Ossolinski
Encyclopedia
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
(nobility) family. Because Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, Ossolińska is the form for a female family member
History
The Ossolińskis were a magnateMagnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
family. They appeared in the historical annals at the beginning of the 14th century. The family originated from Ossolin in Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...
. The progenitor of the family was Jan z Ossolina, son of Great Marshal
Marszalek
Marszałek was one of the highest officials in the Polish royal court since the 13th century and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the 15th century...
of the Crown and castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
Nawoja z Tęczyna. Jan was the main heir of the property that Nawoja left after his death. Due to the tradition in medieval Poland, he started to use the surname derived from the main family seat.
Grand Chancellor of the Crown Jerzy Ossoliński
Jerzy Ossolinski
Prince Jerzy Ossoliński was a Polish szlachcic, Crown Court Treasurer from 1632, voivode of Sandomierz from 1636, Reichsfürst since 1634, Crown Deputy Chancellor from 1639, Great Crown Chancellor from 1643, starost of Bydgoszcz , Lubomel , Puck and Bolim , magnate, politician and diplomat...
was granted a hereditary princely title by Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
in 1633. He also received a similar title, Reichsfürst, from the Emperor Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
in 1634. Another title was granted to Jerzy's cousin Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński by Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, King of France, in 1736. Both titles became extinct in 1790. Jerzy's famous library that he located in Lwów, the "Ossolineum", initiated the beginning of the Ossoliński Institute
Ossolineum
The Ossolineum or Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich a meritorious department for Polish science and culture , which was founded for the Polish Nation in 1817 by Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński, and was opened in 1827 in Lviv.It was one of the most important Polish...
, which was founded by Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński
Józef Maksymilian Ossolinski
Count Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński was a Polish noble , politician, writer, researcher of literature, and founder of the Ossoliński Institute....
in 1817.
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Coat of arms and motto
The Ossoliński family used the "Topór" arms.The Ossolinski's castle was reputedly the biggest in Europe prior to the building of Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
(see James Michener's book Poland). It's name, was 'Krzyżtopór' ("The Battle Axe of The Cross").
The descendants are represented in North Western England through Count Boris Ossolinski, whose Jackson heiress bride is remembered in England as Countess Mary Ossalinsky.
Members
- Jan Zbigniew OssolińskiJan Zbigniew OssolinskiJan Zbigniew Ossoliński was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman, or szlachcic.He held the following offices:*Secretary to the King from 1578*Chamberlain or podkomorzy of Sandomierz from 1593*Castellan of Małogoszcz and Żarnów from 1603...
(1555–1628), Podkomorzy, voivode - Krzysztof OssolińskiKrzysztof OssolinskiKrzysztof Ossoliński was a Polish-Lithuanian szlachcic .He was Podstoli of Sandomierz since 1618, Podkomorzy of Sandomierz since 1619, Castellan sadecki in 1633, wojnicki in 1636, voivode of Sandomierz Voivodeship in 1638, Starost stobnicki, ropczycki and wolbromski.Brother of Kanclerz Jerzy...
(1587–1645) Podkomorzy, PodstoliPodstoliPodstoli was a court office in Poland and Lithuania. A Podstoli was the deputy of a Stolnik, and was responsible for the King's pantry....
, voivode - Jerzy OssolińskiJerzy OssolinskiPrince Jerzy Ossoliński was a Polish szlachcic, Crown Court Treasurer from 1632, voivode of Sandomierz from 1636, Reichsfürst since 1634, Crown Deputy Chancellor from 1639, Great Crown Chancellor from 1643, starost of Bydgoszcz , Lubomel , Puck and Bolim , magnate, politician and diplomat...
(1595–1650), Great Crown ChancellorKanclerzKanclerz was one of the highest officials in the historic Poland. This office functioned from the early Polish kingdom of the 12th century until the end of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. A respective office also existed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the 16th... - Helena Tekla OssolińskaHelena Tekla OssolinskaPrincess Helena Tekla Ossolińska was a Polish noble lady.-History:Born in 1635 in Kielce, Poland, to paupers, Ossolińska grew up on a mule farm. At age thirteen, her parents became ill and she was adopted by the Royal family of Poland. While she became a Princess, the three other Royal children...
(?-1687), was married to Aleksander Michał LubomirskiAleksander Michał LubomirskiAleksander Michał Lubomirski is the name of:*Aleksander Michał Lubomirski , Polish noble*Aleksander Michał Lubomirski , Polish szlachcic... - Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński (1676–1756) Grand Chancellor
- Anna Teresa OssolińskaAnna Teresa Ossolinska (XVIII-1810)Princess Anna Teresa Ossolińska was a Polish noble lady.She married Józef Potocki in 1760....
(?-1810), was married to Stanisław Potocki - Józef Maksymilian OssolińskiJózef Maksymilian OssolinskiCount Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński was a Polish noble , politician, writer, researcher of literature, and founder of the Ossoliński Institute....
, (1748–1829), founder of the Ossoliński Institute - Józef Kajetan OssolińskiJózef Kajetan OssolinskiCount Józef Kajetan Ossoliński was a Polish szlachcic.Castellan of Podlaskie Voivodeship since 1790, Senator Castellan of Polish Kingdom in 1822–1824 and Starost of Sandomierz in 1781....
(1758–1834), castellanCastellanA castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
, senator