Zamoyski
Encyclopedia
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
of an important Polish
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...
nobility (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...
) family of Jelita coat of arms. The name is sometimes spelled Zamoyski. It is the Polish for "de Zamość" - the name they originally wore as lords of the place. The family was influential in Polish politics for several centuries, and its members held various official titles, including those of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
and Countess.
Family history
The family traces its origins to the Łaźiński family. In 15th century Tomasz Lazninski bought an estate in Stary (Old) ZamośćZamosc
Zamość ukr. Замостя is a town in southeastern Poland with 66,633 inhabitants , situated in the south-western part of Lublin Voivodeship , about from Lublin, from Warsaw and from the border with Ukraine...
. His sons Florian (died 1510) and Maciej assumed the name Zamojski. The family begun to raise in prominence. Florian’s grandson Stanisław was the 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 Chełm, and his son, Jan Zamojski, arguably the most famous member of the family, became a chancellor
Kanclerz
Kanclerz 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...
, 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....
, and founded the Zamojski's Ordynat - a large estate that was a major source of the family's wealth. He was the 1st Ordynat of the Zamoyski family. His son, Tomasz Zamojski, the 2nd Ordynat, was also a chancellor in Poland. Many of their descendants held important positions within 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...
, often that of a voivode.
In 18th century, the 10th Ordynat, Andrzej Zamoyski, became the third chancellor of Poland in the family's history. He was one of the authors of a plan for general reform of the nation, known as Zamoyski Code
Zamoyski Code
Zamoyski Code was a major, progressive legislation, proposed by Andrzej Zamoyski, Grand Chancellors of the Crown of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in 1776. This legislation was an attempt of codification of the previously uncodified law of the Commonwealth...
. The family received the title of count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
from the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
in the late 18th century. Brothers Andrzej Artur Zamoyski
Andrzej Artur Zamoyski
Count Andrzej Artur Zamoyski was a Polish nobleman, landowner and political and economic activist.Zamoyski organized meetings of landowners at his Klemensów estate in the Polish Congress Poland. In 1842 he became co-publisher of the Rocznik Gospodarstwa Krajowego...
and Władysław Stanisław Zamoyski, supported Polish movements aimed at regaining independence during the partitions period
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
; Władysław was exiled after participating in the November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
, and Andrzej, in the aftermath of the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
.
Andrzej's grandson, Maurycy Zamoyski, was a Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
for seven months in 1924.
Notable members
- 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...
(1542–1605), Great Crown Chancellor and Great Crown Hetman - Tomasz ZamoyskiTomasz ZamoyskiTomasz Zamoyski was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman and magnate.Tomasz was the 2nd Ordynat of the Zamość estates. He was voivode of Podole Voivodeship in 1618, voivode of Kijów Voivodeship in 1619, starost of Kraków in 1628, Deputy Chancellor of the Crown in 1635, as well as starost of Knyszyn,...
(1594–1638), Deputy Chancellor of the Crown - Gryzelda Konstancja ZamoyskaGryzelda Konstancja ZamoyskaPrincess Gryzelda Konstancja Zamoyska was a Polish szlachcianka and mother of King Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki....
(1623–1672), mother of King Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki. - Jan "Sobiepan" Zamoyski (1627–1662), magnate, voivode
- Andrzej Zamoyski (1716–1792), Great Crown Chancellor, humanist and reformer
- Władysław Stanisław Zamoyski (1803–1868), politician, general, activist of Hôtel LambertHôtel LambertHôtel Lambert is a hôtel particulier, a grand mansion townhouse, on the Quai Anjou on the eastern tip of the Île Saint-Louis, Paris IVème; the name, Hôtel Lambert, was a sobriquet that designated a 19th-century political faction of Polish exiles, who gathered there.-Architectural history:The house...
- Andrzej Artur ZamoyskiAndrzej Artur ZamoyskiCount Andrzej Artur Zamoyski was a Polish nobleman, landowner and political and economic activist.Zamoyski organized meetings of landowners at his Klemensów estate in the Polish Congress Poland. In 1842 he became co-publisher of the Rocznik Gospodarstwa Krajowego...
(1800–1874), political and economic activist - Maurycy ZamoyskiMaurycy Klemens ZamoyskiCount Maurycy Klemens Zamoyski was a Polish nobleman , politician, social activist, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland....
(1871–1939), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland - Count Adam ZamoyskiAdam ZamoyskiCount Adam Stefan Zamoyski is a historian and a member of the ancient Zamoyski family of Polish nobility.-Life:Zamoyski was born in New York City, but was raised in England and was educated at Downside School and The Queen's College, Oxford...
(born 11 January 1949), historian