Masovian Voivodeship () was an administrative region of 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 ...

, and of 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 ...

, from 1526 to the

partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. They ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign ...

to 1795. Together with

Płock Płock (pronounced ), officially the Ducal Capital City of Płock, is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by Central Statistical Office (Poland), GUS on 31 December 2021, the ...

and Rawa Voivodeships, it formed the province of

Masovia Mazovia or Masovia ( ) is a historical region in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok, with Warsaw being the largest city and Płock being the capital of the region . Throughout the ...

. Its area was divided into ten lands. The seat of the ''

voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...

'' was

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 ...

, local ''sejmiks'' also convened in Warsaw, at St. Martin's church.

History

The voivodeship was officially created by King

Sigismund I the Old Sigismund I the Old (, ; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was List of Polish monarchs, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the son of Casimir IV of P ...

on December 27, 1529, three years after the incorporation of the

Duchy of Masovia The Duchy of Masovia was a District duchy, district principality and a fiefdom of the Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385), Kingdom of Poland, existing during the Middle Ages. The state was centered in Mazovia in the northeastern Kingdom of Poland, a ...

into the kingdom. In the Senate of the

, it had eight senators. These were: the

Voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...

of Mazovia, the

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 ...

Czersk Czersk (; ; formerly , (1942-5): ) is a town in northern Poland in Chojnice County, Pomeranian Voivodeship. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 9,844. Today the center of the city of Czersk in is the Village Square. The infrastructu ...

, and Castellans of Wizna, Wyszogród, Zakroczym, Warszawa, Ciechanów, and Liw.

Municipal government

Seat of the Voivodeship Governor ('' Wojewoda''): *

Administrative division

* Ciechanów Land (ziemia ciechanowska, Ciechanów) * Czersk Land (ziemia czerska,

) * Liw Land (ziemia liwska, Liw) * Łomża Land (ziemia łomżyńska,

Łomża Łomża () is a city in north-eastern Poland, approximately to the north-east of Warsaw and west of Białystok. It is situated alongside the Narew river as part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the capital of Łomża County and has been the se ...

) * Nur Land (ziemia nurska, Nur) * Różan Land (ziemia różańska, Różan) *

Warszawa Land Warsaw Land (Polish: ''ziemia warszawska''), named after Warsaw, was an administrative unit (ziemia) of the Duchy of Mazovia, Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569), Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. With its capital in Warsaw, ...

(ziemia warszawska, Warsaw) * Wizna Land (ziemia wiska, Wizna) * Wyszogród Land (ziemia wyszogrodzka, Wyszogród) * Zakroczym Land (ziemia zakroczymska, Zakroczym)

Voivodes

* Feliks Brzeski (1517–1545) * Stanisław Warszycki (1630–1651) * Stanisław Poniatowski (from 1731) * Andrzej Mokronowski (from 1781)

References

Sources

Masovian Voivodeship, description by Zygmunt Gloger
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masovian Voivodeship (1526-1795) Voivodeships of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1526 establishments in Poland 1795 disestablishments in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth