List of szlachta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (properly, the "Republic of the Two Nations": in Polish, Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów; in Belarusian, Рэч Паспалі́тая) was a federal monarchic republic comprising the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 15691795. It was governed by an elected monarch. The Commonwealth's dominant social class was the szlachta, the unique Polish nobility. This article chiefly lists the szlachta's magnate segment (the higher nobility), as they were the most prominent, famous and notable.

Contents

[edit] By family

Below is a list of important szlachta families. See each family's article for a list of its notable members. All names are given first in the singular, then (parenthetically) in the plural.

Famous magnates: families that had accumulated great wealth and political power and had few equals; they were the top magnates, who generally preserved their power across several centuries. Also included are some famous middle and lesser szlachta families.


[edit] By 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.

"Szlachta" is the proper term for Polish nobility beginning about the 15th century. A Polish nobleman who lived earlier is referred to as a "rycerz" ("knight"); the class of all such individuals is the "rycerstwo."

[edit] 15th century

[edit] 16th century

[edit] 17th century

[edit] 18th century

[edit] 19th century

[edit] 20th century

Szlachta privileges were abolished under the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939).

[edit] Fictional nobles

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

In other languages