The House of Poniatowski (plural: ''Poniatowscy'') is a prominent Polish family that was part of the nobility of Poland. A member of this family, Stanisław Poniatowski, was elected as

King of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th ...

and reigned from 1764 until his abdication in 1795. Since Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, ''Poniatowska'' is the equivalent name for a female member of this family.

History

The Poniatowski family became most prominent in the late 18th century and 19th century. In three generations, the family rose from the rank of

gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest c ...

to that of senator and then to royalty (in an

elective monarchy An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected monarch, in contrast to a hereditary monarchy in which the office is automatically passed down as a family inheritance. The manner of election, the nature of candidate qualifications, and t ...

). The first information about the family dates back to the end of the 15th century, when they appeared in Poniatowa, 40 km west from

Lublin Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of ...

in about 1446. Their family name derives from that place name. Poniatowa was the residence of several branches of the Poniatowski family: Tłuk, Jarasz and Ciołek. Michel Poniatowski In Tunisia mars1976

According to the family's history, the family had ties with the Italian nobility: Giuseppe Salinguerra, a member of the Italian family of Torelli, settled in Poland about the middle of the 17th century, and there assumed the name of Poniatowski from the estate of Poniatow, belonging to his wife, who was the daughter of

Albert Poniatowski Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert C ...

and Anna Leszczyńska. On 7 September 1764, at

Wola Wola (, ) is a district in western Warsaw, Poland, formerly the village of Wielka Wola, incorporated into Warsaw in 1916. An industrial area with traditions reaching back to the early 19th century, it underwent a transformation into an office (co ...

, the most famous member of the family, Stanisław Poniatowski, was elected as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. In the same year, the

Coronation Sejm Royal elections in Poland (Polish: ''wolna elekcja'', lit. ''free election'') were the elections of individual kings, rather than dynasties, to the Polish throne. Based on traditions dating to the very beginning of the Polish statehood, strengthe ...

awarded the Poniatowski family the title of Prince of Poland. Taurus Poniatovii

Nowadays, there are still Poniatowscy living in Poland, France, Mexico, Italy, Russia, the United States, Germany, and many other countries in the world.

Members

Among most known members are: * Stanisław Poniatowski (1676–1762), Podstoli,

Treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury ...

, General, Regimentarz * Kazimierz Poniatowski (1721–1800), General, Great Podkomorzy * Ludwika Maria Poniatowska (1728–1781), was married to Jan Jakub Zamoyski *

Izabella Poniatowska Countess Izabella Poniatowska (1 July 1730 – 14 February 1808) was a Polish noblewoman, sister of king Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski. Life She was the daughter of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska. She was reportedly clo ...

(1730–1801), was married to Jan Klemens Branicki *

Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarc ...

(1732–1798), King of Poland, reigned as Stanisław II August * Andrzej Poniatowski (1735–1773), General, Marshal of Austria * Michał Jerzy Poniatowski (1736–1794),

Primate Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians ( monkeys and apes, the latter includin ...

of Poland *

Konstancja Poniatowska Princess Konstancja Poniatowska (1759–1830) was a Polish noblewoman, niece of king Stanisław August Poniatowski. Konstancja was the daughter of Kazimierz Poniatowski and Apolonia Ustrzycka, and married Ludwik Skumin Tyszkiewicz on April 4, 1 ...

(1759–1830), was married to

Ludwik Tyszkiewicz Ludwik Skumin Tyszkiewicz ( lt, Liudvikas Tiškevičius; 1748 – 26 June 1808) was a Polish–Lithuanian nobleman ('' szlachcic'') and Field Lithuanian Hetman from 1780 to 1791, Great Lithuanian Treasurer from 1791, Great Lithuanian Marshal ...

Józef Poniatowski Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski (; 7 May 1763 – 19 October 1813) was a Polish general, minister of war and army chief, who became a Marshal of the French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. A nephew of king Stanislaus Augustus of Poland (), ...

(1763–1813), General, Marshal of France * Stanisław Poniatowski (1754–1833), Duke, Grand Treasurer *

Jozef Michal Poniatowski Jozef or Józef is a Dutch, Breton, Polish and Slovak version of masculine given name Joseph. A selection of people with that name follows. For a comprehensive list see and .. * Józef Beck (1894–1944), Polish foreign minister in the 1930s * ...

(1814–1873), Tuscan plenipotentiary, French senator, composer and singer *

Józef Stanisław Poniatowski Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

(1835–1908), Polish nobleman, son of Jozef Michal * Michel Poniatowski (1922–2002), French politician *

Elena Poniatowska Hélène Elizabeth Louise Amélie Paula Dolores Poniatowska Amor (born May 19, 1932), known professionally as Elena Poniatowska () is a French-born Mexican journalist and author, specializing in works on social and political issues focused on th ...

(1932-), Mexican journalist and author

Coat of arms

The Poniatowski family used the Ciołek arms. Image:Herb Poniatowskich.PNG, Coat of arms of Princes Poniatowski since 1764 File:Józef ks Poniatowski CoA.png, Coat of arms of Prince

, Marshal of France, with Order of the White Eagle,

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari ( Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King S ...

and

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. image:Coat of Arms of Stanislaus II August of Poland.png, Coat of arms of King

File:Coat of Arms of Stanisław August Poniatowski with colland of Order of White Eagle.PNG, Coat of Arms of Stanisław August Poniatowski with collana of Order of White Eagle file:Herb Rzeczypospolitej za Stanisława Augusta RB1.jpg, Coat of arms of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from times of reign of Stanisław August Poniatowski, Guard House,

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

File:Ceremonial sword Poniatowski.jpg, Ceremonial sword of King Stanisław August Poniatowski with his coat of arms

Palaces

image:Korsuno-002.jpg, Palace in Korsuń Szewczenkowski image:Jabłonna Palace.png,

Jabłonna Palace Jabłonna Palace ( pl, Pałac w Jabłonnie) is a palace, hotel and publicly accessible park-complex in Jabłonna, Legionowo County, Jabłonna near Warsaw in Poland whose uses include conferences and weddings. History During the Middle Ages, Jab� ...

in Jabłonna image:Kozienice.Zespół pałacowy 01.jpg, Palace in

Kozienice Kozienice (; yi, קאזשניץ ''Kozhnits''; german: Koschnitz) is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County. Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser ...

image:Horadnia, Stanisłavova. Горадня, Станіславова (N. Orda, 28.07.1861-77).jpg, Palace Stanisławówka in

Grodno Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...

image:Voŭčyn, Čartaryjski. Воўчын, Чартарыйскі (I. Ryškievič, 1898).jpg, Ruins of the palace in Wołczyn

Family tree

Notes

External links

Stanisław August Antoni Poniatowski h. Ciołek
* http://pl.rodovid.org/wk/Specjalna:Tree/46352 * {{Authority control