200px, Korczak coat of arms of the Branicki family Franciszek Ksawery Branicki

The House of Branicki (plural: Braniccy) was a Polish aristocratic family. The family acquired influence in the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

in the 18th century.

History

Not much is known about the Branicki family before the 16th century. Their progenitor was named Paweł, and two of his sons, Jan and , were part of the

Gniezno Gniezno (; ; ) is a city in central-western Poland, about east of Poznań. Its population in 2021 was 66,769, making it the sixth-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The city is the administrative seat of Gniezno County (''powiat'') ...

chapter Chapter or Chapters may refer to: Books * Chapter (books), a main division of a piece of writing or document * Chapter book, a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10 * Chapters (bookstore), Canadian big box bookstore ...

. According to , the ancestral seat of the Branicki family was most likely located in Branica in the Lublin region, while Teodor Żychliński writes that they took their surname from Brańcza in the Bełz land, which, as he claims, belonged to them in the 15th century. Another possibility is that they originated in

Siemień Siemień is a village in Parczew County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Siemień. It lies approximately west of Parczew and north of the regional capital Lublin Lubl ...

in the

Łuków land Łuków is a city in eastern Poland with 30,727 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2005). Since 1999, it has been situated in the Lublin Voivodeship, previously it had belonged to the Siedlce Voivodeship (between 1975–1998). It is the capital of Ł ...

, as suggested by . concludes that Boniecki was "closest to the truth", citing 16th-century noble court records made in connection with the settlement of property rights to Branica and

Zbylutów Zbylutów is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Lwówek Śląski, within Lwówek Śląski County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It lies approximately east of Lwówek Śląski, and west of the regional capita ...

, in which some members of the family are mentioned. According to her, most probably in the late 16th or at the start of the 17th century, some of the Branickis migrated farther east within the

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland (; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a monarchy in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval period from 1025 until 1385. Background The West Slavs, West Slavic tribe of Polans (western), Polans who lived in what i ...

, such as the lands of

Halicz Halych (, ; ; ; ; , ''Halitsch'' or ''Galitsch''; ) is a historic city on the Dniester River in western Ukraine. The city gave its name to the Principality of Halych, the historic province of Galicia (Halychyna), and the Kingdom of Galicia–V ...

and Bełz. Up until the close of the 17th century, the Branicki family belonged to the lower ranks of the nobility. They rose to significant power and fortune with

Franciszek Ksawery Branicki Franciszek Ksawery Branicki (1730–1819) was a Polish nobleman, magnate, French count, diplomat, politician, military commander, and one of the leaders of the Targowica Confederation. Many consider him to have been a traitor who participated wit ...

, Great Crown Hetman and one of the leaders of the

Targowica Confederation The Targowica Confederation (, , ) was a confederation established by Polish and Lithuanian magnates on 27 April 1792, in Saint Petersburg, with the backing of the Russian Empress Catherine II. The confederation opposed the Constitution of 3 May ...

, who amassed large wealth in both money and land. The family owned landed estates in present day

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

and

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

Coat of arms

The Branicki family used the

Korczak coat of arms Korczak is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by several noble families of Clan Korczak in the times of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. History The coat of arms has Hungarian origins; the three bars represent t ...

. File:POL COA Branicki.svg, Coat of Arms of Counts Branicki File:POL COA Branicki alt.svg, Coat of Arms of Counts Branicki

Notable members

* (d. 1544),

Bishop of Chełm The Archdiocese of Lublin () is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in the city of Lublin in Poland. History * 1375: Established as Diocese of Chełm * 1790: Renamed as Diocese of Chełm and Lublin * September 22, 1805: Renamed a ...

Bishop of Poznań A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...

referendary, patron of

Lubrański Academy The Lubrański Academy ( Polish: ''Akademia Lubrańskiego''; Latin: ''Collegium Lubranscianum'') was a university college that was established in 1518 in Poznań by Bishop Jan Lubrański. It was the first school with university aspirations in Pozn ...

. * Józef Branicki (d. 1682), łowczy of

Bełz Belz (, ; ; ) is a small city in Lviv Oblast, western Ukraine, located near the Poland–Ukraine border, border with Poland between the Solokiya River (a tributary of the Bug River) and the Richytsia stream. Belz hosts the administration of Belz ...

* Józef Branicki (d. 1735),

stolnik Stolnik (, , , , ) was a court office in Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Russia, responsible for serving the royal table, then an honorary court title and a district office. It approximately corresponds to English term wikt:pantler, "pantler". S ...

of Busk,

castellan A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1 ...

* (d. 1762), castellan of

Bracław Bratslav (, ; ) is a rural settlement in Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east a ...

, father of Franciszek Ksawery *

(c. 1730–1819),

Great Hetman of the Crown Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" * Artel Great (bo ...

, member of the Targowica Confederation, first in the family to be owner of landed estate in Biała Cerkiew * Elżbieta Branicka (c. 1734–1800), mother of

Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha Prince Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha (1757–1798) was a Polish-Lithuanian noble (szlachcic) and one of the creators of the 3 May Constitution. Biography Early life and career Kazimierz Sapieha was educated at the Knight School in Warsaw from 176 ...

Władysław Grzegorz Branicki Count Władysław Grzegorz Branicki (25 February 1783 in Warsaw – 27 August 1843 in Warsaw) was a Polish szlachta, nobleman, senator and general in the Russian military. He was a putative grandson of Catherine the Great, through his maternal li ...

(1783–1843), owner of landed estate in Biała Cerkiew *

Zofia Branicka Countess Zofia Branicka (11 January 1790– 6 January 1879) was a Polish szlachcianka, noble woman and art collector. She was the daughter of Franciszek Ksawery Branicki, one of the leaders of the Targowica Confederation, and Aleksandra von ...

(1790–1879), wife of

Artur Potocki Artur Stanisław Potocki (1787–1832) was a Polish nobleman (szlachcic). Biography He was the son of Julia Lubomirska and Jan Potocki, the travel writer best known for his novel Manuscript found in Saragossa. Artur was the owner of Krzeszowi ...

(1816–1879), financier and political activist in France (

Great Emigration The Great Emigration () was the emigration of thousands of Poles and Lithuanians, particularly from the political and cultural élites, from 1831 to 1870, after the failure of the November Uprising of 1830–1831 and of other uprisings such as ...

) * Eliza Krasińska, ''née'' Branicka (1820–1876), wife of poet

Zygmunt Krasiński Count Napoleon Stanisław Adam Feliks Zygmunt Krasiński (; 19 February 1812 – 23 February 1859) was a Polish poet traditionally ranked after Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki as one of Poland's Three Bards – the Romantic poets who ...

Aleksander Branicki Aleksander Branicki (1821 – 20 October 1877) was a Polish traveller, collector, and naturalist. He was a member of the Polish aristocratic family: House of Branicki (Korczak). He owned Sucha castle. Life and work Branicki was born in Byl ...

(1821–1877), owner of landed estate in Sucha, collector, traveller, naturalist * Konstanty Branicki (1824–1884), ornithologist, collector, traveller * Katarzyna Branicka (1825–1907), wife of

Adam Józef Potocki Count Adam Józef Potocki (24 February 1822, Łańcut – 15 June 1872, Krzeszowice) was a Polish politician from Galicia (Eastern Europe), Galicia, who was a prominent advocate for the autonomy of that region. He owned numerous estates, steel mil ...

* (1826–1884), owner of landed estate in Biała Cerkiew * Władysław Branicki (1848–1914), owner of landed estate in Sucha * Ksawery Branicki (1864–1926), naturalist, landowner, since 1892 owner of

Wilanów Wilanów () is a dzielnica, district of the city of Warsaw, Poland. It is home to historic Wilanów Palace, the "Polish Palace of Versailles, Versailles," and second home to various List of Polish rulers, Polish kings. Wilanów is home to many v ...

* (1892–1947), the last male member of the Branicki family of the Korczak Coat of Arms and last owner of

(before

nationalisation Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization contrasts with priv ...

) * Anna Branicka-Wolska (1924-2023), the last living female of the Branicki family of the Korczak Coat of Arms, wife of Tadeusz Wolski * Beata Maria Branicka (1926–1988), member of the

Armia Krajowa The Home Army (, ; abbreviated AK) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) established in the ...

, she participated in the

Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising (; ), sometimes referred to as the August Uprising (), or the Battle of Warsaw, was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from ...

of 1944, wife of Leszek Rybiński

Palaces

image:Oleksandriia Park in Bila Tserkva.jpg, Ruins of the Palace in Aleksandria near Biała Cerkiew image:Zymovyi palac branyckich.jpg, Winter Palace in w Biała Cerkiew image:Wilanów Palace.jpg, Palace in Wilanów image:Sucha Beskidzka castle.jpg, Castle in

Sucha Beskidzka Sucha Beskidzka (before 1961 called only ''Sucha'') is a town in the Żywiec Beskids mountain range in southern Poland, on the Skawa river. It is the county seat of Sucha County. It has been in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999; previously ...

image:Nowy Swiat 18-20 Palac Branickich.jpg, Branicki Palace in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

(

Nowy Świat ''Nowy Świat'' (), known in English as New World Street, is one of the main historic thoroughfares of Warsaw, Poland. It comprises part of the Royal Route (''Trakt królewski'') that extends from Warsaw's Royal Castle and Old Town, south to K ...

) image:PL Warsaw Pałac Branickich skarpa.jpg, White Palace in Warsaw image:Palac Potockich w Natolinie 01.jpg, Palace in

Natolin Natolin is a neighbourhood and a City Information System area located in Warsaw, Poland, within the district of Ursynów. It is a predominantly mid-rise multifamily residential area, with a smaller presence of low-rise single-family housing in ...

External links

References