Themagnates of Poland and Lithuania (Polish:magnateria,Lithuanian:magnatai) were anaristocracy ofPolish-Lithuaniannobility (szlachta) that existed in theCrown of the Kingdom of Poland, in theGrand Duchy of Lithuania and, from the 1569Union of Lublin, in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, until theThird Partition of Poland in 1795.[1]
Themagnate social class arose around the 16th century and, over time, gained more and more control over Commonwealth politics. The most powerful magnates were known as "little kings" due to the extent of their power and independence. Their influence diminished with theThird Partition of Poland (1795), which ended the Commonwealth's independent existence, and came to an end with theSecond World War and thecommunist-ruledPeople's Republic of Poland.
Famous magnate families in the territories of theCrown of Poland included theCzartoryski,Kalinowski,Koniecpolski,Krasinski,Ostrogski,Potocki,Tarnowski,Wiśniowiecki,Zasławski andZamoyski families; and in theGrand Duchy of Lithuania, theKieżgajłow,Olelkowicz,Radziwiłł,Pac andSapieha families.
The magnates arose as the wealthiest and most politically powerfulsocial class, part of the nobility (szlachta), of theKingdom of Poland andGrand Duchy of Lithuania, around 16th century.[1] Some traced their ancestry toGediminas, aGrand Duke of Lithuania from 1316, theGediminids. Their powers waned after the Commonwealth loss of independence following itsfinal partition in 1795, but they would remain a significant power in the culture, politics and economy of the Polish territories untilWorld War II.[1]
Magnates (or higher nobility) vied for political power with the lesser and middle nobility (Ruch egzekucyjny in the late 16th century, and the reform movement of theGreat Sejm in the late 18th century) and theKing.[1] To be counted among the magnates, one should have a large estate, and political influence at least on the scale of aprovince, if not national.[1] Regional differences abounded, with the estates being much larger in the east, where the wealthier magnates were also much more likely to have their ownprivate armies.[1][2] The eastern territories were more independent from the central power, and the large estates there, known aslatifundia, with private cities and armies of the magnates, gave rise there to the termkrólewięta ("little kings") used for the wealthiest of them - the developingaristocracy.[3][4] The magnates in theRoyal Prussia had their fortunes build not around their own lands, but the royal grants (królewszczyzny).[1] The magnates tried to avoid splitting up of their lands, and some of the wealthiest families were able to protect their lands from division through theordynacja system.[1] Magnate residences often became cultural and economic centers for a given region.[1]
Social mobility was present, in a limited fashion, as while the magnates preferred to marry within their own ranks, particularly wealthy of famous lesser nobles were able to join their ranks over time; this was the case with theKoniecpolski family,Ossoliński family and theZamoyski family.[1]
From the late 16th century the influence of the magnates on Commonwealth politics rose sharply, through their participation in the administrative system (seeoffices of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) and their control over the lesser nobility, which allowed them to influence the parliaments (localsejmiks and the nationalsejm walny) of the country.[1] From the second half of the 17th century, the magnates emerged as the victors in the struggle for power in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, leading some scholar to refer to this period as a time of the magnateoligarchy.[1] AsNorman Davies noted, at that time "political life [of Poland] was reduced to the feuds, fortunes, and the follies of a few families".[5] Faced with the weakness of the king and parliament, the magnates were even able on occasion to start border wars (Magnate Moldavian Wars, theDimitriads) or civil wars (Radziwiłł's rebellion duringThe Deluge, and the Sapieha's-centeredLithuanian Civil War of 1700).[1] Some magnates were alsoelected as kings of the Commonwealth; namelyMichał Korybut Wiśniowiecki andStanisław August Poniatowski (a relative of the Czartoryski family).[6][7]
All members of the szlachta were equal under the law, therefore "magnate" (Polish:magnat,Lithuanian:magnatas) was not an official title but rather a position ofsocial class, based onwealth.[4][8][9] Several magnatesheld high feudal titles or peerage ranks such asprince orcount.[4][8] With few exceptions, mostly dating from theUnion of Lublin, and special privileges permitting some Lithuanian magnates to use them, such titles were forbidden by law. Titles from theoffices in Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth however were very popular.[4][8]
The wealthiest of magnates would wearcrimson andscarlet items of clothing, leading to a nickname for that elite group,karmazyni (the "crimson ones").[10]
Famous magnate families from theCrown of Poland territories included: theCzartoryski,Wielopolski,Kalinowski,Koniecpolski,Ossoliński,Ostrogski,Potocki,Wiśnowiecki,Zasławski,Zamoyski,[1]Krasiński,Mielżyński, andBranicki families.
From theGrand Duchy of Lithuania, notable families included: theAlšėniškis,Astikai,Goštautai,Kęsgaila,Manvydas,Olelkovich,Pac,Radziwiłł,Sapieha, andTyszkiewicz families.[11][1][12]
Major magnate residences, usually in the form ofdwórs ordvaras and even outrightpalaces were found in:Pawłowice,Iwno,Biržai,Kėdainiai,Nesvizh,Slutsk,Kletsk,Slonim,Białystok,Sieraków,Leszno,Rydzyna,Gołuchów,Bieżuń,Jabłonna,Siedlce,Nieborów,Otwock,Pawłowice,Iwno,Vowchyn (Voŭčyn),Biała,Kodeń,Puławy,Białaczów,Końskie,Ujazd,Opole,Rytwiany,Baranów,Zamość,Chervonohrad,Łańcut,Ruzhany,Przeworsk,Zhovkva,Wiśnicz,Rzeszów,Dukla,Krasiczyn,Ivano-Frankivsk,Zolochiv,Brody,Pidhirtsi,Vyshnivets,Olyka,Korets,Ostroh,Iziaslav,Buchach,Zbarazh,Bila Tserkva,Sieniawa,Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi andTulchyn.[13][14]
