The House of Sapieha (; ; ; ) is a Polish-Lithuanian noble and

magnate The term magnate, 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 Ruthenian origin,Энцыклапедыя ВКЛ. Т.2, арт. "Сапегі" descending from the medieval

boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Bulgaria, Kievan Rus' (and later Russia), Moldavia and Wallachia (and later Romania), Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. C ...

s of

Smolensk Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...

and

Polotsk Polotsk () or Polatsk () is a town in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the Dvina River and serves as the administrative center of Polotsk District. Polotsk is served by Polotsk Airport and Borovitsy air base. As of 2025, it has a pop ...

. Vernadsky, George. ''A History of Russia''. New Haven. Connecticut: Yale University Press. 1961
online
/ref> The family acquired great influence and wealth in the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

during the 16th century.

History

The first confirmed records of the Sapieha family date back to the 15th century, when Semen Sopiha () was mentioned as a writer (scribe) of the then

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 Royal elections in Poland, free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electab ...

and

Grand Duke of Lithuania This is a list of Lithuanian monarchs who ruled Lithuania from its inception until the fall of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1795. The Lithuanian monarch bore the title of Grand duke, Grand Duke, with the exception of Mindaugas, who was crown ...

Casimir IV Jagiellon Casimir IV (Casimir Andrew Jagiellon; ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447 until his death in 1492. He was one of the most active Polish-Lithuanian rulers; under ...

() for the period of 1441–49. Semen had two sons, and . Possibly, the family of Semen Sopiha owned the village of Sopieszyno near Gdansk, which they left because of the Teutonic invasion. Sopieszyno is one of the oldest

Pomerania Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...

n villages. The records have it that already in the 11th-12th centuries it was a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

ly estate. It was then mentioned in 1399 as a village owned in

fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

dom by knights subject to the Polish Crown. Their family could be involved in the Baltic-Volga trade, as many Pomeranian families. The family descended from

boyars subject to Lithuania. The creator of the fortune and power of the Sapieha family was the Court and Great

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

and Great

Hetman ''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...

of Lithuania, Lew Sapieha. The

prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

ly title of the Sapieha-Kodenski branch was recognized in Poland in 1572 and in Austria-Hungary in 1845, while that of the Sapieha-Rozanski line was officially acknowledged in Russia in 1880.Enache, Nicolas. ''La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg''. ICC, Paris, 1996. pp. 72, 80-81. (French). On 14 September 1700, Michał Franciszek Sapieha had obtained the title of prince from Emperor Leopold I, but the title became extinct upon his death on 19 November 1700. That year, the family lost its dominant position in the Grand Duchy as a result of its defeat in the Lithuanian Civil War. In 1768, members of the Sapieha family obtained recognition of the princely title from the Polish

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

. After the

partitions of Poland The Partitions of Poland were three partition (politics), partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. They ended the existence of the state, resulting in the eli ...

, the family appeared in the list of persons authorised to bear the title of Prince of the

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland (; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a monarchy in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval period from 1025 until 1385. Background The West Slavs, West Slavic tribe of Polans (western), Polans who lived in what i ...

in 1824. The title was recognised in Austria in 1836 and 1840, and in Russia in 1874 and 1901. In 1905, the family obtained the qualification of Serene Highness in Austria. The maternal grandmother of

Queen Mathilde of Belgium Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz (; born 20 January 1973) is Queen of the Belgians as the wife of King Philippe. She is the first native-born Belgian queen, and has four children. She formerly worked as a speech therapist. ...

was a Princess of the house of Sapieha.

Coat of arms

The Sapieha family used the Polish coat of arms named "

Lis LIS or LiS may refer to: Computing * LIS (programming language) * Lis (linear algebra library), library of iterative solvers for linear systems * Laboratory information system, databases oriented towards medical laboratories * Land information sys ...

". image:POL COA Lis.svg,

Lis coat of arms Lis (Polish language, Polish for "Fox") is a Polish heraldry, Polish coat of arms. It was used by many szlachta, noble families of Clan Lis. The legend of the coat of arms In 1058 Duke Casimir I the Restorer while chasing the pagan Old Prussian ...

image:Herb Sapiehów.PNG, Original arms of the Princes Sapieha image:Sapieha, Pahonia. Сапега, Пагоня (1786).jpg, Coat of arms of Sapieha, 1786 image:POL COA Sapieha alt.svg, Later arms of the Princes Sapieha (1858–1859)

Notable members

* Adam Stefan Sapieha (1867–1951), cardinal, archbishop of

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

* Adam Zygmunt Sapieha (1892–1970), cavalryman, aviator * Aleksander Michał Sapieha (1730–1793), voivode of Płock, Field Lithuanian Hetman, Grand Lithuanian Chancellor, marshal of the Lithuanian Tribunal * Aleksander Paweł Sapieha (1672-1734), Marshal of the Court of Lithuania and Grand Marshal of Lithuania * Aleksander Sapieha (1888–1976), aviator * Andrzej Józef Sapieha (1894–1945), he participated in the Polish–Soviet War, member of the

Armia Krajowa The Home Army (, ; abbreviated AK) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) established in the ...

* Andrzej Sapieha (1539–1621), Great Royal Deputy Cup-bearer of Lithuania, castellan of

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

, and Voivode of Polotsk and

* Anna Zofia Sapieha (1799–1864), wife of Prince

Adam Jerzy Czartoryski Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (14 January 1770 – 15 July 1861), also known as Adam George Czartoryski, was a Polish szlachta, nobleman, statesman, diplomat and author who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Russian SFSR, Chairman of ...

* Arabella Theresa Sapieha (1960), Princess Sapieha-Rozanski * Bohdan Sapieha, several people * Eustachy Kajetan Sapieha (1797–1860), he participated in the

November uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...

, politically tied with the " Hôtel Lambert" * Eustachy Sapieha (1881–1963), politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs 1920-1921 * Eustachy Seweryn Sapieha (1916–2004), hunter, historian of the Sapieha family * Franciszek Sapieha (1772–1829), general, he participated in 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 ...

* Fryderyk Sapieha (1599–1650), voivode of Mścisław, podkomorzy of Vitebsk * Kazimierz Lew Sapieha (1607–1656), Marshal of the Crown, son of Lew Sapieha * Jan Andrzej Sapieha (1910–1989), head of House Sapieha, he participated in the Defence War of 1939 * Jan Fryderyk Sapieha (1680–1751), Grand Recorder of Lithuania * Jan Kazimierz Sapieha the Elder (?–1730), Grand Hetman of Lithuania * Jan Kazimierz Sapieha the Younger, (–1720), Field Hetman * Jan Pavel Sapieha-Rozanski (1935) head of House Sapieha, sometime Belgian ambassador to Brazil * Jan Piotr Sapieha (1569–1611), Polish royal officer *

Jan Stanisław Sapieha Jan Stanisław Sapieha (; 25 October 1589 in Maladziečna – 10 April 1635 in Lyakhavichy) was a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Polish–Lithuanian szlachta, noble, starost of Słonim, Court Marshal of Lithuania from 1617, Great Lithuanian M ...

(1589–1635), Court Marshal of Lithuania, Great Lithuanian Marshal * Józef Sapieha, he participated in the

Polish–Soviet War The Polish–Soviet War (14 February 1919 – 18 March 1921) was fought primarily between the Second Polish Republic and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, following World War I and the Russian Revolution. After the collapse ...

* Karol Władysław Sapieha (1920–1941), pilot of the Polish Air Forces in Great Britain in World War II * Kazimierz Nestor Sapieha (1757–1798), political activist, general * Leon Aleksander Sapieha (1883–1944), landlord, member of the

, member of Związek Walki Zbrojnej and the Armia Krajowa * Leon Roman Sapieha (1915–1940), pilot of the Polish Air Forces in Great Britain in World War II * Leon Sapieha (1803–1878), political and economic activist * Lew Jerzy Sapieha (1913–1990), poet, writer * Lew Sapieha (1557–1633), Court Chancellor and Great Hetman of Lithuania * Maria Sapieha (1910–2009), social activist, wife of Prince Jan Andrzej Sapieha-Rozanski * Michał Franciszek Sapieha (1670–1700), General, Koniuszy * Mikołaj Krzysztof Sapieha (1613–1639), voivode of Minsk * Mikołaj Sapieha (1581–1644), voivode of Minsk and of Brześć Litewski, castellan of Vilnius * Mikołaj Sapieha (1588–1638), voivode of Minsk and of Nowogródek * Paola Maria de Bourbon Orléans e Bragança Sapieha (1983), model and product designer, wife of fashion photographer Prince Constantin Swiatopolk-CzetwertyńskiMenthe, Caterina. 13 February 201
Love royale

Vogue Arabia ''Vogue Arabia'' / ''Vogue العربية'' (stylised in all caps) is the Arabian-edition of the American Fashion journalism, fashion magazine Vogue (magazine), Vogue. The magazine has been in operation since 2017 and is based out of the United ...

* Paweł Jan Sapieha (1609–1665), voivode of the Witebsk and Vilnius, Great Hetman of Lithuania * Paweł Maria Sapieha (1900–1987), he participated in the Polish–Soviet War * Paweł Sapieha (1860–1934), traveler, first chairman of the Polish Red Cross * Paweł Stefan Sapieha (1565–1635), Deputy Chancellor of Lithuania * Róża Maria Sapieha (1921–1944), member of the Armia Krajowa, she participated in the

Warsaw uprising The Warsaw Uprising (; ), sometimes referred to as the August Uprising (), or the Battle of Warsaw, was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from ...

of 1944 * Stanisław Sapieha (1896–1919), defender of Lwów * Teresa Sapieha (died c.1784), wife of Prince Hieronim Florian Radziwiłł and Count Joachim Karol Potocki * Tomasz Sapieha (1598–1646), voivode of Wenden and of Nowogródek * Władysław Leon Sapieha (1853–1920), landowner, social activist

Palaces

image:Side façade of the Sapiegos Palace in Antakalnis eldership in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2024.jpg, Sapieha Palace in Vilnius image:Halšanski zamak. Гальшанскі замак (V. Dmachoŭski, 1853).jpg, Ruins of the castle in Holszany (1853) image:Дворцовый комплекс Сапегов в Ружанах.jpg, Palace of Aleksander Sapieha in Ružany image:Krasiczyn castle 3.jpg, Castle of Krasicki and Sapieha in Krasiczyn image:Wieleń 269-50.jpg, Sapieha Palace in

Wieleń Wieleń is a town in Czarnków-Trzcianka County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland. It is situated on the river Noteć. History Part of Poland since the Middle Ages, Duke Władysław Odonic of Greater Poland brought the Cistercians to Wie ...

image:Дворец Сапег.jpg, Sapieha Palace in

Lviv Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

image:Bobrek pałac.JPG, Palace in Bobrek image:Koden-palacyk-Placencja.jpg, Palace "Placencja", summer residence in Kodeń image:Warszawa - Pałac Sapiehów 01.jpg, Palace of Jan Fryderyk Sapieha in Warsaw image:Zespół zamkowy (XV-XVIw.) ruiny zamku (XVIw.) (fot. 1) - Kodeń powiat bialski woj. lubelskie ArPiCh A-55.JPG, Remains of the castle in Kodeń image:Vysokаŭski zamak. Высокаўскі замак (N. Orda, 1876).jpg, Castle in Wysokie image:Horadnia, Nioman. Горадня, Нёман (1891).jpg, Palace in

Grodno Grodno, or Hrodna, is a city in western Belarus. It is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The city is located on the Neman, Neman River, from Minsk, about from the Belarus–Poland border, border with Poland, and from the Belarus–Lithua ...

Bibliography

* Labarre de Raillicourt, Dominique., ''Histoire des Sapieha'' (1440–1970), Paris, 1970 * Sapieha E., Dom Sapieżyński, Warszawa 1995. Numery /112 przy nazwiskach oznaczają numery biogramów w/w pozycji. * Tłomacki A., "Sapiehowie Kodeńscy", nakładem własnym, Warszawa 2009

References