The House of Branicki (plural: Braniccy) was a Polish

szlachta The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in the ...

(nobility) family. Since Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, Branicka is the form for a female family member.

History

The Branicki family, also called the " Griffin Clan" (''Gryfici''), was a

magnate The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

family, originating from Branice and

Ruszcza Ruszcza is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Połaniec, within Staszów County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Połaniec, south of Staszów, and south-east of the regi ...

in the

Kraków Voivodeship Kraków Voivodeship may also refer to: *Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795) * Kraków Voivodeship (1816–1837) *Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939) *Kraków Voivodeship (1945–1975) *Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998) The Kraków Voivodeshi ...

. One of the most prominent members of the family was Field and Great Crown

Hetman ( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders. Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...

Jan Klemens Gryf Branicki. Jan was one of the most powerful and influential magnates in Poland during the 18th century. He was the owner of 12 cities, 257 villages, 17 palaces and two

primeval forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...

s. In 1726, he built the Branicki Palace, the "

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

Podlasie Podlachia, or Podlasie, ( pl, Podlasie, , be, Падляшша, translit=Padliašša, uk, Підляшшя, translit=Pidliashshia) is a historical region in the north-eastern part of Poland. Between 1513 and 1795 it was a voivodeship with the c ...

". He also laid out the central part of the town of

Białystok Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area. Białystok is located in the Białystok Up ...

with its triangular market. He started in the King's election of 1763–1764, but was beaten by his brother-in-law,

Stanisław Poniatowski Stanisław Poniatowski was the name of several Polish nobles: * Stanisław Poniatowski (1676–1762), castellan of Kraków * Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732–1798), last King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania * Stanisław Poniatowski (1754 ...

Coat of arms

The Branicki family used the Gryf coat of arms. file:Pieczec Izabeli Branickiej.png, Seal of

used by Izabela Branicka after the death of Jan Klemens Branicki with the initials IB and the

Griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...

(beginning of the 18th century). file:POL Choroszcz COA.svg, Coat of arms of Choroszcz with the Griffin and Ciołek of Izabela Branicka née Poniatowska file:POL Choroszcz dawny COA.svg, Former coat of arms of Choroszcz with the initials KB (Jan Klemens Branicki) and the

Notable members

Grzegorz Branicki Grzegorz Branicki z Ruszczy (c. 1534–1595) was a Polish nobleman. He was Łowczy of Kraków from 1563, burgrave of Kraków from 1590, and starost of Niepołomice Niepołomice (pronounced ; ) is a town in southern Poland, within the ...

(1534−1595), Łowczy, burgrave of Kraków, married

Katarzyna Kotwicz Katarzyna is a Polish given name, equivalent to English "Catherine". Its diminutive forms include Kasia, Katarzynka, Kasieńka, Kasiunia, Kasiulka; augmentative – Kaśka, Kacha, Kachna. Individuals named Katarzyna may choose their name day f ...

h. Kotwicz **

Jan Branicki Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numb ...

(c. 1568−1612), courtier, Łowczy of Kraków,

castellan A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant o ...

Żarnów Żarnów is a historical village in Opoczno County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Żarnów. It lies approximately south-west of Opoczno and south-east of the regional capita ...

, married

Anna Myszkowska Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

h. Jastrzębiec **

Stanisław Branicki Stanislav and variants may refer to: People *Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.) Places * Stanislav, a coastal village in Kherson, Ukraine * Stanislaus County, Cali ...

(1474-1520), Miecznik of the Crown, married Helena Tarło h. Topór, daughter of

Jan Tarło Jan Tarło may refer to the following Polish noblemen: * Jan Tarło (d. 1550), standard-bearer of Lwów * Jan Tarło (d. 1572), cup-bearer of the Crown, starost of Pilzno * Jan Tarło (1527–1587), voivode of Lublin, starost of Łomża and Pilzno * ...

h. Topór *** Jan Klemens Branicki (died 1657), podkomorzy of

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

, married Anna Beata Wapowska h. Nieczuja **** Jan Klemens Branicki (c. 1624−1673), Court Marshall of the Crown, married Aleksandra Katarzyna Czarniecka h. Łodzia, daughter of Hetman Stefan Czarniecki h. Łodzia *****

Stefan Mikołaj Branicki Stefan may refer to: * Stefan (given name) * Stefan (surname) * Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname * Štefan, a Slavic given name and surname * Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer * Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...

(1640–1709), Great Stolnik of the Crown, Voivode of Podlasie, married Princes Katarzyna Scholastyka Sapieha h. Lis, daughter of Hetman Prince

Jan Kazimierz Sapieha Jan Kazimierz Sapieha the Elder ( lt, Jonas Kazimieras Sapiega vyresnysis) (?–1730) was a Grand Hetman of Lithuania since 1708 to 1709. He was the son of Franciszek Stefan Sapieha, father of Piotr Paweł Sapieha and Paweł Sapieha. A suppor ...

h. Lis ****** Jan Klemens Branicki (1689–1771), Field and Great Crown Hetman, the last male representative of the Branicki of Gryf family. He married firstly Princess Katarzyna Barbara Radziwiłł h. Trąby, granddaughter of Hetman

Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł Prince Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł () (26 October 1625 – 14 November 1680) was a Polish– Lithuanian noble and magnate. He is sometimes referred to as ''the first'' Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł, to distinguish him from the othe ...

, secondly Barbara Szembek h.

Szembek Szembek or originally von Schönbeck is the name of an old Polish noble family of German origin, whose members held significant positions in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. History First mentioned at the beginning of the 14th century, th ...

and thirdly Princess Izabella Poniatowska h. Ciołek, sister of King

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 monarch ...

***** Konstancja Tekla Branicka (1658–1720), married to Johann Heinrich von Altenbockum, mother of

Ursula Katharina Lubomirska Ursula Katharina of Altenbockum, divorced Princess Lubomirski, Lubomirska, married Duchess von Württemberg-Winnental ( pl, Urszula Katarzyna Lubomirska z domu Bokum; 25 November 1680 – 4 May 1743), later Imperial Princess of Teschen (germa ...

Anna Branicka Count Sebastian Lubomirski (c. 1546–1613) was a Polish–Lithuanian nobleman ( szlachcic). He was owner of Wiśnicz and Siercza. He was Żupnik of Kraków in 1581–1592, burgrave of Kraków since 1584, castellan of Małogoszcz since 1591 ...

(died 1639), married to Count Sebastian Lubomirski Jennah Karthes de Branicka, the German TV presenter and reporter of the Middle East with Lithuanian ancestors, *** Zenona Branicka (born in Warsaw 1941), Protests of 1968, belongs among others, to the last actual descendants of the noble family "Branicki". The Branicki family has made its name in the Polish history.

Palaces

image:Renaissance manor house in Branice by Maire.jpg, Renaissance manor house in Branice image:Choroszcz.jpg, Manor house in

Choroszcz Choroszcz () is a town in north-eastern Poland, located in Białystok County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, seat of Gmina Choroszcz. The Baroque palace in Choroszcz was the summer residence of the noble Branicki family, and is now part of the Museum o ...

File:150913 Branicki Palace in Białystok - 09.jpg, Palace in Białystok Image:Rycina 1752 Palac Branickich.jpg, Branicki Palace in Białystok (1752) image:2 Palac Branickich 01.jpg, Branicki Palace in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

file:Podlaskie - Tykocin - Tykocin - DW671 - Zamek - E - v-WSW - 20100724.JPG,

Tykocin Castle The Tykocin Royal Castle is a 15th-century castle located on the right bank of the river Narew in Tykocin, Poland. It fell into ruin in the 18th century and its reconstruction began in 2002. History The castle – then located on a border area ...

file:Kamienica Hetmańska i Amadejowska Krakow.jpg, The "Hetman" tenement house in Kraków (with the Gryf arms on the top) file:Odrzykon zamek 1.JPG, Ruins of the Kamieniec Castle near Korczyna

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Branicki Family (Gryf Coat Of Arms)