In the Middle Ages there were six Clarist convents in Poland. They were Zawichost-Skała-Kraków, Wrocłlw, Stary Sącz, Gniezno, Strzelin, and Kraków. All of them were founded by dukes and duchesses of the ruling Piast dynasty and generously endowed with land, numerous privileges and immunities. These monastic foundations not only catered for the religious and spiritual needs of their patrons, but also had a unique social function. They offered shelter, care and, what was absolutely unique, education to girls and women. As the numbers of women wishing to join a enclosed community greatly exceeded the number of available places, the individual orders tended to admit first of all novices from the families of royals, nobles, or the wealthy. The Order of St Clare's had a special relationship with the Piast dynasty. An estimated 39 female members of the dynasty chose the Clarist-Franciscan model of monastic life. The Wroclaw abbey attracted the greatest number of duchesses — a total of seventeen. Whereas Strzelin attracted seven, Kraków and Stary Sącz four, and Gniezno three, none of the Piast women joined the Głogów abbey. Four (or five) female offspring of the dynasty joined Clarist convents abroad. Special mention must be made here of the convent in Old Buda, a Piast foundation (Elżbieta Łokietkówna), which was popular with the Silesian Piasts. Of the Polish Poor Clares with the Piast background eighteen became abbesses, they usually held that office for life. Three duchesses who founded Clarist convents in Poland were beatified or canonized. They were Bl. Jolenta, St Kunegunda, and Bl. Salomea.