House of Poniatowski

The House of Poniatowski (plural: Poniatowscy) is a prominent Polish 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 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, 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.

King Stanisław II August.

According to the family's history, the family had ties with the Italian nobility: Giuseppe Salinguerra, a member of the Italian family of Torelli, 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. Modern historians however consider this story dubious, particularly as around the 18th century it was fashionable for Polish nobility to have relatives in Italy.

Józef Antoni Poniatowski

On September 7, 1764, at Wola, the most famous member of the family, Stanisław Poniatowski, was elected 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 – a constellation created by Marcin Odlanicki Poczobutt in 1777 to honor Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, king of Poland

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, Treasurer, General, Regimentarz
• Kazimierz Poniatowski (1721–1800), General, Great Podkomorzy
• Ludwika Maria Poniatowska (1728–1781), was married to Jan Jakub Zamoyski
• Izabella Poniatowska (1730–1801), was married to Jan Klemens Branicki
• Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732–1798), King of Poland, reigned as Stanisław II August
• Andrzej Poniatowski (1735–1773), General, Marshal of Austria
• Michał Jerzy Poniatowski (1736–1794), Primate of Poland
• Konstancja Poniatowska (1759–1830), was married to Ludwik Tyszkiewicz
• Józef Antoni Poniatowski (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
• Michel Poniatowski (1922–2002), French politician
• Elena Poniatowska (b. 1932), Mexican journalist, author and professor.
• Ladislas Poniatowski (b.1946), French politician
• Axel Poniatowski (b.1951), French politician

Coat of arms

The Poniatowski family used the Ciołek arms.

• 
  Coat of arms of Princes Poniatowski since 1764
• 
  Coat of arms of Prince Józef Poniatowski, Marshal of France, with Order of the White Eagle, Virtuti Militari and Légion d'honneur.
• 
  Coat of arms of King Stanisław August Poniatowski
• 
  Coat of Arms of Stanisław August Poniatowski with collana of Order of White Eagle
• 
  Coat of arms of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwelth from times of regin of Stanisław August Poniatowski, Guard House, Poznań
• 
  Ceremonial sword of King Stanisław August Poniatowski with his coat of arms

Palaces

Family tree

See also

• Thursday Dinners
• No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron im. Ks. Józefa Poniatowskiego"

References

• Charles Anderson Dana, The American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge, D. Appleton and company, 1875, Google Print (full text – public domain)
• Jerzy Jan Lerski; Piotr Wróbel; Richard J. Kozicki (1996). Historical Dictionary of Poland, 966–1945. Greenwood Publishing. p. 464. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Poniatowski family.

• Stanisław August Antoni Poniatowski h. Ciołek
• http://pl.rodovid.org/wk/Specjalna:Tree/46352
•  "Poniatowski". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.