Home Page
Comité de Patronage
Commercial Directory - 2024
History of the Old Almanach de Gotha
Gallery - Old Gotha Bookplates
Sovereign Houses - Index
Mediatized Houses - Index
Non-Sovereign Houses - Index
Royal Families of the World - Index
Higher Nobility of Europe - Index
Nobility of the World - Index
Official Royal Websites
Royal Birthday Calendar
Quotations on Monarchy
Diana - Princess of Wales
Catherine - Duchess of Cambridge
HRH Prince George of Cambridge
Dukes of Hohenberg
Association of Arundell Counts
Early Kings of Sweden - Norway - Denmark
Richest Monarchs and Royals
Abbreviations
European Titles and Prefixes
Chivalric Orders of Knighthood
Royal Exhibitions and Events - 2024
Royal Web Links Directory - 2024
Charities Directory - 2024
Jesus Christ
Kingdom of Albania
Principality of Andorra
Duchy of Anhalt - Part I
Duchy of Anhalt - Part II
Empire of Austria-Hungary - Part I
Empire of Austria-Hungary - Part II
Empire of Austria-Hungary - Part III
Empire of Austria-Hungary - Part IV
Grand Duchy of Baden
Kingdom of Bavaria
Kingdom of Belgium
Empire of Brazil
Kingdom of Bohemia
Duchy of Brunswick
Kingdom of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Croatia
Duchy of Courland
Kingdom of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of France
Kingdom of the French
Empire of the French
Kingdom of Finland
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
Kingdom of Georgia
German Empire
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Part I
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Part II
Kingdom of Greece
Kingdom of Hannover
Electorate of Hesse-Kassel
Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel
Landgraviate of Hesse-Philippsthal
Landgraviate of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld
Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine
Landgraviate of Hesse-Homburg
Principality of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg
Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
Kingdom of Hungary
Holy Roman Empire
Holy Vatican State - Part I
Holy Vatican State - Part II
Kingdom of Iceland
Kingdom of Ireland
Kingdom of Italy
Principality of Liechtenstein
Principality of Lippe
Kingdom of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Luxemburg
Order of St John
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchy of Modena
Empire of Mexico
Principality of Monaco
Kingdom of Montenegro
Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of The Netherlands
Kingdom of Norway
Grand Duchy of Oldenburg
Ottoman Empire
Kingdom of Portugal
Duchy of Parma
Kingdom of Prussia
Principality of Reuss - Elder Line
Principality of Reuss - Younger Line
Kingdom of Romania
Empire of Russia - Part I
Empire of Russia - Part II
Kingdom of Sardina
Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg
Duchy of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha - Part I
Duchy of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha - Part II
Kingdom of Saxony
Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Spain
Kingdom of Sweden
Kingdom of Sicily
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Principality of Waldeck
Kingdom of Wurttemberg
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Mediatized Houses
House of Arenberg
House of Auersperg
House of Bentheim
House of Bentinck
House of Castell
House of Colloredo
House of Croy
House of Erbach
House of Esterhazy
House of Fugger
House of Furstenberg
House of Harrach
House of Hohenlohe - Part I
House of Hohenlohe - Part II
House of Isenburg
House of Khevenhuller
House of Konigsegg
House of Kuefstein
House of Leiningen
House of Leyen
House of Lobkowicz
House of Looz und Corswarem
House of Löwenstein
House of Metternich-Winneburg
House of Neipperg
House of Oettingen
House of Orsini-Rosenberg
House of Ortenburg
House of Pappenheim
House of Platen-Hallermund
House of Puckler und Limpurg
House of Quadt
House of Rechberg
House of Rechteren-Limpurg
House of Salm-Salm
House of Salm-Reifferscheidt
House of Starhemberg
House of Sayn-Wittgenstein
House of Schaesberg
House of Schlitz von Gortz
House of Schonborn
House of Schonburg
House of Schwarzenberg
House of Solms
House of Stolberg
House of Thurn und Taxis
House of Toerring-Jettenbach
House of Trauttmansdorff
House of Waldbott
House of Waldburg
House of Wied
House of Windisch-Gratz
House of Wurmbrand-Stuppach
Princely and Ducal - AI
Princely and Ducal - AII
Princely and Ducal - BI
Princely and Ducal - BII
Princely and Ducal - BIII
Princely and Ducal - BIV
Princely and Ducal - BV
Princely and Ducal - CI
Princely and Ducal - CII
Princely and Ducal - CIII
Princely and Ducal - CIV
Princely and Ducal - DI
Princely and Ducal - DII
Princely and Ducal - EI
Princely and Ducal - FI
Princely and Ducal - FII
Princely and Ducal - GI
Princely and Ducal - GII
Princely and Ducal - GIII
Princely and Ducal - HI
Princely and Ducal - HII
Princely and Ducal - HIII
Princely and Ducal - II
Princely and Ducal - JI
Princely and Ducal - KI
Princely and Ducal - LI
Princely and Ducal - LII
Princely and Ducal - LIII
Princely and Ducal - LIV
Princely and Ducal - MI
Princely and Ducal - MII
Princely and Ducal - NI
Princely and Ducal - NII
Princely and Ducal - NIII
Princely and Ducal - OI
Princely and Ducal - PI
Princely and Ducal - PII
Princely and Ducal - PIII
Princely and Ducal - PIV
Princely and Ducal - RI
Princely and Ducal - RII
Princely and Ducal - RIII
Princely and Ducal - SI
Princely and Ducal - SII
Princely and Ducal - SIII
Princely and Ducal - SIV
Princely and Ducal - TI
Princely and Ducal - TII
Princely and Ducal - UI
Princely and Ducal - VI
Princely and Ducal - WI
Princely and Ducal - WII
Holy Roman Empire Association
Nobility of Holy Roman Empire - I
Nobility of Holy Roman Empire - II
Nobility of Holy Roman Empire - III
Nobility of Holy Roman Empire - IV
Nobility of Holy Roman Empire - V
Nobility of Holy Roman Empire - VI
British Peerage Part I
British Peerage Part II
British Peerage Part III - A
British Peerage Part III - B
British Peerage Part IV
Higher Nobility I
Higher Nobility II
Higher Nobility III
Higher Nobility IV
Higher Nobility V
Higher Nobility VI
Higher Nobility VII
Higher Nobility VIII
Higher Nobility IX
Higher Nobility X
Higher Nobility XI
Higher Nobility XII
Higher Nobility XIII
Higher Nobility XIV
Higher Nobility XV
Higher Nobility XVI
Nobility of Armenia
Nobility of Albania
Nobility of Austria
Nobility of Belgium
Nobility of Denmark
Nobility of Netherlands
Nobility of Finland
Nobility of France
Nobility of Germany
Nobility of Hungary
Nobility of Italy
Jacobite Nobility
Jewish Nobility
Nobility of Lithuania
Nobility of Malta
Nobility of Mexico - Brazil
Nobility of Norway
Nobility of Poland - Part I
Nobility of Poland - Part II
Nobility of Russia
Nobility of Spain
Nobility of Sweden
Nobility of Switzerland
Nobility of Ireland
US Colonial Families - Part I
US Colonial Families - Part II
Indian Princely Families and States
Nobility of China
Nobility of Mongolia
Princely House of Borjikin - Borjigin
Nobility of the Ottoman Empire
Kingdom of Morocco
Kingdom of Bhutan
Empire of China
Kingdom of Egypt
Empire of Ethiopia
Empire of Haiti
Kingdom of Hawaii
Empire of Persia
Kingdom of Iraq
Kingdom of Jordan
Empire of Korea
Kingdom of Tahiti
Kingdom of Tunisia
Kingdom of Nepal
Kingdom of Libya
Empire of Vietnam
Kingdom of Cambodia
Kingdom of Madagascar
Sultanate of Oman
Kingdom of Bahrain
Kingdom of Swaziland
Kingdom of Afghanistan
Sultanate of Brunei
Sultanate of Zanzibar
Kingdom of Rwanda
Kingdom of Laos
Kingdom of Tonga
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Empire of Japan
State of Qatar
United Arab Emirates
Kingdom of Lesotho
Malaysia
State of Kuwait
Kingdom of Thailand
Kingdom of Burundi
Kingdom of Yemen
Mughal Empire

Thumbnail for version as of 18:56, 13 May 2011 
 
Nobility of the World
Volume VIII - Poland
 
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Herb_Polski.svg/204px-Herb_Polski.svg.png

Szlachta was the noble class in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (which were united in 1569 and then became the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) and the increasingly polonized territories under their control (such as Ducal Prussia or the Ruthenian lands). The nobility arose in the late Middle Ages. Traditionally, its members were owners of landed property, often in the form of folwarks. The nobility enjoyed substantial and almost unrivaled political privileges until the late 18th century.  Their sovereignty was ended in 1795 by the Partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Then, until 1918 their legal status was dependent on policies of the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia or the Habsburg Monarchy. In the Second Polish Republic the privileges of the nobility were lawfully abolished by the March Constitution in 1921 and have not been re-granted by any later Polish law.

Polish-Nobility-poland.jpg 

History and Etymology

The Polish term "szlachta" designates the formalized, hereditary noble class. In official Latin documents the oldCommonwealth hereditary szlachta is referred to as "nobilitas" and is equivalent to the English nobility. There used to be a widespread misconception to translate "szlachta" as "gentry", because some nobles were poor. Some were even poorer than the non-noble gentry that declined with the 'second serfdom' and re-emerged after thePartitions. Some would even become tenants to the gentry but still kept their constitutional superiority. But it's not wealth or lifestyle (as with the gentry) but a hereditary legal status of a nobleman that makes you one. A specific nobleman was called a "szlachcic", and a noblewoman, a "szlachcianka."

"Szlachta" derives from the Old German word "slahta" (now "(Adels) Geschlecht", "(noble) family"), much as many other Polish words pertaining to the nobility derive from German words - e.g., the Polish "rycerz" ("knight", cognate of the German "Ritter") and the Polish "herb" ("coat of arms", from the German "Erbe", "heritage"). Poles of the 17th century assumed that "szlachta" was from the German "schlachten" ("to slaughter" or "to butcher"); also suggestive is the German "Schlacht" ("battle"). Early Polish historians thought the term may have derived from the name of the legendary proto-Polish chief, Lech, mentioned in Polish and Czech writings.

"Šlėkta" is a derivative from a Polish term used in the Lithuanian language having more or less the same meaning usually with a negative nuance. Kindred terms that might be applied to an early Polish nobleman were "rycerz" (from German Ritter, "knight"), the Latin "nobilis" ("noble"; plural: "nobiles") and "możny" ("magnate", "oligarch"; plural: "możni"). Some powerful Polish nobles were referred to as "magnates" (Polish singular: "magnat", plural: "magnaci"). It has to be remembered however, that not all knights were nobles.

Today the word szlachta in the Polish language denotes any noble class in the world. In broadest meaning, it can also denote some non-hereditary honorary knighthoods granted today by some European monarchs. Even some 19th century non-noble landed gentry would be called szlachta by courtesy or error as they owned manorial estates but were not noble by birth. In the narrow sense it denotes the old-Commonwealth nobility.

poland_1800.jpg 

The Origins of Polish Nobility

The Polish nobility probably derived from a Slavic warrior class, forming a distinct element within the ancient Polonic tribal groupings. This is uncertain, however, as there is little surviving documentation on the early history of Poland, or of the movements of the Slavonic people into what became the territory so designated. The szlachta themselves claimed descent from the Sarmatians (see paragraph 2.2 below) who came to Europe in the 5th century C.E. Around the 14th century, there was little difference between knights and the szlachta in Poland, apart from legal and economic. Members of the szlachta had the personal obligation to defend the country (pospolite ruszenie), thereby becoming the kingdom's privileged social class.

Concerning the early Polish tribes, geography contributed to long-standing traditions. The Polish tribes were internalized and organized around a unifying religious cult, governed by the wiec, an assembly of free tribesmen. Later, when safety required power to be consolidated, an elected prince was chosen to govern.

The tribes were ruled by clans (ród) consisting of people related by blood and descending from a common ancestor, giving the ród/clan a highly developed sense of solidarity. (See gens.) The starosta (or starszyna) had judicial and military power over the ród/clan, although this power was often exercised with an assembly of elders. Strongholds called grόd were built where the religious cult was powerful, where trials were conducted, and where clans gathered in the face of danger. The opole was the territory occupied by a single tribe. (Manteuffel 1982, p. 44).

Before going deeper into the history of Polish nobility, it is important to note use of the English word "knight", which can be misleading as it leads to inevitable comparisons with the British gentry. In comparison, the Polish nobility was a "power elite" caste, not a social class. The paramount principle of Polish nobility was that it was hereditary.

Mieszko I of Poland (c. 935 - 25 May 992) utilized an elite knightly retinue from his army, which he depended upon for success in uniting the Lekhitic tribes and preserving the unity of his state. Documented proof exists of Mieszko I's successors utilizing such a retinue, too.

Another class of knights were granted land by the prince, allowing them to serve the prince militarily. A Polish nobleman living at this time before the 15th century was referred to as a "rycerz", very roughly equivalent to the English "knight", the critical difference being the status of "rycerz" was strictly hereditary; the class of all such individuals was known as the "rycerstwo". Representing the wealthier families of Poland and itinerant knights from abroad seeking their fortunes, this other class of rycerstwo, which became the szlachta/nobility ("szlachta" becomes the proper term for Polish nobility beginning about the 15th century), gradually formed apart from Mieszko I's and his successors' elite retinues. This rycerstwo/nobility obtained more privileges granting them favored status. They were absolved from particular burdens and obligations under ducal law, resulting in the belief only rycerstwo (those combining military prowess with high/noble birth) could serve as officials in state administration.

Select rycerstwo were distinguished above the other rycerstwo, because they descended from past tribal dynasties, or because early Piasts' endowments made them select beneficiaries. These rycerstwo of great wealth were called możni (Magnates). Socially they were not a distinct class from the rycerstwo they originated from and to which they would return were their wealth lost. (Manteuffel 1982, pp. 148-149).

The Period of Division, A.D., 1138 - A.D., 1314, nearly 200 years of feudal fragmentation, when Bolesław III divided Poland among his sons, began the social structure allegedly separating great landowning feudal nobles (możni/Magnates, both ecclesiastical and lay) from the rycerstwo they originated from. The prior social structure was one of Polish tribes united into the historic Polish nation under a state ruled by the Piast dynasty, this dynasty appearing circa 850 A.D.

Some możni (Magnates) descending from past tribal dynasties regarded themselves as co-proprietors of Piast realms, even though the Piasts attempted to deprive them of their independence. These możni (Magnates) constantly sought to undermine princely authority. In Gall Anonym's chronicle, there is noted the nobility's alarm when the Palatine Sieciech "elevated those of a lower class over those who were noble born" entrusting them with state offices.

lithuania-nobility.jpg

The Lithuanian Nobility

In Lithuania Propria, Samogitia and Prussia, prior to the creation of the Kingdom of Lithuania by Mindaugas, nobles were called 'bajorai' and the higher nobility 'kunigai' or 'kunigaikščiai' (dukes). They were the established local leaders and warlords. During the development of the state they gradually became subordinated to higher dukes, and later to the King of Lithuania.

After the Union of Horodło the Lithuanian nobility acquired equal status with the Polish szlachta, and over time began to become more and more polonized, although they did preserve their national consciousness, and in most cases recognition of their Lithuanian family roots. In the 16th century some of the Lithuanian nobility erroneously claimed that they were of Roman extraction, and the Lithuanian language was just a morphed Latin language.

The process of polonization took place over a lengthy period of time. At first only the highest members of the nobility were involved, although gradually a wider group of the population was affected. The major effects on the lesser Lithuanian nobility took place after various sanctions were imposed by the Russian Empire such as removing Lithuania from the names of the Gubernyas few years after the November Uprising. After the January Uprising the sanctions went further, and Russian officials announced that "Lithuanians are Russians seduced by Poles and Catholicism" and began to intensify russification, and to ban the printing of books in the Lithuanian language.

 Unia_Lubelska.JPG

The Ruthenian Nobility

In Ruthenia (Ukraine) the nobility gradually gravitated its loyalty towards the multicultural and multilingualGrand Duchy of Lithuania after the principalities of Halych and Volhynia became a part of it. Many noble Ruthenian families intermarried with Lithuanian ones. The Orthodox nobles' rights were nominally equal to those enjoyed by Polish and Lithuanian nobility, but there was a cultural pressure to convert to Catholicism, that was greatly eased in 1596 by the Union of Brest. See for example careers of Senator Adam Kisiel and Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki.

Stanislaw_Antoni_Szczuka.jpg 

Szlachta's Rise to Power

Nobles were born into a noble family, adopted by a noble family (this was abolished in 1633) or ennobled by a king or Sejm for various reasons (bravery in combat, service to the state, etc. - yet this was the rarest means of gaining noble status). Many nobles were, in actuality, really usurpers, being commoners, who moved into another part of the country and falsely pretended to noble status. Hundreds of such false nobles were denounced by Hieronim Nekanda Trepka in his Liber generationis plebeanorium (or Liber chamorum) in the first half of 16th century. The law forbade non-nobles from owning nobility-estates and promised the estate to the denouncer. Trepka was an impoverished nobleman who lived a townsman life and collected hundreds of such stories hoping to take over any of such estates. It doesn't seem he ever succeeded in proving one at the court. Many sejms issued decrees over the centuries in an attempt to resolve this issue, but with little success. It is unknown what percentage of the Polish nobility came from the 'lower' orders of society, but most historians agree that nobles of such base origins formed a 'significant' element of the szlachta.

The Polish nobility enjoyed many rights that were not available to the noble classes of other countries and, typically, each new monarch conceded them further privileges. Those privileges became the basis of the Golden Liberty in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Despite having a king, Poland was called the nobility'sCommonwealth because the king was elected by all interested members of hereditary nobility and Poland was considered to be the property of this class, not of the king or the ruling dynasty. This state of affairs grew up in part because of the extinction of the male-line descendants of the old royal dynasty (first the Piasts, then the Jagiellons), and the selection by the nobility of the Polish king from among the dynasty's female-line descendants.

Branicki,holding hetman's buława.

Poland's successive kings granted privileges to the nobility at the time of their election to the throne (the privileges being specified in the king-elect's Pacta conventa) and at other times in exchange for ad hoc permission to raise an extraordinary tax or a pospolite ruszenie Poland's nobility thus accumulated a growing array of privileges and immunities, In 1355 in Buda King Casimir III the Great (Kazimierz Wielki) issued the first country-wide privilege for the nobility, in exchange for their agreement that in the lack of Kazimierz male heirs, the throne would pass to his nephew, Louis I of Hungary. He decreed that the nobility would no longer be required to pay 'extraordinary'taxes, or pay with their own funds for military expeditions outside Poland. He also promised that during travels of the royal court, the king and the court would pay for all expenses, instead of using facilities of local nobility.

In 1374 King Louis of Hungary approved the Privilege of Koszyce (Polish: "przywilej koszycki" or "ugoda koszycka") in Košice in order to guarantee the Polish throne for his daughter Jadwiga. He broadened the definition of who was a member of the nobility and exempted the entire class from all but one tax (łanowy, which was limited to 2 groszefrom łan (an old measure of land size)). In addition, the King's right to raise taxes was abolished; no new taxes could be raised without the agreement of the nobility. Henceforth, also, district offices (Polish: "urzędy ziemskie") were reserved exclusively for local nobility, as the Privilege of Koszyce forbade the king to grant official posts and major Polish castles to foreign knights. Finally, this privilege obliged the King to pay indemnities to nobles injured or taken captive during a war outside Polish borders.

In 1422 King Władysław II Jagiełło by the Privilege of Czerwińsk (Polish: "przywilej czerwiński") established the inviolability of nobles' property (their estates could not be confiscated except upon a court verdict) and ceded some jurisdiction over fiscal policy to the Royal Council (later, the Senat), including the right to mint coinage.

In 1430 with the Privileges of Jedlnia, confirmed at Kraków in 1433 (Polish: "przywileje jedlneńsko-krakowskie"), based partially on his earlier Brześć Kujawski privilege (April 25, 1425), King Władysław II Jagiełło granted the nobility a guarantee against arbitrary arrest, similar to the English Magna Carta's Habeas corpus, known from its own Latin name as "neminem captivabimus (nisi jure victum)." Henceforth no member of the nobility could be imprisoned without a warrant from a competent court of justice: the king could neither punish nor imprison any noble at his whim. King Władysław's quid pro quo for this boon was the nobles' guarantee that his throne would be inherited by one of his sons (who would be bound to honour the privileges theretofore granted to the nobility). On May 2, 1447 the same king issued the Wilno Privilege which gave the Lithuanian boyars the same rights as those possessed by the Polish szlachta.

In 1454 King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon granted the Nieszawa Statutes (Polish: "statuty cerkwicko-nieszawskie"), clarifying the legal basis of voivodship sejmiks (local parliaments). The king could promulgate new laws, raise taxes, or call for a levée en masse (pospolite ruszenie) only with the consent of the sejmiks, and the nobility were protected from judicial abuses. The Nieszawa Statutes also curbed the power of the magnates, as the Sejm (national parliament) received the right to elect many officials, including judges, voivods and castellans. These privileges were demanded by the szlachta as a compensation for their participation in the Thirteen Years' War.

The first "free election" (Polish: "wolna elekcja") of a king took place in 1492. (To be sure, some earlier Polish kings had been elected with help from bodies such as that which put Casimir II on the throne, thereby setting a precedent for free elections.) Only senators voted in the 1492 free election, which was won by Jan I Olbracht. For the duration of the Jagiellonian Dynasty, only members of that royal family were considered for election; later, there would be no restrictions on the choice of candidates.

In 1493 the national parliament, the Sejm, began meeting every two years at Piotrków. It comprised two chambers:

  • a Senate of 81 bishops and other dignitaries; and
  • a Chamber of Envoys of 54 envoys (in Polish, "envoy" is "poseł") representing their respective Lands.

The numbers of senators and envoys later increased.

On April 26, 1496 King Jan I Olbracht granted the Privilege of Piotrków (Polish: "Przywilej piotrkowski", "konstytucja piotrkowska" or "statuty piotrkowskie"), increasing the nobility's feudal power over serfs. It bound the peasant to the land, as only one son (not the eldest) was permitted to leave the village; townsfolk (Polish: "mieszczaństwo") were prohibited from owning land; and positions in the Church hierarchy could be given only to nobles.

On 23 October 1501, at Mielnik Polish-Lithuanian Union was reformed at the Union of Mielnik (Polish: unia mielnicka, unia piotrkowsko-mielnicka). It was there that the tradition of the coronation Sejm (Polish: "Sejm koronacyjny") was founded. Once again the middle nobility (middle in wealth, not in rank) attempted to reduce the power of the magnates with a law that made them impeachable before the Senate for malfeasance. However the Act of Mielno (Polish: Przywilej mielnicki) of 25 October did more to strengthen the magnate dominated Senate of Poland then the lesser nobility. The nobles were conceded the right to refuse to obey the King or his representatives-in the Latin, "non praestanda oboedientia"--and to form confederations, an armed rebellion against the king or state officers if the nobles thought that the law or their legitimate privileges were being infringed.

On 3 May 1505 King Aleksander I Jagiellon granted the Act of "Nihil novi nisi commune consensu" (Latin: "I accept nothing new except by common consent"). This forbade the king to pass any new law without the consent of the representatives of the nobility, in Sejm and Senat assembled, and thus greatly strengthened the nobility's political position. Basically, this act transferred legislative power from the king to the Sejm. This date commonly marks the beginning of the First Rzeczpospolita, the period of a szlachta-run "Commonwealth".

In 1520 the Act of Bydgoszcz granted the Sejm the right to convene every four years, with or without the king's permission. About that time the "executionist movement" (Polish: "egzekucja praw"--"execution of the laws") began to take form. Its members would seek to curb the power of the magnates at the Sejm and to strengthen the power of king and country. In 1562 at the Sejm in Piotrków they would force the magnates to return many leasedcrown lands to the king, and the king to create a standing army (wojsko kwarciane). One of the most famous members of this movement was Jan Zamoyski. After his death in 1605, the movement lost its political force.

Until the death of Zygmunt II August, the last king of the Jagiellonian dynasty, monarchs could only be elected from within the royal family. However, starting from 1573, practically any Polish noble or foreigner of royal blood could become a Polish-Lithuanian monarch. Every newly elected king was supposed to sign two documents - thePacta conventa ("agreed pacts") - a confirmation of the king's pre-election promises, and Henrican articles(artykuły henrykowskie, named after the first freely elected king, Henry of Valois). The latter document served as a virtual Polish constitution and contained the basic laws of the Commonwealth:

  • Free election of kings;
  • Religious tolerance;
  • The Diet to be gathered every two years;
  • Foreign policy controlled by the Diet;
  • A royal advisory council chosen by the Diet;
  • Official posts restricted to Polish and Lithuanian nobles;
  • Taxes and monopolies set up by the Diet only;
  • Nobles' right to disobey the king should he break any of these laws.

In 1578 king Stefan Batory created the Crown Tribunal in order to reduce the enormous pressure on the Royal Court. This placed much of the monarch's juridical power in the hands of the elected szlachta deputies, further strengthening the nobility class. In 1581 the Crown Tribunal was joined by a counterpart in Lithuania, theLithuanian Tribunal.

 Potega_Rzeczypospolitej_u_zenitu_Zlota_wolnosc_Elekcja_1573.JPG

Transformation into Aristocracy

For many centuries, wealthy and powerful members of the szlachta sought to gain legal privileges over their peers. Few szlachta were wealthy enough to be known as magnates (karmazyni - the "Crimsons", from the crimson colour of their boots). A proper magnate should be able to trace noble ancestors back for many generations and own at least 20 villages or estates. He should also hold a major office in the Commonwealth. 

Some historians estimate the number of magnates as 1% of the number of szlachta. Out of approx. one million szlachta, tens of thousands of families, only 200-300 persons could be classed as great magnates with country-wide possessions and influence, and 30-40 of them could be viewed as those with significant impact on Poland's politics.

Magnates often received gifts from monarchs, which significantly increased their wealth. Often, those gifts were only temporary leases, which the magnates never returned (in 16th century, the anti-magnate opposition among szlachta was known as the ruch egzekucji praw - movement for execution of the laws - which demanded that all such possessions are returned to their proper owner, the king).

One of the most important victories of the magnates was the late 16th century right to create ordynacja's (similar tomajorats), which ensured that a family which gained wealth and power could more easily preserve this. Ordynacje's of families of Radziwiłłs, Zamoyskis, Potockis or Lubomirskis often rivalled the estates of the king and were important power bases for the magnates.

Loss of influence by szlachta

The sovereignty of szlachta was ended in 1795 by the Partitions of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Then, until1918 their legal status dependent on policies of: Russian Empire, Kingdom of Prussia or Habsburg Monarchy. InSecond Polish Republic the privileges of the nobility were lawfully abolished by the March Constitution in 1921 and as such not granted by any future Polish law.

Szlachta culture

The Polish nobility differed in many respects from the nobility of other countries. The most important difference was that, while in most European countries the nobility lost power as the ruler strove for absolute monarchy, in Poland the reverse process occurred: the nobility actually gained power at the expense of the king, and the political system evolved into anoligarchy.

Poland's nobility were also more numerous than those of all other European countries, constituting some 10% - 12% of the total population of historic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth also some 10% - 12% among ethnic Poleson ethnic Polish lands (part of Commonwealth), but up to 25% of all Poles worldwide (szlachta could dispose more of resources to travels and/or conquering), while in some poorer regions (e.g. Mazowsze, the area centred onWarsaw) nearly 30%. However, according to szlachta comprised around 8% of the total population in 1791 (up from 6.6% in the 16th century), and no more than 16% of the Roman Catholic (mostly ethnically Polish) population. It should be noted, though, that Polish szlachta usually incorporated most local nobility from the areas that were absorbed by Poland-Lithuania (Ruthenian boyars, Livonian nobles, etc.) By contrast, the nobilities of other European countries, except for Spain, amounted to a mere 1-3%, however the era of sovereign rules of Polish nobility ended earlier then in other countries (excluding France) yet in 1795 (see: Partitions of Poland), since then their legitimation and future fate depended on legislature and procedures of Russian Empire, Kingdom of Prussia orHabsburg Monarchy. Gradually their privileges were under further limitations to be completely dissolved byMarch Constitution of Poland in 1921.

There were a number of avenues to upward social mobility and the achievement of nobility. Poland's nobility was not a rigidly exclusive, closed class. Many low-born individuals, including townsfolk, peasants and Jews, could and did rise in Polish society up to official ennoblement. Thus Poland's noble class was more stable than those of other countries, and so was spared the societal tensions and eventual disintegration that characterised the French Revolution. Each szlachcic had enormous influence over the country's politics, in some ways even greater than what is enjoyed by the citizens of modern democratic countries. Between 1652 and 1791, any nobleman could nullify all the proceedings of a given sejmsejmik (Commonwealth local parliament) by exercising his individual right of liberum veto (Latin for "I do not allow"), except in the case of a confederated sejm or confederated sejmik. (Commonwealth parliament) or

All children of the Polish nobility inherited their noble status from a noble mother and father. Any individual could attain ennoblement (nobilitacja) for special services to the state. A foreign noble might be naturalised as a Polish noble (Polish: "indygenat") by the Polish king (later, from 1641, only by a general sejm).

In theory at least, all Polish noblemen were social equals. Also in theory they were legal peers. Those who held 'real power' dignities were more privileged but these dignities were not hereditary. Those who held honorary dignities were higher in 'ritual' hierarchy but these dignities were also granted for a lifetime. Some tenancies became hereditary and went with both privilege and titles. Nobles who were not direct barons of the Crown but held land from other lords were only peers "de iure". The poorest enjoyed the same rights as the wealthiest magnate. The exceptions were a few symbolically privileged families such as the Radziwiłł, Lubomirski and Czartoryski, who sported honorary aristocratic titles recognized in Poland or received from foreign courts, such as "Prince" or "Count." (see also The Princely Houses of Poland). All other szlachta simply addressed each other by their given name or as "Sir Brother" (Panie bracie) or the feminine equivalent. The other forms of address would be "Illustrious and Magnificent Lord", "Magnificent Lord", "Generous Lord" or "Noble Lord" (in decreasing order) or simply "His/Her Grace Lord/Lady XYZ".

Hetman Stefan Czarniecki in crimson bekiesza. Holds buława in right hand.  
Note crimson boots (buty karmazynowe), a sign of wealth and high status.  
The crimson color worn by wealthy szlachta prompted the magnates'
nickname, "karmazyni" - "the crimson ones."

According to their financial standing, the nobility were in common speech divided into:

  • magnates: the wealthiest class; owners of vast lands, towns, many villages, thousands of peasants
  • middle nobility (średnia szlachta): owners of one of more villages, often having some official titles or Envoys from the local Land Assemblies to the General Assembly,
  • petty nobility (drobna szlachta), owners of a part of a village or owning no land at all, often referred to by a variety of colourful Polish terms such as:
    • szaraczkowa - grey nobility, from their grey, woollen, uncoloured zupans
    • okoliczna - local nobility, similar to zaściankowa
    • zagrodowa - from zagroda, a farm, often little different from a peasant's dwelling
    • zagonowa - from zagon, a small unit of land measure, hide nobility
    • cząstkowa - partial, owners of only part of a single village
    • panek - little pan (i.e. lordling), term used in Kaszuby, the Kashubian region, also one of the legal terms for legally separated lower nobility in late medieval and early modern Poland
    • hreczkosiej - buckwheat sowers - those who had to work their fields themselves.
    • zaściankowa - from zaścianek, a name for plural nobility settlement, neighbourhood nobility. Just like hreczkosiej, zaściankowa nobility would have no peasants.
    • brukowa - cobble nobility, for those living in towns like townsfolk
    • gołota - naked nobility, i.e. the landless. Gołota szlachta would be considered the 'lowest of the high'.

Note that Polish landed gentry (ziemianie or ziemiaństwo) was composed of any nobility that owned lands: thus of course the magnates, the middle nobility and that lesser nobility that had at least part of the village. As manorial lordships were also opened to burgesses of certain privileged royal cities, not all landed gentry had a hereditary title of nobility.

Polish Heraldry

Coats of arms were very important to the Polish nobility. It is notable, that the Polish heraldic system evolved separately from its western counterparts and differed in many ways from the heraldry of other European countries.

The most notable difference is that, contrary to other European heraldic systems, most families sharing origin would also share a coat-of-arms. They would also share arms with families adopted into the clan (these would often have their arms officially altered upon ennoblement). Sometimes unrelated families would be falsely attributed to the clan on the basis of similarity of arms. Also often noble families claimed inaccurate clan membership. Logically, the number of coats of arms in this system was rather low and did not exceed 200 in late Middle Ages (40.000 in late XVIII century).

Also, the tradition of differentiating between the coat of arms proper and a lozenge granted to women did not develop in Poland. Usually men inherited the coat of arms from their fathers. Also, the brisure was rarely used.

Sarmatism

The szlachta's prevalent mentality and ideology were manifested in "Sarmatism", a name derived fromscientifically unproved myth about szlachta origin from powerful ancient nation of Sarmatians. This belief system became an important part of szlachta culture and affected all aspects of their lives. It popularised by poets enshrined traditional village life, peace and pacifism; also oriental-style apparel (the żupan, kontusz, sukmana, pas kontuszowy, delia); and made the scimitar-like szabla, too, a near-obligatory item of everyday szlachta apparel. Sarmatism served to integrate the multi-ethnic nobility as it created an almost nationalistic sense of unity and pride in the szlachta's "Golden Liberty" (złota wolność). Knowledge of Latin was widespread, and most szlachta freely mixed Polish and Latin vocabulary (the latter, "macaronisms" - from "macaroni") in everyday conversation.

In its early, idealistic form, Sarmatism seemed like a salutary cultural movement: it fostered religious faith, honesty, national pride, courage, equality and freedom. Late Sarmatism turned belief into bigotry, honesty into political naiveté, pride into arrogance, courage into stubbornness, equality and freedom within the szlachta class into dissension and anarchy.

The Religious Beliefs of The Polish Nobility

Prior to the Reformation, the Polish nobility were mostly either Roman Catholic or Orthodox with a small group ofMuslims. Many families, however, soon adopted the Reformed faiths. After the Counter-Reformation, when theRoman Catholic ChurchPoland, the nobility became almost exclusively Catholic, despite the fact that Roman Catholicism was not the majority religion in Commonwealth (the Catholic and Orthodox churches each accounted for some 40% of regained power in all citizensJacob Frank joined the ranks of Jewish-descended Polish gentry. population, with the remaining 20% being Jews or members of Protestant denominations). In the 18th century, many followers of Jacob Frank joined the ranks of Jewish-descended Polish gentry. Although Jewish ethnicity wasn't usually a pretext to block or deprive of noble status, however some laws required religious convert from Judaism to Christianity (see: Neophyte) to be ennobled.

Jan_Klemens_Branicki.jpg 

The Ennoblement In Kingdom of Poland

The increase of number of Polish nobility by trustworthy ennoblements is proportionally minimal (since XIV century). In the Kingdom of Poland and later in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, ennoblement (nobilitacja) meant an individual's joining the szlachta (Polish nobility). At first it was granted by monarch, since late XVI century by the sejm that gave the ennobled person a coat of arms. Often that person could join an existing noble szlachta family with their own coat of arms. According to heraldic sources total number of trustworthy ennoblements issued since XIV century until late XVIII century, is estimated as about 800 (which gives probably average of about two ennoblements per year, trivia: some above 0.000 000 14 - 0.000 001 of historical population, compare: historical demography of Poland). Late XVIII century is time of short loosening of ennoblements policy, which can be explained in terms of sudden collapse of Commonwealth and sudden need of soldiers (see: Partitions of Poland, King Stanisław August Poniatowski).

The Total Number of Ennoblements Estimation

according to heraldic sources 1 600 (half o which constitute, performed in final years of the state collapse "sudden ennoblements" of late XVIII century) is a total estimated number of all trustworthy ennoblements in history of Kingdom of Poland and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth since XIV century.

Polish Types of Ennoblement

  • Skartabelat - introduced by pacta conventa of XVII century, ennoblement into a sort of lower nobility. Skartabels could not hold public offices or be members of the Sejm. After three generations in noble ranks these families would "mature" to peerage.
  • Adopcja herbowa - old way of ennoblement, popular in XV century, connected with adoption into an existing noble clan by a powerful lord, abolished in XVII century

Similar Terms

  • Indygenat - recognition of foreign noble status. A foreign noble, after indygenat, received all privileges of a Polish szlachcic. In Polish history, 413 foreign noble families were recognized. From XVI century this was done by the King and SejmSejm only. (Polish parliament), since XVII century it was done by
  • "secret ennoblement" of questionable legal status, opposed/not recognized by szlachta; by monarch without required by law approval of the sejm.

In The Grand Duchy of Lithuania

In the late 14th century, in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vytautas the Great reformed the Grand Duchy's army: instead of calling all men to arms, he created forces comprising professional warriors-bajorai ("nobles"; see thecognate "boyar"). As there were not enough nobles, Vytautas trained suitable men, relieving them of labor on the land and of other duties; for their military service to the Grand Duke, they were granted land that was worked by hired men (veldams). The newly-formed noble families generally took up, as their family names, the Lithuanianpagan given names of their ennobled ancestors; this was the case with the Goštautai, Radvilos, Astikai, Kęsgailosand others. These families were granted their coats of armsUnion of Horodlo (1413). under the In 1506, KingSigismund I the Old confirmed the position of the Lithuanian Council of Lords in state politics and limited entry into the nobility.

The List of Szlachta

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a semi-confederal and semi-federal monarchic republic comprising the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, from 1569 until 1795. The head of state was an electedmonarch. The Commonwealth's dominant social class was the nobility. This article chiefly lists the nobility'smagnate segment (the wealthier nobility), as they were the most prominent, famous and notable. These families would receive non-hereditary 'central' and Land dignities and titles under the Commonwealth law that forbade (with minor exceptions) any hereditary legal distinctions within the peerage. They would later be 'approximated' to honorary hereditary titles in the Partition period with little real-power privileges but would still be venerated among the Polish upper class and the rest of the society as 'senatorial', 'palatinal', 'castellanial' or "dignitarial' families.

"Szlachta" is the proper term for Polish nobility beginning about the 15th century. Most powerful members of szlachta were known as magnates ("magnaci" or the "magnateria" class). A Polish nobleman who lived earlier is referred to as a "rycerz" ("knight"); the class of all such individuals is the "rycerstwo" (the "chivalry" class). Most powerful members of "rycerstwo" were known as "możnowładzcy" (the "moznowładztwo" class).

By Family

 Below is a list of most important Polish noble (szlachta) families. The families listed are the famous magnatesfamilies - ones that had accumulated great wealth and political power, generally preserved across several centuries. Please note that this list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all szlachta families. For the list of lesser known but still notable Polish noble families, see the corresponding category.

All names are given first in the singular, then (parenthetically) in the plural.

* Chodkiewicz (Chodkiewiczowie)
* Czartoryski (Czartoryscy)
* Lanckoroński (Lanckorońscy)
* Lubomirski (Lubomirscy)
* Mielzynski (Mielzynscy) .
* Ogiński (Ogińscy)

* Ostrogski (Ostrogscy)
* Ostroróg (Ostrorogowie)
* Pac (Pacowie)
* Poniatowski (Poniatowscy)
* Potocki (Potoccy)

* Radziwiłł (Radziwiłłowie)
* Sapieha (Sapiehowie)
* Sanguszko (Sanguszkowie)
* Tarnowski (Tarnowscy)

* Tęczyński (Tęczyńscy)
* Tyszkiewicz (Tyszkiewiczowie)
* Wiśniowiecki (Wiśniowieccy)
* Zamoysk (Zamoyscy)

By The Year of Birth

Listed below are important members of the szlachta of Poland and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, by century and year of birth. In many cases, birth year is uncertain or unknown. During the Commonwealth, most people-including szlachta-paid little attention to their birthdates.

The 15th Century Polish Nobility
  • Jan "Scibor" Taczanowski, 15th century, voivode of Łęczyca c. 1437
  • Peter Hussakowski (Usakowski) 1448, Nobleman
  • Jan Tarnowski, 1488-1561, hetman
  • Jan Lubrański, 1456-1520, bishop
  • Jan Łaski, 1456-1531, primate, archbishop
  • Mikołaj Kamieniecki, 1460-1515, hetman
  • Konstanty Ostrogski, 1460-1530, hetman
  • Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, 1467-1532, chancellor
  • Michał Gliński, 1470-1534, prince
  • Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski, 1471-1507, castellan, voivode
  • Jan Stawicki, 1473-1510, voivode, starost of Didnia
  • Jan "Ciężki" Tarnowski, 1479-1527, castellan, starost
  • Tiedemann Giese, 1480-1560, bishop
  • Barbara Kola, 1480-1560
  • Jerzy Radziwiłł, 1480-1541, hetman, voivode, castellan, marshal
  • Jan Tęczyński, 1485-1553, Court Marshall
  • Piotr Gamrat, 1487-1545, bishop
  • Stanisław Kostka, 1487-1555, castellan, podskarbi
  • Jan Łaski, 1499-1560, philosopher
  • Tomasz Łaźniński, 15th century (or earlier)-?
  • Maciej Zamoyski, 15th century-?
  • Jan Zamoyski, 15th century-16th century
  • Florian Zamoyski, 15th century-1510
  • Barbara Kiszka, 15th century-1513
  • Mikołaj Firlej, 15th century-1526, voivode, hetman
  • Andrzej Tarło, 15th century-1531, chorąży
  • Feliks Zamoyski, 15th century-1535, voivode
  • Jan Tarło, 15th century-1550, krajczy, podczaszy, cześnik
  • Piotr Firlej, 15th century-1553, voivode
  • Mikołaj Mielecki, 15th century-1585, hetman, voivode
The 16th century Polish Nobility
  • Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski (ca. 1503-1572) scholar, humanist and theologian
  • Mikołaj Rej, 1505-1568, writer
  • Stanisław Odrowąż, 1509-1545, castellan, voivode
  • Jerzy Jazłowiecki, 1510-1575, hetman
  • Marcin Kromer, 1512-1589, Prince-Bishop
  • Mikołaj "the Red" Radziwiłł, 1512-1584, hetman, kanclerz (chancellor)
  • Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł, 1515-1565, marshal, chancellor, palatine
  • Hieronim Jarosz Sieniawski, 1516-1579, voivode
  • Stanisław Zamoyski, 1519-1572, castellan
  • Barbara Radziwiłł, 1520-1550, queen
  • Jan Firlej, 1521-1574, marshall, starost
  • Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski, 1526-1608, voivode
  • Jan Tarło, 1527-1587, castellan, voivode
  • Michał Wiśniowiecki, 1529-1584, castellan
  • Jan Kostka, 1529-1581, voivode
  • Grzegorz Branicki, c.1534-1595, łowczy of Kraków, starost of Niepołomice
  • Zofia Tarnowska, 1534-1570
  • Jan Krzysztof Tarnowski, 1537-1567, castellan
  • Sebastian Lubomirski, 1539-1613, castellan
  • Zofia Odrowąż, 1540-1580
  • Jan Zamoyski, 1542-1605, hetman and chancellor
  • Jan Opaliński, 1546-1598
  • Mikołaj VII Radziwiłł, 1546-1589, chambelain
  • Krzysztof Mikołaj "the Lightning" Radziwiłł, 1547-1603, hetman
  • Stanisław Żółkiewski, 1547-1620, hetman, catellan, chancellor
  • Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł, 1549-1616, voivode
  • Marek Sobieski, 1549-1605, voivode
  • Stanisław Kostka, 1550-1568, saint
  • Jan Tarnowski, 1550-1605, archbishop
  • Stanisław Stadnicki, 1551-1610
  • Jan Kiszka, 1552-1592
  • Andrzej Leszczyński, 1553-1606, starost of Nakło, voivode of Brześć Kujawski
  • Mikołaj Zebrzydowski, 1553-1620, voivode
  • Janusz Ostrogski, 1554-1620, castellan, voivode
  • Adam Sędziwój Czarnkowski, 1555-1628, voivode
  • Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński, 1555-1628, Kings secretary
  • Aleksander Koniecpolski, 1555-1609, voivode
  • Jerzy Radziwiłł, 1556-1600, bishop
  • Lew Sapieha, 1557-1633, hetman, voivode
  • Stanisław Krasiński, 1558-1617, voivode
  • Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, 1560-1621, hetman
  • Katarzyna Ostrogska, 1560-157
  • Krystyna Radziwiłł, 1560-1580
  • Mikołaj Spytek Ligęza, 1562-1637, castellan
  • Zygmunt Tarło, 1562-1628, castellan
  • Marcin Kazanowski, 1563/1566-1636, hetman, chancellor, voivode
  • Zygmunt Kazanowski, 1563-1634, starost, courth marshall and chamberlain
  • Konstanty Wiśniowiecki, 1564-1641, voivode
  • Barbara Tarnowska, 1566-1610
  • Adam Wiśniowiecki, 1566-1622
  • Jan Szczęsny Herburt, 1567-1616, starost
  • Jan Piotr Sapieha, 1569-1611, starosta uświacki, pułkownik królewski
  • Janusz Skumin Tyszkiewicz, 1570-1642, voivode, writer
  • Aleksander Ostrogski, 1571-1603, voivode
  • Daniel Naborowski, 1573-1640, poet
  • Jerzy Zbaraski, 1573-1631, castellan
  • Anna Kostka, 1575-1635
  • Katarzyna Kostka, 1575-1648
  • Adam Hieronim Sieniawski, 1576-1616, starost, podczaszy
  • Grzegorz IV Radziwiłł, 1578-1613, castellan
  • Rafał Leszczyński, 1579-1636, voivode
  • Janusz Radziwiłł, 1579-1620, castellan
  • Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki, 1579-1667, hetman
  • Aleksander Józef Lisowski, 1580-1616, mercenary commander
  • Szymon Okolski, 1580-1653, historian, priest
  • Jakub Sobieski, 1580/88-1646, voivode
  • Krzysztof Zbaraski, 1580-1628, koniuszy, ambassador
  • Hieronim Morsztyn, 1581-1623, poet
  • Jan Opaliński, 1581-1637, voivode of Poznań
  • Łukasz Opaliński, 1581-1654, voivode
  • Jan Tęczyński, 1581-1637, voivode of Kraków
  • Jakub Zadzik, 1582-1642, bishop and chancellor
  • Stanisław Lubomirski, 1583-1649
  • Zofia Czeska, 1584-1650, nun
  • Piotr Gembicki, 1585-1657, chancellor
  • Zofia Lubomirska, 1585-1612
  • Krzysztof II Radziwiłł, 1585-1640, hetman
  • Szymon Starowolski, 1585-1650, priest, writer
  • Samuel Korecki, 1586-1622
  • Piotr Opaliński, 1586-1624
  • Kasper Doenhoff, 1587-1645, voivode
  • Krzysztof Ossoliński, 1587-1645, voivode
  • Stefan Pac, 1587-1640, chancellor
  • Mikołaj Firlej, 1588-1635, wojewoda sandomierski
  • Marina Mniszech, 1588-1614
  • Samuel Łaszcz, 1588-1649, starosta, (warchoł means brawler, barrator)
  • Albrycht Władysław Radziwiłł, 1589-1636, castellan
  • Jan Stanisław Sapieha, 1589-1635, Chancellor of Lithuania from 1621-1635, childless
  • Stanisław Koniecpolski, 1590/1594-1646, hetman
  • Jakub Sobieski, 1590-1646, voivode
  • Janusz Tyszkiewicz Łohojski, 1590-1649, voivode
  • Andrzej Bobola, 1591-1657, jesuit, martyr, saint
  • Zygmunt Karol Radziwiłł, 1591-1642, voivode
  • Zdzisław Jan Zamoyski, 1591-1670, castellan
  • Krzysztof Arciszewski, 1592-1656, General of Artillery
  • Mikołaj Ostroróg, 1593-1651, sejm marshal
  • Jan Karol Tarło, 1593-1645, castellan
  • Aleksander Ludwik Radziwiłł, 1594-1654, voivode
  • Tomasz Zamoyski, 1594-1638, voivode, chancellor,
  • Bogdan Chmielnicki, 1595-1657, hetman
  • Jerzy Ossoliński, 1595-1650, voivode and chancellor
  • Mikołaj Potocki, 1595-1651, castellan, hetman
  • Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł, 1595-1656, chancellor
  • Stanisław Lanckoroński, 1597-1657, voivode
  • Janusz Wiśniowiecki, 1598-1636, starost, koniuszy
  • Adam Kazanowski, 1599-1649
  • Stefan Czarniecki, 1599-1665, hetman
  • Jan Zamoyski, 16th century-?
  • Barbara Lubomirska, 16th century-?
  • Paweł Tarło, 16th century-1565, bishop
  • Jan Tarło, 16th century-1571
  • Samuel Zborowski, 16th century-1584
  • Stanisław Lubomirski, 16th century-1585
  • Mikołaj Firlej, 16th century-1588
  • Krzysztof Kosiński, 16th century-1593
  • Jan Tęczyński, 16th century-1583, castellan, podkomorzy
  • Stanisław Tarło 16th century-1600, starost
  • Mikołaj Firlej,, 16th century-1601, wojewoda krakowski
  • Fiodor Trubecki, 16th century-1608, prince
  • Joachim Lubomirski, 16th century-1610, starost
  • Katarzyna Lubomirska, 16th century-1611
  • Jerzy Mniszech. 16th century-1613, voivode
  • Michał Wiśniowiecki, 16th century-1616, castellan
  • Jan Zamoyski, 16th century-1619, castellan
  • Wigund-Jeronym Trubecki, 16th century-1634, prince
  • Henryk Firlej, 16th century-1626, bishop
  • Krzysztof Wiesiołowski, 16th century-1637, marshal
  • Anna Branicka, 16th century-1639
  • Aleksander Korwin Gosiewski, 16th century-1639
  • Zofia Krasińska, 16th century-1642
  • Katarzyna Potocka, 16th century-1642
  • Piotr Trubecki, 16th century-1644, podkomorzy, chamberlain
  • Krystyna Lubomirska, 16th century-1645
  • Stanisław Kazanowski, 16th century-1648
  • Konstancja Ligęza, 16th century-1648
  • Krzysztof Chodkiewicz, 16th century-1652, castellan, voivode
  • Jan Kazimierz Umiastowski, 16th century - 1659, sejm marshal
  • Samuel Twardowski, 16th century (1590s) - 1661, writer
The 17th Century Polish Nobility
  • Anna Eufrozyna Chodkiewicz, 1600-1631
  • Adam Kisiel, 1600-1653, voivode
  • Janusz Kiszka, 1600-1653
  • Kazimierz Siemienowicz, 1600-1651, general, scientist
  • Katarzyna Ostrogska, 1602-1642
  • Prokop Sieniawski, 1602-1626, chorąży
  • Marcin Kalinowski, ca. 1605-1652, field crown hetman, voivode
  • Dominik Aleksander Kazanowski, 1605-1648, voivode
  • Andrzej Leszczyński, 1606-1651, voivode
  • Jan Kazimierz Krasiński, 1607-1669, voivode
  • Andrzej Trebicki, 1607-1679, bishop
  • Andrzej Leszczyński, 1608-1658, chancellor and primate
  • Jan Paweł Sapieha, 1609-1665, voivode
  • Krzysztof Opaliński, 1611-1655, voivode
  • Bogusław Leszczyński, 1612-1659, starost
  • Łukasz Opaliński, 1612-1666
  • Hieronim Radziejowski, 1612-1667, chancellor
  • Janusz Radziwiłł 1612-1655, hetman, voivode
  • Jeremi Wiśniowiecki, 1612-1651, voivode
  • Kazimierz Franciszek Czarnkowski, 1613-1656
  • Mikołaj Krzysztof Sapieha, 1613-1639, voivode
  • Bogusław Leszczyński, 1614-1659
  • Aleksander Michał Lubomirski, 1614-1677
  • Jan Kazimierz Chodkiewicz, 1616-1660, castellan of Vilna
  • Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski, 1616-1667
  • Władysław Dominik Zasławski, 1616-1656, voivode
  • Anna Krystyna Lubomirska, 1618-1667
  • Konstancja Lubomirska, 1618-1646
  • Andrzej Potocki, 1618-1663. voivode
  • Aleksander Koniecpolski Junior, 1620-1659, voivode, starost, chorazy
  • Konstanty Jacek Lubomirski, 1620-1663, starost
  • Bogusław Radziwiłł, 1620-1669
  • Andrzej Maksymilian Fredro, 1620-1679, writer
  • Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski, 1620-1662
  • Krzysztof Grzymułtowski, 1620-1687, voivode
  • Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac, 1621-1684, chancellor
  • Wacław Potocki, 1621-1696, poet, writer
  • Adam Hieronim Sieniawski, 1623-1650, starost
  • Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska, 1623-1672, princess
  • Wincenty Gosiewski, 1625-1662
  • Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł, 1625-1680, hetman, chancellor
  • Joanna Barbara Zamoyska, 1626-1653
  • Jan "Sobiepan" Zamoyski, 1627-1662, voivode
  • Marek Sobieski, 1628-1652, starost
  • Jan III Sobieski, 1629-1696, king
  • Stefan Bidziński, 1630-1704, voivode
  • Jan Chryzostom Pieniążek, 1630-1712, voivode
  • Feliks Kazimierz Potocki, 1630-1702, hetman
  • Jan Wielopolski, 1630-1688, chancellor
  • Dymitr Jerzy Wiśniowiecki, 1631-1682, hetman, voivode
  • Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski, 1634-1702, hetman
  • Jan Chryzostom Pasek, 1636-1701, soldier and writer,
  • Jan Kazimierz Sapieha the Younger, ca. 1637/1642-1720, since 1700 held the title of a Duke. Since 1681 FieldHetman of Lithuania, the following year he also became the voivod of Vilna. In 1682 promoted to Grand Hetman of Lithuania.
  • Marcin Zamoyski, 1637-1689, voivode
  • Józef Karol Lubomirski, 1638-1702, marshal, koniuszy, starost
  • Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, 1640-1694
  • Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, 1640-1673, king
  • Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski, 1642-1702, marshall, starost
  • Jan Karol Opaliński, 1642-1695, castellan of Poznań, starost
  • Stanisław Mateusz Rzewuski, 1642-1728, voivode
  • Marianna Kazanowska, 1643-1687
  • Dominik Radziwiłł, 1643-1697, chancellor
  • Katarzyna Sobieska, 1643-1694
  • Cecylia Maria Radziwiłł, 1643-1682
  • Dominik Mikołaj Radziwiłł, 1643-1697, chancellor
  • Teresa Chodkiewicz, 1645-1672
  • Mikołaj Hieronim Sieniawski, 1645-1683, hetman
  • Hieronim Augustyn Lubomirski, 1647-1706, hetman
  • Rafał Leszczyński, 1650-1703
  • Stanisław Antoni Szczuka, 1652-1710, chancellor
  • Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski, 1654-1727, voivode
  • Teresa Lubomirska, 1658-1712
  • Anna Jabłonowska, 1660-1727
  • Andrzej Taczanowski, c. 1660-18th century, knight commander 1683 Battle of Vienna
  • Teodor Andrzej Potocki, 1664-1738, primate
  • Adam Mikołaj Sieniawski, 1666-1726, hetman
  • Jakub Ludwik Sobieski, 1667-1737, crown-prince
  • Elżbieta Lubomirska, 1669-1729
  • Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł, 1669-1719, koniuszy, chancellor
  • Stanisław Ernest Denhoff, 1673-1728, hetman
  • Stanisław Chomętowski, 1673-1728, hetman
  • Florian Pacanowski, 1673-1725, ambassador
  • Józef Potocki, 1673-1752, hetman
  • Kazimierz Czartoryski, 1674-1741
  • Józef Lubomirski, 1676-1732, voivode
  • Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński, 1676-1756, treasurer, zupnik, starost
  • Stanisław Poniatowski, 1676-1762
  • Teresa Kunegunda Sobieska, 1676-1730
  • Stanisław Leszczyński, 1677-1766, king
  • Aleksander Benedykt Sobieski, 1677-1714, prince
  • Tomasz Józef Zamoyski, 1678-1725, starost
  • Michał Zdzisław Zamoyski, 1679-1735, voivode
  • Jan Fryderyk Sapieha, 1680-1751, Grand Recorder of Lithuania between 1706 and 
  • 1709, since 1716 the castellan of Troki and after 1735 the Grand Chancellor of Lithuania
  • Konstanty Władysław Sobieski, 1680-1726, prince
  • Michał Serwacy Wiśniowiecki, 1680-1744, chancellor, hetman
  • Franciszek Bieliński, 1683-1766, marshal, voivode
  • Teodor Lubomirski, 1683-1745
  • Jan Tarło, 1684-1750, voivode
  • Jerzy Ignacy Lubomirski, 1687-1753
  • Jan Klemens Branicki, 1689-1771, magnate, hetman, castellan
  • Stefan Garczyński, voivode of Poznań, writer
  • Aleksander Dominik Lubomirski, 1693-1720
  • Marianna Lubomirska, 1693-1729
  • Katarzyna Barbara Radziwiłł, 1693-1730
  • Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł, 1695-1715, podstoli, starost
  • Andrzej Stanisław Załuski, 1695-1758, bishop
  • Michał Fryderyk Czartoryski, 1696-1775, castellan, chancellor
  • August Aleksander Czartoryski, 1697-1782
  • Maria Zofia Sieniawska, 1698-1771, countess
  • Jerzy Detloff Fleming, 1699-1771
  • Zuzanna Korwin Gosiewska, 17th century-1660
  • Krystyna Lubomirska, 17th century-1669
  • Wiktoria Elżbieta Potocka, 17th century-1760
  • Aleksander Michał Lubomirski, 17th century-1673
  • Stanisław Koniecpolski, 17th century-1682, voivode
  • Jan Wielopolski, 17th century-1688, castellan, voivode
  • Andrzej Potocki, 17th century-1692
  • Franciszek Sebastian Lubomirski, 17th century-1699
  • Anna Krystyna Lubomirska, 17th century-1701
  • Teresa Korwin Gosiewska, 17th century-1708
  • Jan Dobrogost Krasiński, 17th century-1717
  • Jan Aleksander Koniecpolski, 17th century-1719, voivode, starosta
  • Franciszek Lubomirski, 17th century-1721
  • Józef Potocki, 17th century-1723, starost
  • Jan Kazimierz Sapieha the Elder 17th century-1730, Grand Hetman of Lithuania
  • Jan Szembek, 17th century-1731, chancellor
  • Franciszek Wielopolski, 17th century--1732, voivode
  • Aleksander Jan Jabłonowski, 17th century-1733
  • Jerzy Aleksander Lubomirski, 17th century-1735
  • Anna Lubomirska, 17th century-1736
  • Jan Lubomirski, 17th century-1736
  • Antoni Benedykt Lubomirski, 17th century-1761
  • Krystyna Branicka, 17th century-1767
The 18th Century Polish Nobility
  • Konstancja Czartoryska, 1700-1759
  • Michał Józef Massalski, c. 1700-1768, hetman
  • Franciszek Salezy Potocki, 1700-1772, voivode
  • Count Karol Antoni Usakowski 1750-1825, Count,voivode
  • Jan Wielopolski, 1700-1773, voivode
  • Michał Kazimierz "Rybeńko" Radziwiłł, 1702-176, hetman, castellan,
  • Maria Klementyna Sobieska, 1702-1735, crown princess
  • Józef Andrzej Załuski, 1702-1774, bishop
  • Maria Leszczyńska, 1703-1768, princess
  • Stanisław Lubomirski, 1704-1793, voivode
  • Michał Grocholski, 1705-1765, cześnik
  • Wacław Rzewuski, 1705-1779, hetman
  • Tomasz Antoni Zamoyski, 1707-1752, voivode
  • Marianna Jabłonowska, 1708-1765
  • Franciszek Ferdynant Lubomirski, 1710-1747
  • Józef Aleksander Jabłonowski, 1711-1777, voivode
  • Mikołaj Bazyli Potocki, 1712-1782, starost
  • Andrzej Mokronowski, 1713-1784, voivode
  • Adam Tarło, 1713-1744, voivode
  • Hieronim Florian Radziwiłł, 1715-1760, podczaszy, starost
  • Kajetan Sołtyk, 1715-1788, bishop
  • Andrzej Zamoyski, 1716-1792, voivode, chancellor
  • Jan Jakub Zamoyski, 1716-1790, voivode
  • Antoni Lubomirski, 1718-1782, voivode
  • Kazimierz Poniatowski, 1721-1800, podkomorzy
  • Rafael Taczanowski, 1721-18th century, head of the Jesuit Order in Poland
  • Jacek Jezierski, 1722-1805
  • Stanisław Lubomirski, 1722-1782, prince
  • Celestyn Czaplic, 1723-1803, podczaszy, podkomorzy, koniuszy
  • Kazimierz Krasiński, 1725-1802
  • Piotr Ożarowski, 1725-1794, hetman
  • Ignacy Jakub Massalski, 1726-1794, bishop
  • Antonina Czartoryska, 1728-1746, princess
  • Anna Luiza Mycielska, 1729-1771
  • Franciszek Ksawery Branicki, 1730-1819, magnate, hetman
  • Franciszek Grocholski, 1730-1792
  • Maria Karolina Lubomirska, 1730-1795
  • Izabella Poniatowska, 1730-1801
  • Aniela Miączyńska, 1731-?
  • Antoni Barnaba Jabłonowski, 1732-1799
  • Tomasz Sołtyk, 1732-1808, castellan
  • Stanisław August Poniatowski, 1732-1798, king
  • Adam Naruszewicz, 1733-1798, writer, bishop
  • Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski, 1734-1823, prince
  • Stanisław Potocki, 1734-1802, starost, krajczy
  • Karol Stanisław "Panie Kochanku" Radziwiłł, 1734-1790, prince, voivode
  • Ignacy Krasicki, 1735-1801, bishop, writer
  • Tomasz Adam Ostrowski, 1735-1817, castellan
  • Andrzej Poniatowski, 1735-1773
  • Elżbieta Czartoryska, 1736-1816
  • Stanisław Małachowski, 1736-1809
  • Michał Jerzy Poniatowski, 1736-1794, archbishop
  • Józef Mikołaj Radziwiłł, 1736-1813, voivode
  • Elżbieta Czartoryska, 1736-1816, princess
  • Jacek Małachowski, 1737-1821
  • Tadeusz Franciszek Ogiński, 1737-1783, voivode
  • Stanisław Ferdynand Rzewuski, 1737-1786
  • Józef Klemens Czartoryski, 1740-1810
  • Szymon Marcin Kossakowski, 1741-1794
  • Michał Jerzy Mniszech, 1742-1806, marshal
  • Tadeusz Rejtan, 1742-1780
  • Seweryn Rzewuski, 1743-1811, hetman
  • Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł, 1744-1831
  • Maria Ludwika Rzewuska, 1744-1816
  • Kazimierz Pułaski, 1745-1779
  • Ignacy Wyssogota Zakrzewski, 1745-1802
  • Izabela Fleming, 1746-1835, countess
  • Tadeusz Kościuszko, 1746-1817, general
  • Klemens Zamoyski, 1747-1767, starost
  • Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński, 1748-1829
  • Maciej Radziwiłł, 1749-1800, podkomorzy
  • Hugo Kołłątaj, 1750-1812, chancellor
  • Roman Ignacy Potocki, 1750-1809
  • Józefina Amalia Mniszech, 1752-1798
  • Józef Zajączek, 1752-1826, general
  • Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki, 1753-1805, voivode
  • Stanisław Sołtyk, 1753-1831
  • Ignacy Działyński, 1754-1797, military officer
  • Stanisław Poniatowski, 1754-1833
  • Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, 1755-1818, Polish general
  • Gertruda Komorowska, 1755-1771
  • Elżbieta Lubomirska, 1755-1783, princess
  • Stanisław Kostka Zamoyski, 1755-1856, voivode
  • Jan Krasiński, 1756-1790
  • Stanisław Kostka Potocki, 1757-1821
  • Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha, 1757-1798, artillery general
  • Kazimierz Jordan-Rozwadowski, 1757-1836, Polish Patriot
  • Józef Kajetan Ossoliński, 1758-1834, castellan
  • Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, 1758-1841, writer
  • Władysław Franciszek Jabłonowski, 1769-1802
  • Hieronim Wincenty Radziwiłł, 1759-1786, podkomorzy
  • Dominik Dziewanowski, 1759-1827, Virtuti Militari
  • Dorota Barbara Jabłonowska, 1760-1844
  • Aleksandra Lubomirska, 1760-1836
  • Konstancja Małgorzata Lubomirska, 1761-1840
  • Stanisław Mokronowski, 1761-1821, general
  • Antoni Protazy Potocki, 1761-1801
  • Jan Potocki, 1761-1815
  • Karol Kniaziewicz, 1762-1842
  • Józef Antoni Poniatowski, 1763-1813, prince
  • Julia Lubomirska, 1764-1794
  • Michał Kleofas Ogiński, 1765-1833
  • Jan Henryk Wołodkowicz, 1765-1825
  • Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko, 1768-1844
  • Maksymilian Taczanowski, 177?-1852, national revolutionary
  • Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, 1770-1861, prince
  • Jan Krukowiecki, 1772-1850
  • Konstanty Adam Czartoryski, 1773-1860
  • Rajmund Rembliński, 1774-1820
  • Antoni Radziwiłł, 1775-1833
  • Ludwik Pac, 1778-1835
  • Aleksander Stanisław Potocki, 1778-1845, castellan
  • Michał Gedeon Radziwiłł, 1778-1850
  • Klementyna Czartoryska, 1780-1852
  • Zofia Czartoryska, 1780-1837
  • Antoni Potocki, 1780-1850, castellan
  • Jan Kozietulski, 1781-1821
  • Wincenty Krasiński, 1782-1858
  • Antoni Jan Ostrowski, 1782-1845, castellan, general
  • Władysław Grzegorz Branicki, 1783-1843
  • Alfred Wojciech Potocki, 1785-1862, ochmistrz of Galicia
  • Edward Raczyński, 1786-1845
  • Dominik Hieronim Radziwiłł, 1786-1813
  • Józefina Maria Czartoryska, 1787-1862
  • Artur Potocki, 1787-1832
  • Dezydery Chłapowski, 1788-1879, general
  • Marie, Countess Walewski, 1789-1817
  • Zofia Branicka, 1790-1879
  • Władysław Ostrowski, 1790-1869
  • Roman Sołtyk, 1790-1843
  • Sir Paweł Edmund Strzelecki, 1797-1873, explorer
  • Anna Zofia Sapieha, 1799-1864
  • Konstanty Zamoyski, 1799-1866
  • Stanisław Potocki, 18th-century-1760, voivode
  • Anna Lubomirska, 18th-century-1763
  • Józef Sawa-Caliński, 18th-century-1771
  • Aleksander August Zamoyski, 18th-century-1800
  • Ludwika Lubomirska, 18th-century-1829
  • Józef Makary Potocki, 18th-century-1829
  • Zenon Kazimierz Wysłouch, 1727-1805, 
  • chamberlain of the Brzeskie Voivodeship
The 19th Century Polish Nobility
  • Roman Sanguszko, 1800-1881
  • Andrzej Artur Zamoyski, 1800-1874
  • Ewelina Hańska, 1801-1882
  • Władysław Hieronim Sanguszko, 1803-1870
  • Aleksander Wielopolski, 1803-1877
  • Leon Sapieha, 1803-1878
  • Władysław Stanisław Zamoyski, 1803-1868, general, revolutionary
  • Przemysław Potocki, 1805-1847
  • Emilia Plater, 1806-1831, revolutionary
  • Franciszka Ksawera Brzozowska, 1807-1872
  • Delfina Potocka, 1807-1877
  • Szymon Konarski, 1808-1839, revolutionary
  • Alexandre Joseph Count Colonna-Walewski, 1810-1868
  • Zdzisław Zamoyski, 1810-1855
  • Antoni Patek, 1811-1877
  • Agenor Gołuchowski, 1812-1875
  • Kazimierz Gzowski, 1813-1898, engineer
  • Tomasz Chołodecki, 1813-1880, political activist
  • Alfons Anton Felix Count Taczanowski, 1815-1867, member of Prussian House of Lords
  • Celestyn Chołodecki 1816-1867
  • Alfred Józef Potocki, 1817-1889, sejm marshal, prime minister of Austria-Hungary
  • Władysław Taczanowski, 1819-1890, zoologist
  • Eliza Branicka, 1820-1876, wife of famous poet Zygmunt Krasiński
  • Edmund Taczanowski, 1822-1879, general, revolutionary
  • Witold Czartoryski, 1824-1865
  • Katarzyna Branicka, 1825-1907
  • Włodzimierz Dzieduszycki, 1825-1899
  • Wladislaw Taczanowski, 1825-1893
  • Jerzy Konstanty Czartoryski, 1828-1912
  • Władysław Czartoryski, 1828-1894
  • Władysław Umiastowski,1831-1905, marshal of szlachta, count
  • Izabella Elżbieta Czartoryska, 1832-1899
  • Tomasz Franciszek Zamoyski, 1832-1889
  • Maria Grocholska, 1833-1928
  • Mikołaj Światopełk-Mirski, 1833-1898
  • Raphael Kalinowski, 1835-1907
  • Stanisław Antoni Potocki, 1837-1884
  • Stanisław Tarnowski, 1837-1917
  • Stefan Zamoyski, 1837-1899
  • Konstanty Kalinowski, 1838-1864,
  • Alfonsyna Miączyńska, 1838-1919
  • Nester Trubecki, c.1840-1907, prince
  • Eustachy Stanisław Sanguszko, 1842-1903
  • Władysław Krasiński, 1844-1873
  • Kasimir Felix Graf Badeni, 1846-1909
  • Bolesław Prus, 1847-1912
  • Edward Aleksander Raczyński, 1847-1926
  • Agenor Maria Gołuchowski, 1849-1921
  • Maria Beatrix Krasińska, 1850-1884
  • Artur Władysław Potocki, 1850-1890
  • Roman Potocki, 1851-1889, count
  • Józef Białynia Chołodecki 1852-1934
  • Władysław Zamoyski, 1854-1924
  • August Czartoryski, 1858-1893
  • Witold Leon Czartoryski, 1864-1945
  • Zdzisław Lubomirski, 1865-1943
  • Tadeusz Jordan-Rozwadowski, 1866-1928, Polish General, chief of staff
  •  of the Polish Army, major contributor to victory at the Battle of Warsaw
  • Jadwiga Dzieduszycka, 1867-1941
  • Jan Nepomucen Potocki, 1867-1943
  • Adam Stefan Sapieha, 1867-1951
  • Rodryg Dunin, 1870-1928
  • Waclaw Iwaszkiewicz Polish general in the Polish-Soviet war (1919-1920)
  • Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski, 1871-1939
  • Adam Ludwik Czartoryski 1872-1937
  • Wacław Sobieski, 1872-1935
  • Władysław Zdzisław Zamoyski, 1873-1944
  • Paweł Trubecki, 1879-1941, prince
  • Maria Ludwika Krasińska, 1883-1958
  • Alfred Niezychowski, 1888-1964
  • Samuel Tyszkiewicz, 1889-1954
  • Stanisław Bohdan Grabiński, 1891-1930
  • Edward Raczyński, 1891-1993, president
  • Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, 1895-1966, Polish general
  • Jan Franciszek Czartoryski, 1897-1944
  • Roman Jacek Czartoryski, 1898-1958
  • Krzysztof Mikołaj Radziwiłł, 1898-1986

The 20th Century Polish Nobility

Nobility privileges were abolished under the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939). Nobility obligations are not addressed. This would leave the legal status of nobility as consisting of obligations only (as they demonstrated in WW2) had the article been not later revoked anyway.

  • Stefan Adam Zamoyski, 1904-1976
  • Elżbieta Czartoryska, 1905-1989
  • Adam Michał Czartoryski, 1906-1998
  • Augustyn Józef Czartoryski, 1907-1944
  • Antoni Dunin, 1907-1939
  • Piotr Michał Czartoryski, 1909-1993
  • Kurnatowski of Lodzia. Zygmunt Obtained the hereditary 
  • papal title of Count from Pope Leo XIII in 1902.
  • Jan Zamoyski (1912-2002), 1912-2002
  • Stanisław Albrecht Radziwiłł, 1914-1976
  • Włodzimierz Wałoc Trubecki, 1915-1997, prince
  • Professor Pawel Czartoryski, 1924-1999
  • Władysław Krzysztof Grabiński, 1925-1944
  • Jan Trubecki, 1938, prince
  • Adam Karol Czartoryski, 1940
  • Adam Zamoyski, 1949
  • Hubert Taczanowski, 1960
  • Princess Tamara Laura Czartoryska-Borbon, 1978
  • Aleksander Kochankrólewski, 1989
  • Seweryn Wysłouch, 1900-1968

The Index of Polish Princely Houses

 Czartoryski h. Pogon Litewska. Dynastic Princely title confirmed in Poland and Lithuania in 1569, in Hungary in 1442 and 1808, in Austria in 1785 and 1863, in the Kingdom of Poland in 1815, 1819 and 1824. Qualification of Serene Highness accorded in Austria, July 20 1905.

Czetwertynski h. Pogon Ruska. The Czetwertynski family appears in the 1824 list 
of persons authorised to bear the title of Prince in the Kingdom of Poland. The 
title was recognised in Rusia in 1843, 1858, 1860, 1875 and 1886. 
 
Drucki-Lubecki h. Druck. The right to the title of Prince was recognised in 
Prussia on December 21 1798, in Russia on January 24 1851 and May 12 1852.
 
Giedroyc h. Poraj. Princely title received Russian 
confirmation in 1865, 1866, 1875, 1876, 1878 and 1880.
 
 
 
Gulgowski h. Doliwa  Princely and Ducal House of Gulgowski-Doliwa bear the titles of Prince, Duke and Count of the Holy Roman 
Empire of the German Nation and of the Kingdom of Poland. Titles recognized by King Frederick The Great Patent, dated 13 September 1772 .
 
 
 
Jablonowski h. Prus III. Hereditary title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire  
granted by Emperor Charles VII to various members of the family in 1743 and 1744. 
Title was recognised in Poland in 1775, in Austria in 1777, 1820 and 1827 and  in Russia in 1844. In 1824 the Jablonowskis appeared in the list of families  authorised to bear the title of Prince in the Kingdom of Poland. On July 20  1905 the Jablonowskis received confirmation of their right to the qualification
of Serene Highness (originally granted in 1704).
 
Lubomirski h. Szreniawa bez Krzyza. Title of Count of the Holy Roman Empire 
awarded to Sebastian Lubomirski on July 14 1595. His son Stanislaw was 
awarded the hereditary title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire by Emperor Ferdinand III on March 8 1647. Title was confirmed in Austria on June 6 1786, in Russia on May 21 1863 and March 8 1888. In 1824 the Lubomirskis appeared in the list of families authorised to bear the title of Prince in the Kingdom of Poland. On July 20 1905 the Lubomirskis were awarded the qualification of Serene Highness.
 
Massalski h. Massalski. In 1775 the Massalskis were granted the hereditary title 
of Prince by the Polish Sejm (parliament). This branch became extinct on May 9 
1794. Various members of the non-titled branch obtained confirmation of their right to the title of Prince in Russia on September 7 1862, April 7 1864, June 24 1868, January 22 1885 and March 21 1889
 
Oginski h. Oginiec. The right of the family to bear the title of Prince was  
recognised in Austria by Emperor Joseph II on 17 March 1783, in the Kingdom  
of Poland by the Senate on 25 March 1821 and in Russia by Czar Alexander II on 3 April 1868. In 1824 the Oginskis appeared in the list of families authorised to bear the title of Prince in the Kingdom of Poland.
 
Ossolinski h. Topor. Various titular grants: Jerzy Ossolinski obtained the 
hereditary title of Prince from Pope Urban VIII on 23 December 1633, the 
non-hereditary title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire from Emperor Ferdinand II on 20 January 1634. The hereditary title became extinct upon the death of Jerzy's only son. Franciszek-Maximilian Ossolinski obtained the title of Duke from King Louis XV of France on 1 January 1736. The title became extinct in 1790. Michal Ossolinski obtained the right to the hereditary title of Count of Austria from Emperor Joseph II on 7 July and 9 August 1785. Jozef-Kajetan Ossolinski obtained the hereditary title of Count from Kaiser Frederick-Wilhelm, of Prussia on 15 November 1805 (L.P. 1 October 1806). Wiktor-Maximilian-Josef Ossolinski obtained the hereditary title of Count in Russia on 7 January 1848. In 1824 the Ossolinskis appeared in the list of families authorised to bear the title of Count of the Kingdom of Poland.
 
Poniatowski h. Ciolek. In 1764 the brothers of King Stanislaw-Augustus 
Poniatowski (Kazimierz, Andrzej and Michal) were awarded the hereditary title of 
Prince of Poland by the Polish Sejm (parliament). On 10 December 1765 Emperor
Joseph II also awarded Andrzej the hereditary title of Prince in Austria (succession by primogeniture). Karol and Stanislaw-Michal-Ksawery Poniatowski obtained the hereditary title of Prince from Austrian Emperor Franz-Josef on 19 November 1850.
 
Poninski h. Lodzia. Various grants: Princely title awarded to Adam and Calixte 
Poninski by the Sejm on 19 April 1773. The descendants of Adam were granted 
the hereditary title of Prince in Austria on 30 December 1837 and 22 May 1841. Alexsander-Franciszek Poninski was awarded the qualification of Serene Highness by Emperor Franz-Josef on 20 July 1905. Ignacy-Augustus Poninski obtained the Prussian hereditary title of Count on 4 August 1782. This title was later
confirmed in Austria on 8 March 1842 and 8 March 1862. Wladyslaw-Augustus obtained the hereditary title of Count in Italy on 24 February 1880. The title became extinct in the following generation. Stanislaw obtained the Prussian hereditary title of Count on 10 Septemer 1840 (sucession by primogeniture with added stipulation that the mother of each heir be noble in her own right). Antoni Poninski obtained the Bavarian title of Count on 18 August 1841. Adolphus Poninski obtained the Papal title of Count from Pope Pius X in 1908. On 25 March 1888 Bronislaw Poninski obtained the non-hereditary title of Count from King Umberto I of Italy. 
 
Puzyna h. Oginiec. The right to bear the title of Prince was recognised by the 
Kingdom of Poland in a senate decision in 1823, in Russia on 17 May and 6 June 
1910, 3 July and 24 September 1915 and 21 January 1916. In 1824 the Puzynas were listed among those families authorised to bear the title of Prince in the Kingdom of Poland.
 
Radziwill h. Traby. The Radziwills received confirmation of their right to the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1547; in Poland in 1564/1569; in Austria in 1784 and 1882; in the Kingdom of Poland in 1824 and in Russia in 1845, 1867 and 1899. The qualification of Serene Highness was accorded in Prussia in 1859 and 1861 and in Austria in 1905. 
 
Sanguszko h. Pogon Litweska. The Sanguszko dynasty received confirmation of 
the title of Prince in Poland in 1569; in Austria in 1785, 1833 and 1835 and in 
Russia in 1858 and 1906. In 1905 the Princes Sanguszko received the qualification of Serene Highness from Austrian Emperor Franz-Josef.
 
Sapieha h. Lis. Michal-Franciszek obtained the hereditary title of Prince of the 
Holy Roman Empire from Emperor Leopold I on 14th September 1700. The title 
became extinct upon his death without issue on 19th November 1700. In 1768 all the members of the Sapieha family obtained recognition of the princely title from the Polish sejm (parliament). In 1824 the Sapieha family appeared in the list of persons authorised to bear the title of Prince of the Kingdom Poland. The title was also recognised by the Austrians in 1836 and 1840, and in Russia in 1874 and 1901. In 1905 they obtained the qualification of Serene Highness in Austria.
 
Sulkowski h. Sulima. Title of Count of the Holy Roman Empire obtained in 
1733. Title of Prince obtained in Bohemia in 1752 (succession by primogenitue). 
Twelve years later the right of succession was extended to all descendants. In 1774 the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire was recognised in Poland. The Sulkowskis received the Prussian qualification of Serene Highness in 1819 and the Austrian qualification of Serene Highness in 1905. 
 
Woroniecki h. Korybut. In 1824 the Woronieckis were listed amongst those 
persons authorised to bear the title of Prince of the Kingdom of Poland. The 
princely title was recognised in Russia on 28th June 1844 and 5th July 1852. 
 
Zajaczek h. Swinka. On 17th April 1818 Joseph Zajaczek (29th March 1752-13th  
February 1845) obtained the hereditary title of Prince of the Kingdom of Poland  
from Czar Aleksander I. The title became extinct upon his death without issue.
 
 

Coat of Arms of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.svg   File:Heraldic Royal Crown of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.svg   Coat of Arms of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.svg
Official Website of the Almanach de Saxe Gotha
Copyright Held © 1995-2024 - All Rights Reserved
Protected by U.S. and International Copyright Laws
Website Email: information@almanachdegotha.org
 
 
 

Jouelle logobentley.jpgcartier-cartier.jpgbugatti.gif 

This site  The Web