Tarnowski
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, Tarnowska is the form for a female family member.
History
The Tarnowski family was one of the oldest and most powerful 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...
families in Poland. The family got the greatest importance in the 14th, 15th and the 16th centuries, when family members from Tarnów
Tarnów
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection...
, Melsztyn
Melsztyn
Melsztyn is a village on the left bank of the Dunajec river in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Zakliczyn, south-west of Tarnów, and east of the regional capital Kraków....
and later from Jarosław beside the throne of Piast and Jagiellon kings of Poland, from father to son held ten times the office of voivode of Kraków Voivodeship
Kraków Voivodeship
Kraków Voivodeship, refers to several historical Voivodeships of Poland in the surrounding regions, with the city of Kraków as its capital.- Kraków Voivodeship 1975-1998 :...
and six times the office of 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:...
s of Kraków.
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Comes
Comes , plural comites , is the Latin word for companion, either individually or as a member of a collective known as comitatus, especially the suite of a magnate, in some cases large and/or formal enough to have a specific name, such as a cohors amicorum. The word comes derives from com- "with" +...
Spytek z Melsztyna
Spytek z Melsztyna
Spytek of Melsztyn also known as Spytko; 1398-1439 was a notable member of the Polish gentry, and a strong supporter of Polish cooperation with the Hussite movement against the Polish magnates.-Biography:...
, the progenitor of the Tarnowski-Melsztyński-Jarosławski family. Already in 1320 he held the office of voivode of the Kraków Voivodeship and since 1331 the highest secular office in the Kingdom of Poland, castellan of Kraków. For military service during wars, King Władysław I Łokietek gave him large estates on Dunajec river, where Spytek founded the city of Tarnów in 1330 and build two stronghold castles, in Tarnów and in Melsztyn, about 1340.
After the death of Spytek, the castle of Melsztyn was inherited by his son Jan z Melsztyna
Jan z Melsztyna
Jan of Melsztyn was a Polish nobleman .Jan was owner of Melsztyn and Książ estates. He served as Łowczy of Kraków since 1339, castellan of Wojnice since 1345, voivode of the Sandomierz Voivodeship since 1361 and castellan of Kraków since 1360 or 1366....
, who like his father, was since 1360 voivode and castellan of Kraków. His younger brother castellan of Wiślica
Wislica
Wiślica is a village in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Wiślica. It lies on the Nida River, approximately south of Busko-Zdrój and south of the regional capital Kielce...
Rafał z Tarnowa became the owner of Tarnów. Rafał expanded his estates vastly, among others in Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
land, Wielowieś
Wielowies
Wielowieś may refer to the following places in Poland:*Wielowieś, Krotoszyn County in Greater Poland Voivodeship *Wielowieś, Międzychód County in Greater Poland Voivodeship...
and Dzików
Dzików
Dzików may refer to the following places in Poland:*Dzików, a district of the town of Tarnobrzeg, Subcarpathian Voivodeship *Dzików, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Dzików, Pomeranian Voivodeship...
.
The son of Jan z Melsztyna, Spytek z Melsztyna
Spytek z Melsztyna (1322-1399)
Spytek of Melsztyn was a Polish nobleman .Spytek was owner of Melsztyn estates. He served as Court Marshal since 1373, voivode of Kraków Voivodeship since 1381, starosta of Biec since 1383 and Kraków since 1390....
, was the next owner of Melsztyn. He was voivode of Kraków Voivodeship, Feudal Lord of Podolia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
, and became a hero in the battle of Worskla in 1399. Rafał's son Jan z Tarnowa
Jan z Tarnowa
Jan of Tarnów was a Polish nobleman .Jan was owner of Tarnów, Wielowieś and Jarosław estates. He was Podkomorzy of Sandomierz before 1368, Court Marshal before 1370, Marshal of the Kingdom of Poland before 1373, starost of Radom before 1376, castellan of Sandomierz before 1377, voivode of...
became General Starost of Ruthenia
Ruthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
, voivode and castellan of Kraków.
The Tarnowski-Melsztyński family achieved the highest offices in the country as well as an unusual wealth and huge feudal estates like Jarosław Land, Sambor
Sambor
Sambor - is a Slavic name, consists of words: "sam" - alone, and "bor" - war, fight, warrior, and may refer to:-People:* Sambor, a prince of Rugia * Sambor I, Duke of Pomerania * Sambor II, Duke of Pomerania -Places:...
, Podole, etc. Their most significant role in the history of Poland was to bring Jadwiga
Jadwiga of Poland
Jadwiga was monarch of Poland from 1384 to her death. Her official title was 'king' rather than 'queen', reflecting that she was a sovereign in her own right and not merely a royal consort. She was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou, the daughter of King Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of...
and Władysław II Jagiełło to Poland and to initiate their coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
.
After the death of Spytek z Melsztyna and the death of his son, who was also named Spytek z Melsztyna, in the battle of Grotniki
Battle of Grotniki
The Battle of Grotniki took place on May 4, 1439 in the vicinity of Grotniki Duże, a village near Nowy Korczyn, currently in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship....
in 1439, the family "lineage of Melsztyn" lost its magnificence. In the "lineage of Tarnów", the sons of Jan z Tarnowa fought in the Battle of Grunwald
Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald or 1st Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410, during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Jogaila and Grand Duke Vytautas , decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led...
in 1410 and after that divided the family property. Jan
Jan z Tarnowa (1367-1433)
Jan of Tarnów was a Polish nobleman .Jan was owner of Tarnów and Wielowieś estates. He became dean of Kraków from September 27, 1398 to November 12, 1409 and voivode of Kraków Voivodeship in 1409....
the voivode of Kraków Voivodeship settled in Tarnów and the voivode of Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Little Poland region. Originally Sandomierz Voivodeship also covered the area around Lublin, but in 1474 its three eastern counties...
Spytek became the owner of Jarosław, where he started a new branch of the family, called the "Leliwita branch".
Jan z Tarnowa had five sons, of which Jan Amor Starszy Tarnowski and Jan Gratus Tarnowski together with their cousin, Spytek z Jarosławia, died with King Wladyslaw III Wareńczyk in the Battle of Varna
Battle of Varna
The Battle of Varna took place on November 10, 1444 near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad II defeated the Polish and Hungarian armies under Władysław III of Poland and János Hunyadi...
in 1444. His third son Jan Rafał Tarnowski became a priest and the last two, Jan Feliks Tarnowski
Jan Feliks Tarnowski
Jan Feliks Tarnowski was a Polish nobleman, the Palatine of Lublin....
became voivode of Lublin Voivodeship
Lublin Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Lublin Voivodeship is divided into 24 counties : 4 city counties and 20 land counties. These are further divided into 213 gminas....
and Jan Amor Młodszy Tarnowski the owner of Tarnów, voivode of Kraków Voivodeship and since 1490 castellan of Kraków.
The son of Jan Amor Młodszy, Jan Amor Tarnowski, became Great Crown Hetman
Hetman
Hetman was the title of the second-highest military commander in 15th- to 18th-century Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together, from 1569 to 1795, comprised the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Rzeczpospolita....
, voivode of Kraków Voivodeship and castellan of Kraków. In 1540 he built a castle and founded the city of Tarnopol (1548).
Coat of arms and motto
The Tarnowski family used the "Leliwa coat of arms" and their motto was: "Tendite in astra viri"Members
- Barbara TarnowskaBarbara TarnowskaBarbara Tarnowska was a Polish-Lithuanian noblewoman .She was married in 1592 to Jan Zamoyski, and later to Marcin Krasicki....
(c.1566–1610), was married to Jan ZamoyskiJan ZamoyskiJan Zamoyski , was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman, magnate, 1st duke/ordynat of Zamość. Royal Secretary since 1566, Lesser Kanclerz ) of the Crown since 1576, Lord Grand-Chancellor of the Crown since 1578, and Grand Hetman of the Crown since 1581... - Dorota TarnowskaDorota TarnowskaDorota Tarnowska was a Polish noble lady.She was married to Jan Tarło in 1527....
(c. 1513-c. 1540), was married to Jan Tarło - Jan TarnowskiJan TarnowskiJan Amor Tarnowski was a Polish szlachcic . He was Grand Crown Hetman from 1527 and was the founder of the city of Tarnopol, where he built the Ternopil Castle and the Ternopil Lake....
(1488–1561), Grand Crown Hetman - Jan "Ciezki" Tarnowski (c.1479–1527), castellan, landowner
- Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski (1471–1507), ChorążyChorążyChorąży or Khorunzhyi is a military rank in Poland, Ukraine and some neighboring countries. A chorąży was once a knight who bore a standard — the emblem of an armed troop, a province , a land , a duchy, or the kingdom...
, voivode, StolnikStolnikStolnik was a court office in Poland and Muscovy, responsible for serving the royal table.- Stolnik in Crown of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania : In Crown of Poland under the first Piast dukes and kings, this was a court office.... - Jan Krzysztof TarnowskiJan Krzysztof TarnowskiCount Jan Krzysztof Tarnowski was a Polish noble . Son of Hetman Jan Amor Tarnowski and Zofia Szydłowiecka. He was married to Zofia Odrowąż since 1555.He was owner of Tarnów, Wiewiórka, Przeworsk, Rożnów and Stare Sioło...
(1537–1567), Secretary of the King - Josef Tarnowski (1922–2010), electronics engineer and intelligence officer
- Stanisław Tarnowski (1837–1917), politician, literary critic, publicist
- Władysław TarnowskiWładysław TarnowskiCount Władysław Tarnowski was a pianist, composer, poet, dramatist, and translator.-Biography:He was the son of Count Walerian Tarnowski...
(1836–1878),pianist, composer, poet, dramatist, translator. - Zofia TarnowskaZofia TarnowskaCountess Zofia Tarnowska was a Polish–Lithuanian noble lady.She was the daughter of Hetman Jan Amor Tarnowski and Zofia Szydłowiecka. She was married to Prince Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski....
(1534–1570), was married to Konstanty Wasyl OstrogskiKonstanty Wasyl OstrogskiKonstanty Wasyl Ostrogski was a Lithuanian prince, starost of Volodymyr-Volynskyi, marshal of Volhynia and voivode of the Kiev Voivodeship, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He got married on January 1553 in Tarnów... - Zofia Roza Maria Jadwiga Elzbieta Katarzyna Aniela TarnowskaSophie MossSophie Moss , founded the Cairo Branch of the Polish Red Cross at General Sikorski's request.-Early life:...
(1917–2009), was married to W. Stanley MossW. Stanley MossIvan William "Billy" Stanley Moss MC , was a British army officer in World War II, and later a successful writer, broadcaster, journalist and traveller. He served with the Coldstream Guards and the Special Operations Executive . He was a best-selling author in the 1950s, based both on his novels... - Rula LenskaRula LenskaRula Lenska is an English actress. Best known for her work in the United Kingdom, she is remembered in the United States for a television advert that presented her as a celebrity, even though she was not widely known in the US at the time the advert was produced.She has appeared extensively on...