within
the Slovak nation. Her body that has remained intacted for
ages has attracted many people into the church in Teplička
nad Váhom. She was born as the third of seven children of
Tomáš Bošňák and Mária Kenderessy on
2nd June 1609 in Šurany. Žofia
Bošňáková was characterized by
modesty, kindness, a sense of justice
and pure character traits.

3. Life of Zofia Bosniaková
Žofia was said to be a very beautiful girl. She had many
importunate admirers, and – however - tactful Žofia didn´t
want to insult anybody , she refused all the admirers. At
Christmas of 1652 Michal Serényi with his father came to
Šurany. When she was 17, Žofia married the baron Michal
Serényi. The family Serényi came from Transylvania and had
several possessions in Moravia as well. Therefore, Žofia went
to the castle Light in Bojkovice soon after the wedding.
However, her marriage was very brief because Michael
Serényi suddenly became ill in the spring of 1626.

4.  Her father Tomáš Bosniak did not wait until his
daughter grieved to death and took her from Morava
back to Šurany. However Žofia relieved it was not for
a long time. After some time her mother died. After
her death Žofia retreated within herself, didn´t talk to
anybody and didn ´t come out of her home.

5. In the spring of 1627 the Turks attacked Šuriansky castle to conquer it. It
seemed to be conquered when suddenly Wesselenyi´s army came to
help and defeated the Turkish army. Thanks to that heroic deed Francis
Wesselenyi gained Tomáš and Žofia´s favour.
She was 20 when Francis Wesselenyi proposed to her. Her new home
became Teplička nad Váhom, for which she left in1630. Her two sons
were born in the mansion of Teplička, Adam (1630) and Ladislav
(1633).
Together with her husband Francis Wesselenyi she founded and
maintained a xenodochium (shelter) for the poor. Žofia Bošňáková and
Francis Wesselenyi established also a foundation in the amount of
1000 gold coins. The money was lent out and the interest flowed to the
benefit of the shelter. The Wesselenyis were patrons to and generously
cared about the needs of parishes and churches on the estate.

6. Tomáš Bosniak died on 19th December 1634. His body was
put in an iron and copper coffin and kept in a pit with ice
and covered with straw. After the funeral there began the
division of his property according to his wishes. His widow
Katarína Bosniaková - his second wife – was given a very
little part of the property. However, the
rest of the great property was divided
among the siblings. Žofia with her
husband Francis Wesselenyi were very
satisfied with the acquired property.
Francis became the main castle captain
in Šurany and in Fiľakovo.

7. On 28th April 1644 Žofia died. Her two sons stayed by her
until the end. Francis blamed himself for her death for
a long time, However, on 6th August 1644, he married
Mária Sečianska.
She was buried at Strečno under the castle chapel. In
1729, her body was found intact and deposited in a glass-
lidded coffin in the church in Teplička, the Loretan Chapel
of Virgin Mary, built for that purpose by Count Löwenburg.

8. Photo of Zofia
Bosniakova
Source:
www.mariakalincova.blog.com

9. Mummy of Zofia
Bosniakova
Source: www.zilina.sme.sk

10. Castle of
Strecno
Source: www.castles.sk

11. Source: www.treking.cz