Figure 1.--This is a portrait of Zbigniew Ossoliński and his three sons. They were defined as Polish magnates and were a very powerful family at the time, about 1650. Details of the cut and colors of clothes precisely imitate father's clothes. The overcoat was lined with fur is probably early [?kontusz]. |
The origins of the Polish Nobility are not well understood. Most noble families in both Poland and Lithuania claimed membership in the the szlachta odwieczna. This essentially means that any real understanding of their
origin is unknown. The Polish nobility also had some unique characteristics in comparison to the Feudal nobility of Western Europe. There were differences in both the structure and prerogatives. The nobilility in Western Europe (England, France, or Germany) had various classes (ranks) of nobility. Up untill the Third Partition (1795) when Poland disappeared as an independent country, there was only one class of nobility--the szlachta. The only exception here were several dozen families who were entitle to the rank of prince. Many believe that Polish Medieval Govermental traditions and institutions developed the ancient Slavic rod or clan. The Polish knightly class are believed to have descened from these ancient clans. Other sources suggest that early Polish governmental forms were not connected with the clan system. The clan system was primarilt founded on the basis of common ancestry and kinship. Poland had developed a monarchy by the 10th-11th and by this time the importance of the ancient clan system on government was minimal. The clans syste, however, did play a major role in develoing Poland's social customs and civil legal relationships.
Major Eastern European language and ethnic gtoup speaking one of the Indo-European family languages. The Slavs arecnormally divided into the West Slavs (Poles, Czecha, and Slovaks), East Slavs (Great Russians, Ukranians, and White Rissians), and South Slavs (Serbs, Croas, Slovenes, Macedonians, Montenegrans, and Bulgarians). The origins of the Slavs are not well understood. Like the Germans, Slavs have developed politically based national theories which have complicated actual scholarship and confused existing literature. Russia's Tsars used pan-Slavism to further its imperial expansion southward into the Ukraine and Balkans. Culturally the Slavs are divided into those national groups associated with the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. Germans and different Slavic nations employed both theories about origins as tools of political propaganda, resulting in general confusion. Some authors note references in Roman sourrces which appear to refer to the Slavs (1st century BC). Other sources maintain the first references appear later (1st century AD). main Some scientists (such as Kazimierz
Godlowski or Zdenek Vana) consider both theories absurd: they think that Slavs as such appeared and differentiated themselves from other tribes at some time
after 1AD. One auuthor describes two waves of Slavs existed: Proto-Slavs (called Venedes or Wenets) and Slavs proper. This author claims that the two waves merged to form the modern Slavs. There appears to be no definitive archeological study as to the Slavs oigins and early history. Considerable archeolgical work has been done, but the findings at ths time seem rather confused. No one knows definitively where the Slavs originated from before the population exploded to become Europe's large ethnic hroup. The earliest evidence places the Slavs in the Pripyat Marshes area (Polesie). There are many Slavic words suggesting Indo-Aryan links and not mere borrowing. There are also theories of an autochthonous origins dating from pre-glacial times. Scholars are conducting genetic research to address the question of origins and ethnic differences. Anthropologists still debate the theories of multi-regional as opposed to the "out of Africa" concept of human evolution. Some historians speculate that the Slavic homeland was what Tacitus decribed as Germania. The origins of thecSlavs is further complicated by the assimilation of non-Slavic peoples. Modern Bulgarians, for example, seem a combination of For example, the Bulgarians are related to Central-Asian Bulgars who mixed .
with Slavs.
The origins of the Polish Nobility are not well understood. Most noble families in both Poland and Lithuania claimed membership in the the szlachta odwieczna. This essentially means that any real understanding of their
origin is unknown. The polish nobility had some unique characteristics in comparison to the Feudal nobility of Western Europe. It also shows a different historical and chronolgical pattern. This changed with the 18th century partitions and the disappearnce of the Polish state.
The Polish nobility had some unique characteristics in comparison to the Feudal nobility of Western Europe. There were differences in both the structure and prerogatives. The nobilility in Western Europe (England, France
or Germany) had various classes (ranks) of nobility. One author reports that up untill the Third Partition (1795) when Poland disappeared as an independent country, there was only one class of nobility--the szlachta. The only exception here were several dozen families who were entitle to the rank of prince. Membership in the nobility was hereditary, but could be achieved through either "valorous deeds on the field of honour" or by adoption into a nobel clan. The ancient Slavic code impeded the adoption of of orders or the bearing of titles which would have created a ranking of precedence among the aristocracy. Polish titles, such as Prince, Duke, Marquis and Baron
are of foreign origins. The old Polish nobility proteced the principals of equality. Some authors describes ranks in the Polish nobility, but these seem to be more levels of power and influence based on wealth rather than actual nobel ranks. The highest ranking nobels were those with established ancient lineage who were referred to as the Karmazynska Szlachta (crimson nobility). The Magnancy were the wealthiest which might have ancient linage, but not necesarily. The Zamozna were the middle nobility. They were not the wealthiest families, but had substantial land holdings and serfs tied to thevland to work it. The lowest rank were the Drobna Szlachta. They were the minor or lesser nobility. They had some land, but without serfs attached to it and as a result worked their holdings themselves. [Chorzempa] The nobility was an exclusive class in which all members were considered equal. Another sources describes other levels of nobility: Magnates (wealthy landowners, "Krolewieta"); village gentry; small landowners, and "Grey Nobility" (impverished knights).
Many believe that Polish Medieval Govermental traditions and institutions developed the ancient Slavic rod or clan. The Polish knightly class are believed to have descened from these ancient clans. Other sources suggest that early Polish governmental forms were not connected with the clan system. The clan system was primarilt founded on the basis of common ancestry and kinship. Poland had developed a monarchy by the 10th-11th and by this time the importance of the ancient clan system on government was minimal. The clans syste, however, did play a major role in develoing Poland's social customs and civil legal relationships.
Poland was in the early Medieval period a land without central control, racked by warring tribes. Prince Mieszko I was baptised in 966. Mieszko
and Roman Catholic Christianity provided stability and cohesion for the first time. Poland had by the 17th century had become the largest state in Europe. The King was elected for life. He was was considered to be "The first among equals", but not an absolute ruler as developed in Russia or some Western kingdoms. The nobility controlled parliment which had great power. The nobility was also the mainstay of the Polish army. The elected kingship and the power of the nobility significantly impaired the development of a strong national state. Despite important reforms in the late 18th century, Poland was partioned between Austria, Prussia, and Russia and the Polish monarchy ended. Napoleon was aided by Polish nationalists in his campaigns against Austria and Prussia, but his devestating defeat in Russia, ended any hope of a restored Polish monarchy as the peace was dictated by the very powers that had partioned Poland.
Medieval feudalism developed first in Western Europe. After the fall of Rome, the Feudal system developed in Europe. The Feudalism was an economic, social, and economic system based apportionment of land in exchange for the provision of fealty and service. The system was based on the king granting land to his important noblemen who became barons. These land grants became heritary. The king also granted land to the Church. These nobels in exchange pledged loyally to the king and to provide soldiers and supplies in time of
war. The great nobels in turn divied their fiefdom among lesser lords or knights who became his vassals. This system ws based on the laborof the lowest rung of the social order. Most Europeans were peasant farmers working on the land of a Feudal nobleman--the lor of the manner. They did not own their land, but allowed to work it in exchange for a hare of the crop and labor when required. As the Feudal system developed, the peasants or serfs became tied to th land, not allowed to leaveit without permission of the lord of the manner. The Feudal system began to weaken in Western Europe by the 16th century, but persisted much longer in Eastern Europe. The serfs in Russia werenot legal freed until the 19th century and it was not until the Revolution in the 20th century that the still essentially Feudal estates were broken up.
Western European knighthood in Western Europe was an element of the Feudal system and regularized coide of conduct known as chivalry. Polish nighthood had no comparable code or "fountain of honour".
The Polish nobility (Szlachta) emerged before the 11th century. ther accounts suggest the 11th-12th centuries. Authors agree that the Szlachta emerged out of the evolving clan system. Major changes were occurring in the structure of the Slavic clans by the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century. The new system was based on patronage--the basic cohesive force of Feudalism. It became known as rod klientarny or clan of clients. The key role of patron was assumed by the king who designated new knights loyal to him to the clans he chose. Also important knights (who were land owners accepted their associates and family relations into their clan without royal designation. These clans formed alliances based on various factors. Foreign immigrants might form clans based on ethnicity. Some of the new clans were based on the anchient Slavic clans based largely on ancestry. At least one author maintains that the new clan system was the key to the development of the Polish nobility or szlachta. [Zajaczkowski, ch. 1.] Each Polish clan adopted its destinctive emblem (taiga) which eventually evolved into the heraldic symbols in the Polish coats of arms. Polish heraldry, however, followed none of the conventions of Western heraldy. Polish arms often utilized bore ancient "ciphers" aderived from the tribal clans.
The new Slavic clans were higly varied, both in size and poltical and economic importance. Some were made up of only ine family while others were composed of multiple families. Some had very size land holdings while others has very limited holdings. The ecomomy of Europe at the time was based largely on agriculture. Thus land was the and land ownership was the critical factor to building wealth and power. Thus land ownership was of great importnce in establishing nobel status. Land in the 13th and 14th centuries individual clan members received land grants which became the basis of family fortunes. Coomoners who received land grants often attempt to join clans. Important clans grew more powerful by incorporating smaller clans.
Most of the new clans were of local Polish origins. There was, however, some foreign clans. Some were the descendents of knights who have moved east to improve seek their fortunes. Authors note several clans with such foreign origins. including Bohemian, Germanic, Luisatian, Polabian, and Scandinavian origin. [Klec-Pilewski. p. 24.]
The szlachta as a privlidged estate based on the landholdings of the clans had vecome a well established by the reign of King Kazimierz Wielki or Casimir the Great (1333-1370). The process codifying its legal privileges continued to develop through the middle of the 16th century. One report indicates that there were about 140 clans in the 15th century. Another source reports about 110 clans in the 16th century. It is at this time that the Poland's nobility became closed to commoners and outsiders, becoming a closed society as had developed much earlier in Western Europe.
Chorzempa, Rosemary A. Polish Roots (Polish Genealogical Society of America).
Klec-Pilewski, Bernard. Studies and Contributions to Polish History, Genealogy and Heraldry (London, 1991).
Zajaczkowski, Andrzej. Szlachta polska; kultura i struktura (Warszawa: Semper, 1993).
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