The House of Poniatowski (plural: ''Poniatowscy'') is a prominent

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

family that was part of the nobility of Poland. A member of this family, Stanisław Poniatowski, was elected as King of Poland and reigned from 1764 until his abdication in 1795. Since Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, ''Poniatowska'' is the equivalent name for a female member of this family.

History

The Poniatowski family became most prominent in the late 18th century and 19th century. In three generations, the family rose from the rank of

gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest c ...

to that of senator and then to royalty (in an elective monarchy). The first information about the family dates back to the end of the 15th century, when they appeared in

Poniatowa Poniatowa is a town in southeastern Poland, in Opole Lubelskie County, in Lublin Voivodship, with 10,500 inhabitants (2006). It belongs to the historic province of Lesser Poland. During the existence of the 17th-century Polish–Lithuanian Common ...

, 40 km west from Lublin in about 1446. Their family name derives from that place name. Poniatowa was the residence of several branches of the Poniatowski family: Tłuk, Jarasz and Ciołek. Michel Poniatowski In Tunisia mars1976

According to the family's history, the family had ties with the Italian nobility: Giuseppe Salinguerra, a member of the Italian family of

Torelli Torelli may refer to: People * Achille Torelli (1841–1922), Italian playwright *Alec Torelli (born 1987), American professional poker player *Bernard Torelli (1955–2016), French guitarist and audio engineer *Cesare Torelli (died 1615), Italian ...

, settled in Poland about the middle of the 17th century, and there assumed the name of Poniatowski from the estate of Poniatow, belonging to his wife, who was the daughter of Albert Poniatowski and Anna Leszczyńska. On 7 September 1764, at

Wola Wola (, ) is a district in western Warsaw, Poland, formerly the village of Wielka Wola, incorporated into Warsaw in 1916. An industrial area with traditions reaching back to the early 19th century, it underwent a transformation into an office (co ...

, the most famous member of the family, Stanisław Poniatowski, was

elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population ...

as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. In the same year, the Coronation Sejm awarded the Poniatowski family the title of Prince of Poland. Taurus Poniatovii

Nowadays, there are still Poniatowscy living in Poland, France, Mexico, Italy, Russia, the United States, Germany, and many other countries in the world.

Members

Among most known members are: * Stanisław Poniatowski (1676–1762),

Podstoli Deputy pantler ( Polish: podstoli) was a court office in Poland and Lithuania. They were the deputy of a pantler, and was responsible for the King's pantry. From the 14th century, this was an honorary court title and a district office in Crown o ...

Treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury ...

, General,

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 ...

Kazimierz Poniatowski Prince Kazimierz Poniatowski (15 September 1721 – 13 April 1800) was a Polish Szlachcic, ''podkomorzy wielki koronny'' (1742–1773), Lieutenant general of the Royal Polish forces, ''generał wojsk koronnych''. Knight of the Order of the ...

(1721–1800), General, Great Podkomorzy *

Ludwika Maria Poniatowska Countess Ludwika "Luds" Maria Poniatowska (30 November 1728 – 2 October 1804) was a Polish noblewoman, known as the sister of the King of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski. Life She was the daughter of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konst ...

(1728–1781), was married to Jan Jakub Zamoyski *

Izabella Poniatowska Countess Izabella Poniatowska (1 July 1730 – 14 February 1808) was a Polish noblewoman, sister of king Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski. Life She was the daughter of Stanisław Poniatowski and Konstancja Czartoryska. She was reportedly clo ...

(1730–1801), was married to

Jan Klemens Branicki Count Jan Klemens Branicki (also known as Jan Kazimierz Branicki; 21 September 1689 – 9 October 1771) was a Polish nobleman, magnate and Hetman, Field Crown Hetman of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth between 1735 and 1752, and Great Crown ...

* Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732–1798), King of Poland, reigned as Stanisław II August *

Andrzej Poniatowski Prince Andrzej Poniatowski (16 July 1734/5 – Vienna, 3/5 March 1773) was a Polish nobleman ( Szlachcic), General and Field Marshal. Andrzej was a son of Count Stanisław Poniatowski, Castellan of Kraków, and Princess Konstancja Czartoryska, ...

(1735–1773), General, Marshal of Austria *

Michał Jerzy Poniatowski Prince Michał Jerzy Poniatowski (12 October 1736 – 12 August 1794) was a Polish nobleman. Abbot of Tyniec and Czerwińsk (''opat tyniecki i czerwinski''), Bishop of Płock and Coadjutor Bishop of Kraków (''koadiutor krakowski'') from 17 ...

(1736–1794),

Primate Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians ( monkeys and apes, the latter including ...

of Poland * Konstancja Poniatowska (1759–1830), was married to Ludwik Tyszkiewicz *

Józef Poniatowski Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski (; 7 May 1763 – 19 October 1813) was a Polish general, minister of war and army chief, who became a Marshal of the French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. A nephew of king Stanislaus Augustus of Poland (), ...

(1763–1813), General, Marshal of France * Stanisław Poniatowski (1754–1833), Duke, Grand Treasurer * Jozef Michal Poniatowski (1814–1873), Tuscan plenipotentiary, French senator, composer and singer * Józef Stanisław Poniatowski (1835–1908), Polish nobleman, son of Jozef Michal *

Michel Poniatowski Michel Poniatowski (16 May 1922 – 15 January 2002) was a French politician, member of a legitimized line of Poland's princely Poniatowski family. He was a founder of the Independent Republicans and a part of the administration for President ...

(1922–2002), French politician *

Elena Poniatowska Hélène Elizabeth Louise Amélie Paula Dolores Poniatowska Amor (born May 19, 1932), known professionally as Elena Poniatowska () is a French-born Mexican journalist and author, specializing in works on social and political issues focused on th ...

(1932-), Mexican journalist and author

Coat of arms

The Poniatowski family used the Ciołek arms. Image:Herb Poniatowskich.PNG, Coat of arms of Princes Poniatowski since 1764 File:Józef ks Poniatowski CoA.png, Coat of arms of Prince

, Marshal of France, with Order of the White Eagle,

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King St ...

and

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. image:Coat of Arms of Stanislaus II August of Poland.png, Coat of arms of King Stanisław August Poniatowski File:Coat of Arms of Stanisław August Poniatowski with colland of Order of White Eagle.PNG, Coat of Arms of Stanisław August Poniatowski with collana of Order of White Eagle file:Herb Rzeczypospolitej za Stanisława Augusta RB1.jpg, Coat of arms of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from times of reign of Stanisław August Poniatowski, Guard House,

Poznań 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 Joh ...

File:Ceremonial sword Poniatowski.jpg, Ceremonial sword of King Stanisław August Poniatowski with his coat of arms

Palaces

image:Korsuno-002.jpg, Palace in Korsuń Szewczenkowski image:Jabłonna Palace.png,

Jabłonna Palace Jabłonna Palace ( pl, Pałac w Jabłonnie) is a palace, hotel and publicly accessible park-complex in Jabłonna, Legionowo County, Jabłonna near Warsaw in Poland whose uses include conferences and weddings. History During the Middle Ages, Jab� ...

in Jabłonna image:Kozienice.Zespół pałacowy 01.jpg, Palace in

Kozienice Kozienice (; yi, קאזשניץ ''Kozhnits''; german: Koschnitz) is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County. Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser Pol ...

image:Horadnia, Stanisłavova. Горадня, Станіславова (N. Orda, 28.07.1861-77).jpg, Palace Stanisławówka in Grodno image:Voŭčyn, Čartaryjski. Воўчын, Чартарыйскі (I. Ryškievič, 1898).jpg, Ruins of the palace in

Wołczyn Wołczyn (german: Konstadt) is a town in Kluczbork County, Opole Voivodeship, southern Poland, with 5,907 inhabitants . According to 2011 data, it covers , and is the seat of Gmina Wołczyn. It is located within the historic region of Lower Siles ...

Family tree

Notes

External links

Stanisław August Antoni Poniatowski h. Ciołek
* http://pl.rodovid.org/wk/Specjalna:Tree/46352 * {{Authority control