Topór (

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 ...

for "

axe An axe (; sometimes spelled ax in American English; American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for thousands of years to shape, split, a ...

") is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by several ''

szlachta The ''szlachta'' (; ; ) were the nobility, noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Depending on the definition, they were either a warrior "caste" or a social ...

'' (noble) families in

medieval Poland This article covers the history of Poland in the Middle Ages. This time covers roughly a millennium, from the 5th century to the 16th century. It is commonly dated from the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, and contrasted with a later Early Modern ...

and under 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 ...

.Alfred Znamierowski: Herbarz rodowy. Warszawa: Świat Książki, 2004, s. 171. .

History

The topór

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

is one of the oldest ''szlachta'' armorial bearings, found on a wax seal dated to 1282. Before the

Union of Horodło The Union of Horodło or Pact of Horodło was a set of three acts signed in the town of Horodło on 2 October 1413. The first act was signed by Władysław II Jagiełło, King of Poland, and Vytautas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. The second and thir ...

in 1413, it's believed approximately 220 Polish ''szlachta'' families in and around

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 ...

Lublin Lublin is List of cities and towns in Poland, the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the centre of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin i ...

and

Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; , ) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (), situated on the Vistula River near its confluence with the San, in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy ...

used these arms. Under the Union of Horodło the coat of arms was represented by

Maciej z Wąsosza Maciej (Polish pronunciation: ) is a Polish given name, the etymological equivalent of Matthias. Its diminutive forms are Maciek, Maciuś. Namedays according to Polish calendar: 30 January, 24 February, 14 May Maciej may refer to: Arts and ente ...

, the Voivod of Kraków, and by

Jan Butrym Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numb ...

, a Lithuanian

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 ...

. After the Union of Horodło the topór coat of arms was transported to

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

and adopted by Jan Butrym. Due to its antiquity it was sometimes referred to as ''Starża'', an Old-Polish word meaning "old age".

Blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...

Gules In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple). Gules is portrayed in heraldic hatch ...

proper. For a crest, issuant from a ducal coronet an axe proper in bend.

Notable bearers

Notable bearers of this coat of arms have included: *House of Bogdanowicz * Jan Jerzy Grabowski *House of Matuszewski: Szymon Piotr Stefan Matuszewski *Joey Największy z Gueltjakia *

Cyprian Norwid Cyprian Kamil Norwid (; – 23 May 1883) was a Polish poet, dramatist, painter, sculptor, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the four most important Polish Romanticism, Polish Romantic poets, though scholars still debate whether he is ...

*House Okulicz *

House of Ossoliński A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

Jerzy Ossoliński Prince Jerzy Ossoliński h. Topór (15 December 1595 – 9 August 1650) was a Polish nobleman (''szlachcic''), Crown Court Treasurer from 1632, governor (''voivode'') of Sandomierz from 1636, ''Reichsfürst'' (Imperial Prince) since 1634, Crow ...

Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński Count Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński (2 April 1676 – 1 July 1756) was a Polish nobleman, politician, diplomat and a patron of arts. Biography Son of Łowczy and Chorąży Maksymilian Ossoliński and Teodora Krassowska. He was married in ...

, Anna Teresa Ossolińska,

Józef Kajetan Ossoliński Count Józef Kajetan Ossoliński (1758–15 April 1834) was a notable Polish szlachcic (nobleman) with a distinguished political career. He served as the Castellan of the Podlaskie Voivodeship from 1790 and was a Senator Castellan of the Kingdom ...

Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński (3 September 1555 – 3 October 1623) was a Polish–Lithuanian nobleman, or ''szlachcic''. He held the following offices: *Secretary to the King from 1578 * Chamberlain or '' podkomorzy'' of Sandomierz from 1593 *Castel ...

Krzysztof Ossoliński Krzysztof Ossoliński (28 April, 1587 – 24 February, 1645) was a Polish–Lithuanian ''szlachcic'' (nobleman). He was Podstoli of Sandomierz since 1618, Podkomorzy of Sandomierz since 1619, Castellan sadecki in 1633, wojnicki in 1636, vo ...

*House of Starza Szolayski: Adam Prince Starza Szolayski, Wanda Princess Starza Szolayska, Gerda Starza Szolayska *

House of Tarło A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

, Teofilia Tarło,

Zygmunt Tarło Zygmunt Tarło (c. 1561 or 1562–1628) was a Polish–Lithuanian noble. He was Chorąży of Przemyśl since 1606 and castellan of Nowy Sącz since 1613. He was married to Barbara Drohojewska since 1601. They had three children together: ...

Jan Tarło Jan Tarło may refer to the following Polish noblemen: * Jan Tarło (d. 1550), standard-bearer of Lwów * Jan Tarło (d. 1572), cup-bearer of the Crown, starost of Pilzno * Jan Tarło (1527–1587), voivode of Lublin, starost of Łomża and Pilzno * ...

Andrzej Tarło Andrzej Tarło (died c. 1531) was a Polish noble. He was Chorąży of Lwów 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 c ...

, Pawel Tarło,

Jadwiga Tarło Jadwiga (; diminutives: Jadzia , Iga) is a Polish language, Polish feminine given name. It originated from the old Germanic feminine given name Hedwig (given name), Hedwig (variants of which include Hedwiga), which is compounded from ''hadu'' ("bat ...

Stanisław Tarło Stanisław Tarło (died 1599/1601) was a Polish noble (szlachcic). The son of Chorąży of Lwów Jan Tarło and Regina z Malczyc, he married Barbara Dulska, probably no later than 1593. They had two children together, Jan Karol Tarło and Paweł ...

Jan Karol Tarło Jan Karol Tarło (c. 1593–1645) was a Polish–Lithuanian noble (szlachcic). Son of starost Stanisław Tarło and Barbara Dulska. Married to Marianna Ligęza c. 1636. He was castellan of Wiślice and starost of Olsztyn and Zwoleń. His ...

Barbara Tarło Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously a ...

House of Tęczyński A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

: Zbigniew Tęczyński,

Jan Magnus Tęczyński Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numb ...

Eustachy Trepka Eustachy Trepka (born around 1510, died October 17, 1558) was a Polish Lutheran theologian, pastor, and translator. Trepka's family had its origins near Sieradz and Wielkopolska. According to some sources his family was nicknamed ''Nękanda'' with ...

* Józef Zabiełło *House of Zemło

Variations

file:POL COA Topór IV.svg, file:POL COA Topór V.svg, file:POL COA Topór II.svg, file:POL COA Topór III.svg, file:POL COA Deciusz.svg, file:POL COA Ossoliński hrabia.svg, file:POL COA Topór odmienny.svg, file:POL COA Paczeński.svg, file:POL COA Ossoliński.svg, file:POL COA Zabiełło.svg, file:POL COA Morawicki.svg, file:POL COA Jakubowski - odmiana Topora II.svg, file:POL COA Morski.svg, file:POL COA Ossoliński hrabia.svg, file:POL COA Jakubowski - odmiana Topora.svg, file:POL COA Gumowski.svg, file:POL COA Jakubowski baron.svg, file:POL COA Grabowski.svg, file:POL COA Dzierzbicki.svg, file:POL COA Paczeński II.svg,

Gallery

file:Jerzy ossolinski.jpg, Portrait of

with coat of arms in upper left File:Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński.JPG, Portrait of Franciszek Maksymilian Ossolinski with coat of arms on the shield (right bottom corner) File:Jan Zbigniew Ossolinski.jpg, Portrait of

Jan Zbigniew Ossolinski Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numb ...

with coat of arms in upper right File:Jan Tęczyński.PNG,

with coat of arms in upper right Elżbieta z Pileckich Granowska.PNG, Topór on the painting of

Elizabeth Granowska Elizabeth Granowska or Elisabeth Pilecki (; – 12 May 1420 in Kraków) was Queen of Poland (1417–1420) as the third wife of Władysław II Jagiełło (Jogaila), Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland (reigning from 1386 to 1434). Early ...

, 1779 file:JKRUK 20080815 SZCZAWORYZ KOSCIOL EPITAFIUM JAN TARLO DSC05556.JPG, The epitaph of

Jan Kanty Tarło Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numbe ...

(1790-1855) in Szczaworyż, Church of St. James file:Ossoliński family Coat of Arms.PNG, Coat of arms of the Ossoliński family on the St. Antoni Padewski Church 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 ...

file:Ujazd Krzyztopor 051004 1458.jpg, The ruins of Krzyżtopór Castle in

Ujazd Ujazd may refer to the following towns in Poland: *Ujazd, Gniezno County in Greater Poland Voivodeship (west-central Poland) *Ujazd, Grodzisk Wielkopolski County in Greater Poland Voivodeship (west-central Poland) *Ujazd, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivode ...

(topór coat of arms on the right side of the gate)

Bibliography

* Kasper Niesiecki: Herbarz polski. T. 9. 1839-1846 * Franciszek Piekosiński: Heraldyka polska wieków średnich. Kraków: Akademia Umiejętności, 1899 * Józef Szymański: Herbarz średniowiecznego rycerstwa polskiego. Warszawa: PWN, 1993 * Bartosz Paprocki, Jan Kazimierz Turowski: Herby rycerstwa polskiego przez Bartosza Paprockiego zebrane i wydane r. p. 1584. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Biblioteki Polskiej, 1858. * Stanisław Teodor Chrząński: Tablice odmian herbowych. Juliusz Karol Ostrowski, 1909, s. V. * Tadeusz Gajl: Herbarz polski od średniowiecza do XX wieku : ponad 4500 herbów szlacheckich 37 tysięcy nazwisk 55 tysięcy rodów. L&L, 2007, s. 363. . * Barbara Trelińska: Album armorum nobilium Regni Poloniae XV - XVIII saec. Herby nobilitacji i indygenatów XV - XVIII w.. Lublin: 2001, * Stanisław Dziadulewicz: Herbarz rodzin tatarskich w Polsce. Wilno: Stanisław Dziadulewicz, 1929

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Topor coat of arms Polish coats of arms