The House of Sobieski (plural: Sobiescy, feminine form: Sobieska) was a prominent

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 of

Polish nobility 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 ...

in the 16th and 17th centuries from which the

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 (16t ...

and

Grand Duke of Lithuania The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Lithuania, which was established as an absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three ducal dynasties that managed to stay in power—House ...

Jan III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( pl, Jan III Sobieski; lt, Jonas III Sobieskis; la, Ioannes III Sobiscius; 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobie ...

originated. The family used the

Janina coat of arms Janina is a Polish heraldry, Polish nobility clan coat-of-arms. Borne by several szlachta, noble families descended in the-male line from the medieval lords of Janina (the eponyms of the clan) or legally adopted into the clan upon ennoblement. Hi ...

History

According to the family's legend, it traced its lineage to a Polish duke,

Leszek II the Black Leszek II the Black (c. 1241 – 30 September 1288), was a Polish prince of the House of Piast, Duke of Sieradz since 1261, Duke of Łęczyca since 1267, Duke of Inowrocław in the years 1273-1278, Duke of Sandomierz and High Duke of Poland from 1 ...

. Another family legend said that they were the descendants of Duke ''Sobiesław'', the son of

Leszko III Leszko III (or Leszek, Lestek, Lesco) was a legendary ruler of Poland, firstly mentioned by Wincenty Kadłubek. Alleged son of Leszko II, father of Popiel I and grandfather of Popiel II. Hypothesis If we would like today to again review the ...

, a legendary ruler of the

Popielids The Popielids ( pl, Popielidzi) were a legendary ruling dynasty of either the Polans, Goplans or both tribes, founded by Leszko II. They supposedly ruled the lands of Poland prior to the start of the Piast dynasty. Two Polish families claim desc ...

dynasty. The family reached the height of its power and importance in the late 16th and 17th centuries, when one of its members was elected

John III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( pl, Jan III Sobieski; lt, Jonas III Sobieskis; la, Ioannes III Sobiscius; 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobie ...

(Jan III Sobieski). The last male member of the branch of the family that began with John's grandfather,

Marek Sobieski Marek Sobieski (1549/1550 – 1605) was a Polish–Lithuanian noble ( szlachcic). He was a courtier from 1577, a Royal Court Chorąży (chorąży nadworny królewski) from 1581, a castellan of Lublin from 1597, and a voivode of Lublin Voiv ...

, in the 16th century was

Jakub Ludwik Sobieski James Louis Henry Sobieski ( Polish: ''Jakub Ludwik Henryk Sobieski''; French: ''Jacques Louis Henri de Sobieski'') 2 November 1667 – 19 December 1737) was a Polish-French nobleman, politician, diplomat, scholar, traveller and the son of John II ...

(1667–1737).

Coat of arms

The Sobieski family used the

, and their motto was ''Vel cum hoc, vel super hoc''. Gascar Apotheosis of John III Sobieski

Siemiginowski Sobieski at the Battle of Vienna

220px, John III Sobieski, the victor of the Battle of Chocim. Scutum Sobiescianum

File:Coat of Arms of Jan Sobieski as king of Poland.svg, Coat of Arms of John III Sobieski as the King of Poland File:Sobieski Crown.PNG, Portrayal of Sobieski's royal crown, Gdańsk.

Notable members

Palaces

File:Żółkiew - Kolegiata pw. św. Wawrzyńca 01.JPG, St. Lawrence's Church in

Żółkiew Zhovkva ( uk, Жовква ; pl, Żółkiew; yi, זאָלקוואַ, translit=Zolkva; russian: Жо́лква, 1951–1992: ''Nesterov'') is a city in Lviv Raion, Lviv Oblast (region) of western Ukraine. Zhovkva hosts the administration of Zho ...

. Mausoleum of the

Żółkiewski Żółkiewski family ( pl, Żółkiewscy) is a Polish magnate family of Lubicz coat of arms. The name derives from the village of Żółkiew, now Żółkiewka, Lublin Voivodeship.Wilanów Palace Wilanów Palace ( pl, Pałac w Wilanowie, ) is a former royal palace located in the Wilanów district of Warsaw, Poland. Wilanów Palace survived Poland's partitions and both World Wars, and so serves as a reminder of the culture of the Polish ...

, Warsaw File:Wilanów Palace.jpg,

Wilanów Palace Wilanów Palace ( pl, Pałac w Wilanowie, ) is a former royal palace located in the Wilanów district of Warsaw, Poland. Wilanów Palace survived Poland's partitions and both World Wars, and so serves as a reminder of the culture of the Polish ...

, Warsaw

Famous descendants

Among the descendants of John III Sobieski were one

Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...

(simultaneously one

King of Bohemia The Duchy of Bohemia was established in 870 and raised to the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198. Several Bohemian monarchs ruled as non-hereditary kings beforehand, first gaining the title in 1085. From 1004 to 1806, Bohemia was part of the Holy Roman ...

and one

King of Germany This is a list of monarchs who ruled over East Francia, and the Kingdom of Germany (''Regnum Teutonicum''), from the division of the Frankish Empire in 843 and the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 until the collapse of the German Empir ...

), seven Kings of Saxony (simultaneously one

Duke of Warsaw 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 ...

), one

King of Bavaria King of Bavaria was a title held by the hereditary Wittelsbach rulers of Bavaria in the state known as the Kingdom of Bavaria from 1805 until 1918, when the kingdom was abolished. It was the second time Bavaria was a kingdom, almost a thousand ...

, two

Kings of Italy Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

(simultaneously one

Emperor of Ethiopia The emperor of Ethiopia ( gez, ንጉሠ ነገሥት, nəgusä nägäst, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse ( am, ዐፄ, "emperor"), was the hereditary monarchy, hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century ...

and one

King of the Albanians While the medieval Capetian House of Anjou, Angevin Kingdom of Albania (medieval), Kingdom of Albania was a monarchy, it did not encompass fully the entirety of the modern state of Albania and was ended soon by the Albanian nobles by 1282 when the ...

), one

Tsar of Bulgaria The monarchs of Bulgaria ruled the country during three periods of Bulgaria's history as an independent country: from the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 681 to the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria in 1018; from the Uprising of Asen ...

, one

Emperor of Austria The Emperor of Austria (german: Kaiser von Österreich) was the ruler of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A hereditary imperial title and office proclaimed in 1804 by Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the Ho ...

(simultaneously one

King of Hungary The King of Hungary ( hu, magyar király) was the ruling head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 (or 1001) to 1918. The style of title "Apostolic King of Hungary" (''Apostoli Magyar Király'') was endorsed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 ...

), one

Queen consort of Spain House of Habsburg House of Bourbon House of Bonaparte House of Bourbon (first restoration) House of Savoy House of Bourbon (second and third restoration) See also * List of Spanish monarchs * List of Aragonese consorts * L ...

and one titular Queen consort of England, Ireland and Scotland.

Tree

, married

Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d'Arquien (Polish: Maria Kazimiera Ludwika d’Arquien), known also by the diminutive form "Marysieńka" (28 June 1641 – 30 January 1716) was a French noblewoman who became the queen consort of Poland and gran ...

Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska Theresa Kunegunda ( pl, Teresa Kunegunda Sobieska, german: Kurfürstin Therese Kunigunde) (4 March 1676 – 10 March 1730) was a Polish princess, Electress of Bavaria and of the Electorate of the Palatinate. By birth she was member of the House o ...

, married

Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria Maximilian, Maximillian or Maximiliaan (Maximilien in French) is a male given name. The name " Max" is considered a shortening of "Maximilian" as well as of several other names. List of people Monarchs *Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1459� ...

***

Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII (6 August 1697 – 20 January 1745) was the prince-elector of Bavaria from 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 to his death. He was a member of the House of Wittelsbach, and his reign as Holy Roman Emperor thus marked the ...

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Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria Maria Antonia, Princess of Bavaria, Electress of Saxony (18 July 1724 – 23 April 1780) was a German princess, composer, singer, harpsichordist and patron of the arts, known particularly for her operas: ''Il trionfo della fedeltà'' (“The ...

*****

Frederick Augustus I of Saxony pl, Fryderyk August Józef Maria Antoni Jan Nepomucen Alojzy Ksawery , image = Frederick Augustus I of Saxony by Marcello Bacciarelli (ca 1808-1809).png , caption = Portrait by Marcello Bacciarelli (1809) , succession = King of Saxony , coron ...

*****

Anthony of Saxony Holborn, p. 24 en, Anthony Clement Theodore Mary Joseph John the Evangelist Nepomuk Francis Xavier Aloysius Januarius , image = Anton-sachsen.jpg , caption = Portrait by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein (1827) , reign = 5 M ...

*****

Maximilian, Hereditary Prince of Saxony , image = El príncipe Maximiliano de Sajonia (Palacio Real de Madrid).jpg , caption = Portrait by Vicente López Portaña (1825) , spouse = , issue = , house = Wettin , father = Frederick Christi ...

, married

Princess Carolina of Parma en, Caroline Mary Theresa Josepha of Bourbon-Parmagerman: Karoline Marie Theresia Josefa von Bourbon-Parmafrench: Caroline Marie Thérèse Josèphe de Bourbon-Parme , birth_date = , birth_place = Ducal Palace of Colorno, Parma , death_date ...

(descendant of King

Stanisław I Leszczyński 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 ...

) ******

Princess Maria Anna of Saxony (1799–1832) Marie Anna of Saxony (15 November 1799 – 24 March 1832), (full name: Maria Anna Carolina Josepha Vincentia Xaveria Nepomucena Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal Johanna Antonia Elisabeth Cunigunde Gertrud Leopoldina), was a princess of Sax ...

*******

Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria Archduchess Auguste Ferdinande of Austria (1 April 1825 – 26 April 1864) was the only daughter of Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany and his first wife, Maria Anna of Saxony to survive to adulthood. She married Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, w ...

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Ludwig III of Bavaria Ludwig III (Ludwig Luitpold Josef Maria Aloys Alfried; 7 January 1845 – 18 October 1921) was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918. Initially he served in the Bavarian military as a lieutenant and went on to hold the rank of Oberl ...

******

Frederick Augustus II of Saxony , image = Friedrich August II of Saxony.jpg , caption = Portrait by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein , image_size = 220px , reign = 6 June 1836 – 9 August 1854 , coronation = , predecessor = Anthony , ...

****** John of Saxony Królewska

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Princess Elisabeth of Saxony Elisabeth of Saxony (4 February 1830 – 14 August 1912) was a Princess of Saxony who married the second son of the King of Sardinia. She was the mother of Margherita, Queen of Italy. Early life and family She was born in Dresden, capital of Sa ...

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Margherita of Savoy Margherita of Savoy (''Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna''; 20 November 1851 – 4 January 1926) was Queen of Italy by marriage to Umberto I. Life Early life Margherita was born to Prince Ferdinand of Savoy, Duke of Genoa and Princess Elisabeth ...

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Victor Emmanuel III of Italy Victor Emmanuel III (Vittorio Emanuele Ferdinando Maria Gennaro di Savoia; 11 November 1869 – 28 December 1947) was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. He also reigned as Emperor of Ethiopia (1936–1941) and K ...

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Giovanna of Italy , house = Savoy , father = Victor Emmanuel III of Italy , mother = Elena of Montenegro , birth_date = , birth_place = Rome, Kingdom of Italy , death_date = , death_place = Estoril, Portuguese Riviera , burial_ ...

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Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Simeon Borisov von Saxe-Coburg-Gotha ( bg, Симеон Борисов Сакскобургготски, translit=Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski, ; born 16 June 1937) is a Bulgarian politician who reigned as the last tsar of the Kingdom of Bul ...

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Albert of Saxony en, Frederick Augustus Albert Anthony Ferdinand Joseph Charles Maria Baptist Nepomuk William Xavier George Fidelis , image = Albert of Saxony by Nicola Perscheid c1900.jpg , image_size = , caption = Photograph by Nicola Persch ...

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George, King of Saxony en, Frederick Augustus George Louis William Maximilian Charles Maria Nepomuk Baptist Xavier Cyriacus Romanus , image =George of Saxony by Nicola Perscheid c1900.jpg , caption = Photograph by Nicola Perscheid c. 1900 , reign ...

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Frederick Augustus III of Saxony en, Frederick Augustus John Louis Charles Gustav Gregory Philip von Wettin , image = Friedrich August III van Saksen.jpg , caption = Frederick Augustus III (1914) , succession = King of Saxony , reign = 15 October 1904 – ...

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Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1867–1944) , house = Wettin , father = King George of Saxony , mother = Infanta Maria Anna of Portugal , birth_date = , birth_place = Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, North German Confederation , death_date = , death_place = Erlang ...

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Charles I of Austria Charles I or Karl I (german: Karl Franz Josef Ludwig Hubert Georg Otto Maria, hu, Károly Ferenc József Lajos Hubert György Ottó Mária; 17 August 18871 April 1922) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (as Charles IV, ), King of Croatia, ...

****** Maria Josepha Amalia, Queen of Spain **

James Louis Sobieski James Louis Henry Sobieski ( Polish: ''Jakub Ludwik Henryk Sobieski''; French: ''Jacques Louis Henri de Sobieski'') 2 November 1667 – 19 December 1737) was a Polish-French nobleman, politician, diplomat, scholar, traveller and the son of John II ...

***

Maria Clementina Sobieska Maria Clementina Sobieska ( pl, Maria Klementyna Sobieska; 18 July 1702 – 18 January 1735) a titular queen of England, Scotland and Ireland by marriage to James Francis Edward Stuart, a Jacobite claimant to the British throne. The granddaughte ...

(titular Queen consort of England, Ireland and Scotland)

References

External links

The Beginnings of the Career of the Sobieski Family
at the Wilanów Palace Museum {{Authority control