Princess Julia Lubomirska (1764 – 22 August 1794) was a Polish

noblewoman A noblewoman is a female member of the nobility. Noblewomen form a disparate group, which has evolved over time. Ennoblement of women has traditionally been a rare occurrence; the majority of noblewomen were linked to the nobility by either their ...

, known for her love life. She was the daughter of

Izabela Lubomirska Izabela could refer to: * Izabela, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, a village in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland * Izabela, Masovian Voivodeship, in Masovian Voivodeship, Poland * Izabela (name), a feminine given name See also * Isabela ...

, one of the richest people in the Commonwealth and cousin of the king Stanislaus Augustus, and the Grand Marshal of the Crown Stanisław Lubomirski. She was considered one of the most beautiful Polish women of her time, for which she was called "Giulietta la bella". In 1785 in

Wilanów Wilanów () is a dzielnica, district of the city of Warsaw, Poland. It is home to historic Wilanów Palace, the "Polish Palace of Versailles, Versailles," and second home to various List of Polish rulers, Polish kings. Wilanów is home to many v ...

, she married

Jan Nepomucen Potocki Count Jan Nepomucen Potocki (1867–1943) was a Polish nobleman (szlachcic) and social activist who served as a member of the Imperial Council (Austria), Imperial Council and the Sejm of Galicia. Jan was owner of Rymanów Zdrój estates. He was ma ...

, travel writer best known for his novel ''

The Manuscript Found in Saragossa ''The Manuscript Found in Saragossa'' (; also known in English as ''The Saragossa Manuscript'') is a frame tale, frame-tale novel written in French language, French at the turn of 18th and 19th centuries by the Poland, Polish author Count Jan Pot ...

'' and for being the first person in Poland to fly on a hot-air balloon. Soon after the wedding they went together to Italy, France, Britain, and the Netherlands for three years. During this time, she gave birth to

Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

and

Artur Artur is a cognate to the common male given name Arthur meaning "bear-like", or “of honour”. It is believed to possibly be descended from the Roman surname Artorius or the Celtic bear-goddess Artio or more probably from the Celtic word '' ...

while staying with her mother. They returned in 1788, when Jan became an envoy at the

Four-Year Sejm The Great Sejm, also known as the Four-Year Sejm ( Polish: ''Sejm Wielki'' or ''Sejm Czteroletni''; Lithuanian: ''Didysis seimas'' or ''Ketverių metų seimas'') was a Sejm (parliament) of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that was held in W ...

and Julia supported the

Constitution of 3 May The Constitution of 3 May 1791, titled the Government Act, was a written constitution for the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that was adopted by the Great Sejm that met between 1788 and 1792. The Commonwealth was a dual monarchy comprising t ...

. It was during this time that she met

Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko Prince Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko (1768–1844) was a Polish Szlachta, nobleman, general, military commander, diplomat and politician. Early life Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko was born in 1768 to Hieronim Janusz Sanguszko and Cecylia Usrzula Pot ...

, also an envoy at said Sejm, with whom she had an affair well known socially. They were separated by his participation in the

Polish–Russian War of 1792 The Polish–Russian War of 1792 (also, War of the Second Partition, and in Polish sources, War in Defence of the Constitution) was fought between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth on one side, and the Targowica Confederation (conservativ ...

and the

Kościuszko Uprising The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794, Second Polish War, Polish Campaign of 1794, and the Polish Revolution of 1794, was an uprising against the Russian and Prussian influence on the Polish–Lithuanian Common ...

, though they continued to correspond. Following the triumph of Russia over the Constitution and the accession of the king to the

Targowica Confederation The Targowica Confederation (, , ) was a confederation established by Polish and Lithuanian magnates on 27 April 1792, in Saint Petersburg, with the backing of the Russian Empress Catherine II. The confederation opposed the Constitution of 3 May ...

, Julia and her husband returned to France, where he had links with the Jacobins. While there, she provided

Tadeusz Kościuszko Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (; 4 or 12 February 174615 October 1817) was a Polish Military engineering, military engineer, statesman, and military leader who then became a national hero in Poland, the United States, Lithuania, and ...

with organisational and financial help in January 1793. After this, Jan went to Germany while Julia returned to Poland. She died of tuberculosis, with her husband and two sons by her deathbed. Through her son Alfred Wojciech Potocki and his daughter the current royal family of Liechtenstein are her descendants.

References

1764 births 1794 deaths Julia Lubomirska 18th-century Polish nobility {{Poland-noble-stub