Józef Potocki (; 1673–1751) was a Polish nobleman ( szlachcic),

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 ...

, Great Hetman of the Crown. Józef was considered as the richest magnate in Poland at that time. He was

Voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...

of Kijów Voivodship (

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...

, also Kiev) from 1702 to 1744, Regimentarz generalny of the Crown Army since 1733, 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 ...

since 1735, voivod of

Poznań Voivodship 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 John ...

since 1743,

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 ...

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

since 1748 and starost of Halicz,

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 officiall ...

, Leżajsk, Kołomyja, Czerwonogród, Śniatyn and Bolemów. In 1703 he suppressed a peasant revolt led by

Semen Paliy Semen Paliy ( uk, Семен Палiй, pl, Semen Palej) (c. 1645 – 1710) was a Ukrainian Cossack polkovnyk (colonel). Born in Chernihiv region, Paliy settled in Zaporizhian Sich at a very young age and gained fame as a brave fighter and ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

. He was originally a supporter of King

August II of Poland Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as Ki ...

but in 1705 he changed sides and became a supporter 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 ...

. Józef was defeated at the battles of

Kalisz (The oldest city of Poland) , image_skyline = , image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town , image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...

1706 and

Koniecpol Koniecpol is a town in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,910 inhabitants (2019). In the times of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the seat of the Koniecpolski magnate The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magn ...

in 1708 and since 1709 after the

Battle of Poltava The Battle of Poltava; russian: Полта́вская би́тва; uk, Полта́вська би́тва (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War. A Russian army under the command of Tsar Peter I defeat ...

he lived in exile in Hungary and Turkey. In 1714 he came back to Poland and became together with Teodor Potocki, the leader of the opposition to the " Familia" and the royal court. As part of this opposition, he contributed to the breaking-up of 9 sejms and prevented an increase of the army. In 1733 during the

War of the Polish Succession The War of the Polish Succession ( pl, Wojna o sukcesję polską; 1733–35) was a major European conflict sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II of Poland, which the other European powers widened in pursuit of thei ...

he again supported Stanisław I Leszczyński. He became a

regimentarz A Regimentarz (from Latin: ''regimentum'') was a military commander in Poland, since the 16th century, of an army group or a substitute of a Hetman. He was nominated by the King of Poland or the Sejm. In the 17th century a Regimentarz was also t ...

of the Confederation of Dzików and guided the Polish confederate army against Russian and Saxon forces in several battles. On 28 February 1735 he recognized

August III Augustus III ( pl, August III Sas, lt, Augustas III; 17 October 1696 5 October 1763) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1733 until 1763, as well as Elector of Saxony in the Holy Roman Empire where he was known as Frederick Augu ...

as King of Poland, becoming the Grand Hetman of the Crown, but conspired against him and the royal court with Turkey, Sweden and

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...

. In 1719 he was granted the Order of the White Eagle, the highest decoration in Poland, and in 1742 became a chevalier of the Russian Orders of

St. Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter ...

and

St. Alexander Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (russian: Александр Ярославич Невский; ; 13 May 1221 – 14 November 1263) served as Prince of Novgorod (1236–40, 1241–56 and 1258–1259), Grand Prince of Kiev (1236–52) and Grand P ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potocki, Jozef Castellans of Kraków Jozef Potocki Starost of Halych Starost of Leżajsk 1673 births 1751 deaths Great Crown Hetmans