Szkoła Rycerska or Akademia Szlachecka Korpusu Kadetów Jego Królewskiej Mości i Rzeczypospolitej (English: Nobles' Academy of the Corps of Cadets of His Majesty and Commonwealth) was the first state school in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...

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18th century

The state Corps of Cadets was established in Warsaw

Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

 on 15 March 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski.

The Corps of Cadets was housed in the Kazimierz Palace (Pałac Kazimierzowski, now the rectorate of Warsaw University). The Corps' commandant was Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski.

The Corps of Cadets was closed in 1795 following the suppression of the Kościuszko Uprising

Kosciuszko Uprising

The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...

, which had been led by one of the Corps' first alumni, Tadeusz Kościuszko

Tadeusz Kosciuszko

Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus...

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In the reign of Stanisław August Poniatowski, several private corps of cadets were also established: by A. Tyzenhauz at Grodno, K. Radziwiłł at Nieśwież, W. Potocki at Niemirów

Niemirów

Niemirów may refer to the following places:*Niemirów, Biłgoraj County in Lublin Voivodeship *Niemirów, Chełm County in Lublin Voivodeship *Niemirów, Podlaskie Voivodeship *former name of Nemyriv in Ukraine...

, A. Sułkowski at Rydzyna

Rydzyna

Rydzyna is a Polish town that was the seat of king Stanisław Leszczyński during Leszczyński's first short reign from 1704-1709. Rydzyna is known as "the pearl of the Polish baroque"....

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Interbellum

In the period between the two World Wars, the institution of the Corps of Cadets would be revived in Poland. Three state secondary schools of that name would be created: at 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...

 (later at Lwów), at Modlin

Modlin Fortress

Modlin Fortress is one of the biggest 19th century fortresses in Poland. It is located the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in district Modlin on the Narew river, some 50 kilometres north of Warsaw...

 (later at Chełmno) and at Rawicz

Rawicz

Rawicz is a town in central Poland with 21,398 inhabitants . It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship ; previously it was in Leszno Voivodeship . It is the capital of Rawicz County.-History:...

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After World War II

After World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, in the People's Republic of Poland

People's Republic of Poland

The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...

, until 1956, there existed in Warsaw a Corps of Cadets of the Internal Security Corps (Korpus Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego).

Notable alumni

• Tadeusz Kościuszko
  Tadeusz Kosciuszko
  Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus...
  
  
• Jakub Jasiński
  Jakub Jasinski
  Jakub Jasiński was a Polish-Lithuanian general, and a Polish poet of Enlightenment. He participated in the War in Defence of the Constitution in 1792, was an enemy of the Targowica Confederation and organized an action against its supporters in Vilnius...
  
  
• Maurycy Hauke
• Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
  Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
  Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz was a Polish poet, playwright and statesman. He was a leading advocate for the Constitution of May 3, 1791.-Life:...
  
  
• Karol Kniaziewicz
  Karol Kniaziewicz
  Baron Karol Otto Kniaziewicz was a Polish general and political activist....
  
  
• Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha
  Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha
  Prince Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha was a Polish-Lithuanian noble .Kazimierz Sapieha was educated at the Knight School in Warsaw from 1767 until 1791, and served as Artillery General of Lithuania, from 1773 to 1793...
  
  
• Józef Sowiński
  Józef Sowinski
  Józef Sowiński was a Polish artillery general and one of the heroes of Poland's November 1830 Uprising.-Biography:Józef Longin Sowiński was born March 15, 1777 Warsaw, after graduating from the famous Corps of Cadets in Warsaw, he joined the Polish Army as a lieutenant during the Kościuszko Uprising...
  
  
• Rajmund Rembieliński