Gotard of Służew (

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

: ''Gotard ze Służewa'') was a 13th-century knight and

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

from 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 ...

. He served under duke

Konrad I of Masovia Konrad I of Masovia (ca. 1187/88 – 31 August 1247), from the Polish Piast dynasty, was the sixth Duke of Masovia and Kuyavia from 1194 until his death as well as High Duke of Poland from 1229 to 1232 and again from 1241 to 1243. Life Konrad w ...

, and later duke

Bolesław I of Masovia Bolesław I of Masovia (; 1208 – ca. 25 February 1248), was Polish prince member of the Polish House of Piast, Duke of Sandomierz (only a part) during 1229–1232, Duke of Dobrzyń during 1233-1247 and Duke over whole Masovia during 1247–1248 ...

. He was also

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 ...

Wizna Wizna is a village in Łomża County of Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, situated on the Narew River. Wizna is known for the battle of Wizna which took place in its vicinity during the 1939 Invasion of Poland at the start of World ...

. Gotard begun the Radwan-Wierzbowa clan, related to the Radwan heraldic clan. His descendants formed noble families of Służewski, Okęcki, and Rusiecki.

Biography

Gotard was a son of Łuka (or ''Łukasz'').Elżbieta Kowalczyk-Heyman: ''Karczma w Ruścu: przyczynek do poznania dziejów późnośredniowiecznych karczem mazowieckich''. Warsaw, 2013, p. 272. (in Polish) He was a magnate, knight and military leader in the

, serving under duke

, and later duke

. Gotard was also a

.Marta Piber-Zbieranowska: ''Służew średniowieczny''. Warsaw: Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie, 2001, p. 105. ISBN 8390732858 (in Polish)Kasper Niesiecki: ''Herbarz polski Kaspra Niesieckiego'', vol. 8: ''R–S''. Lipsk, 1841, p. 28. (in Polish) He fought in defensive wars against tribes of

Old Prussians Old Prussians, Baltic Prussians or simply Prussians were a Balts, Baltic people that inhabited the Prussia (region), region of Prussia, on the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea between the Vistula Lagoon to the west and the Curonian Lagoon ...

and

Yotvingians Yotvingians, also called Sudovians, Jatvians, or Jatvingians, were a Western Baltic people who were closely tied to the Old Prussians. The linguist Petras Būtėnas asserts that they were closest to the Lithuanians. The Yotvingians contributed ...

, during which, he took captive seven Yotvingian leaders. They were then exchanged for a massive ransome paid in

silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...

. On 27 April 1245, duke Konrad I awarded him with the land estate of

Służew Służew, historically until 16th century known as Służewo, is a residential neighbourhood, and an area of the City Information System, in the city of Warsaw, Poland, located within the district of Mokotów. Landmarks and transport Służew ...

.Marta Piber-Zbieranowska: ''Służew średniowieczny''. Warsaw: Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie, 2001, p. 145–150. ISBN 8390732858 (in Polish) Ulica Gotarda w Warszawie 2022

He began the Radwan-Wierzbowa clan, related to the Radwan heraldic clan. His descendants formed noble families of Służewski, Okęcki, and Rusiecki. The Służewski family owned Służew estate until the 17th century.Marta Piber-Zbieranowska: ''Służew średniowieczny''. Warsaw: Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie, 2001, p. 232–233. ISBN 8390732858 (in Polish) On 24 November 1961, a street in

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 ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

was named after Gotard. It is located in the district of

Mokotów Mokotów () is a district of Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. It is densely populated, and hosts many companies and foreign embassies. Only a small part of the district is lightly industrialised (''Służewiec Przemysłowy''), while the majori ...

, in the neighbourhood of

Służewiec Służewiec is a neighbourhood, and an area of the City Information System, in the city of Warsaw, Poland, located within the district of Mokotów. Most of the neighbourhood consists of office buildings, which form one of the biggest complexes ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gotard of Sluzew Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 13th-century Polish nobility People from Warsaw Military personnel from Warsaw Nobility from Warsaw Polish civil servants Medieval Polish knights 13th-century landowners 13th-century soldiers Christians of the Prussian Crusade Castellans Clan of Radwan Counts of Poland 13th-century counts in Europe People from Łomża County