Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Tarnowski family
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The Tarnowski family was one of the oldest and most powerful <a href="/facts/Magnate/aMKIqrmB">magnate</a> families in Poland. It reached its apex in the 14th, 15th and the 16th centuries, when members of the <a href="/facts/Tarn%25C3%25B3w/cRqSGhcI">Tarnów</a>, <a href="/facts/Melsztyn/UwQXoHaK">Melsztyn</a> and later <a href="/facts/Jaros%25C5%2582aw/NThqxWKh">Jarosław</a> branches held prominent positions beside the <a href="/facts/Piast/tA6n23Ku">Piast</a> and <a href="/facts/Jagiellon/bQStmRdE">Jagiellon</a> kings of Poland. From father to son, the Tarnowski family held ten times the office of <a href="/facts/Voivode/BJxsygKj">voivode</a> of <a href="/facts/Krak%25C3%25B3w_Voivodeship_(14th_century_%25E2%2580%2593_1795)/N4Rr7WUF">Kraków Voivodeship</a> and six times the office of <a href="/facts/Castellan/CtH2Uy1l">castellan</a> of <a href="/facts/Krak%25C3%25B3w/hubj59IT">Kraków</a>. </p><p>The history of the family started with the trusted advisor of the last Piast kings <a href="/facts/Comes/u3my55tP">Comes</a> <a href="/facts/Spytek_z_Melsztyna/8d44gdIr">Spytek z Melsztyna</a>, the progenitor of the Tarnowski-Melsztyński-Jarosławski family. By 1320 he held the office of voivode of Kraków, and from 1331 the highest secular office in the <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_Poland_(1320%25E2%2580%25931385)/vT5922LI">Kingdom of Poland</a>, castellan of Kraków. For his military service, King <a href="/facts/W%25C5%2582adys%25C5%2582aw_I_the_Elbow-high/dfbUXrqe">Władysław I the Elbow-high</a> gave him large estates on the <a href="/facts/Dunajec/kRjboM9M">Dunajec</a> river, where Spytek founded the city of Tarnow in 1330 and built two stronghold castles in Tarnow and Melsztyn around 1340. </p><p>After the death of Spytek, the castle of Melsztyn was inherited by his son <a href="/facts/Jan_z_Melsztyna/1T8s36yj">Jan z Melsztyna</a>, who like his father was from 1360 voivode and castellan of Kraków. His younger brother, the castellan of <a href="/facts/Wi%25C5%259Blica/FxsdFx1v">Wiślica</a> <a href="/facts/Rafa%25C5%2582_z_Tarnowa/uJ2YalMj">Rafał z Tarnowa</a>, became the owner of Tarnow. Rafał expanded his estates, adding land in <a href="/facts/Sandomierz/A7tje6r6">Sandomierz</a>, <a href="/facts/Wielowie%25C5%259B%2c_Tarnobrzeg/WumhR7j3">Wielowieś</a> and <a href="/facts/Dzik%25C3%25B3w%2c_Tarnobrzeg/APcnqVlz">Dzików</a>. </p> <p>The son of Jan z Melsztyna, <a href="/facts/Spytek_z_Melsztyna_(1322-1399)/nMeJmDGI">Spytek z Melsztyna</a>, was the next owner of Melsztyn. He was voivode of Kraków, Feudal Lord of <a href="/facts/Podolia/RdMWdH5C">Podolia</a>, and hero of the 1399 battle of Worskla. Rafał's son <a href="/facts/Jan_z_Tarnowa/NX7UYpSQ">Jan z Tarnowa</a> was appointed General <a href="/facts/Starost/kQBf7PLR">Starost</a> of <a href="/facts/Ruthenia/MmmqKMjC">Ruthenia</a>, and both voivode and castellan of Kraków. </p><p>The Tarnowski-Melsztyński family achieved the highest offices in the country as well as extraordinary wealth and huge feudal estates, including land in Jarosław, <a href="/facts/Samborzec/4Y0A8PuI">Sambor</a>, Podole, etc. Their most significant role in the history of Poland was to organise the union of <a href="/facts/Jadwiga_of_Poland/0YU6C89P">Queen Jadwiga</a> and <a href="/facts/W%25C5%2582adys%25C5%2582aw_II_Jagie%25C5%2582%25C5%2582o/D0wzcRK6">Władysław II Jagiełło</a> and to initiate their <a href="/facts/Coronation/DgYPDQSE">coronation</a>. </p><p>After the death of Spytek z Melsztyna and the death of his son, who was also named <a href="/facts/Spytek_z_Melsztyna_(1398-1439)/8d44gdIr">Spytek z Melsztyna</a>, in the 1439 <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Grotniki/N807AEsR">battle of Grotniki</a>, the Melsztyn line declined. In the Tarnów line, the sons of Jan z Tarnowa fought in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Grunwald/LWAoDN0W">Battle of Grunwald</a> in 1410 and after that divided the family property. <a href="/facts/Jan_z_Tarnowa_(1367-1433)/exJko69V">Jan</a> the voivode of Kraków Voivodeship settled in Tarnów, and the voivode of <a href="/facts/Sandomierz_Voivodeship/MTeNVSs8">Sandomierz Voivodeship</a> <a href="/facts/Spytek_z_Tarnowa_i_Jaros%25C5%2582awia/gFzo5KRP">Spytek</a> became the owner of Jarosław, where he started a new branch of the family, called the "Leliwita branch". </p><p>Jan z Tarnowa had five sons, of which Jan Amor Starszy Tarnowski and Jan Gratus Tarnowski together with their cousin, Spytek z Jarosławia, died with King <a href="/facts/W%25C5%2582adys%25C5%2582aw_III_of_Poland/A4Soprez">Władysław III of Poland</a> in the 1444 <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Varna/orWFg0gy">Battle of Varna</a>. His third son Jan Rafał Tarnowski became a priest and the last two, <a href="/facts/Jan_Feliks_Tarnowski/PlhRrCd9">Jan Feliks Tarnowski</a> became voivode of <a href="/facts/Lublin_Voivodeship/bIy3z4mE">Lublin Voivodeship</a>, while Jan Amor Młodszy Tarnowski inherited Tarnów and was appointed voivode of Kraków, and in 1490 castellan of Kraków. </p><p>The son of Jan Amor Młodszy, <a href="/facts/Jan_Amor_Tarnowski/q8X13GGx">Jan Amor Tarnowski</a>, became Great Crown <a href="/facts/Hetman/fC5RBt58">Hetman</a>, voivode of Kraków and castellan of Kraków. In 1540 he built a castle and founded the city of <a href="/facts/Tarnopol/Lbd9F8LQ">Tarnopol</a> (1548). </p> <h2 id="coat-of-arms-and-motto">Coat of arms and motto</h2> <p>The Tarnowski family used the "<a href="/facts/Leliwa_coat_of_arms/IHlJEbtt">Leliwa coat of arms</a>" and their motto was: "Tendite ad astra viri". It is a quotation from <a href="/facts/Gaius_Valerius_Flaccus/IAXpxUGT">Valerius Flaccus'</a> <i>Argonautica</i>, book I, verse 563. </p> <h2 id="members">Members</h2> <ul><li>Spycimir Leliwita [pl] (d.1352), castellan of Kraków, and statesman. <ul><li>his wife <a href="/facts/Stanis%25C5%2582awa_of_Bogoria_and_Skotnik/vHAKUy8g">Stanisława of Bogoria and Skotnik</a> (d.1352), Polish noblewoman.</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Rafa%25C5%2582_of_Tarn%25C3%25B3w/uJ2YalMj">Rafał of Tarnów</a> (c.1330–1373).</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_of_Tarnow/NX7UYpSQ">Jan of Tarnow</a> (c.1349–1409), castellan of Kraków, signatory of the <a href="/facts/Pact_of_Vilnius_and_Radom/MJSxjqQB">Pact of Vilnius and Radom</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_of_Tarnow_(1367%25E2%2580%25931433)/exJko69V">Jan of Tarnow (1367–1433)</a> commander of a banner at the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Grunwald/LWAoDN0W">Battle of Grunwald</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Spytek_I_of_Jaros%25C5%2582aw/gFzo5KRP">Spytek I of Jarosław</a> (cca. 1367- 1435), commander of a banner at the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Grunwald/LWAoDN0W">Battle of Grunwald</a>.</li> <li>Spytek II of Jarosław [pl] (d. 1444), Polish nobleman.</li> <li>Spytek III of Jarosław [pl] (ca. 1436–1519), Polish nobleman, <a href="/facts/Voivode_of_Krakow/Ls40QjUe">voivode of Kraków</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_of_Melsztyn/1T8s36yj">Jan of Melsztyn</a> (c.1326–1381), castellan of Kraków, grandfather of the Queen Consort of Poland, <a href="/facts/Elizabeth_Granowska/aEusMwr5">Elizabeth Granowska</a>.</li> <li>Spytko I of Melsztyn (14th century), <a href="/facts/Castellans_of_the_Polish%25E2%2580%2593Lithuanian_Commonwealth/2v3s65bd">castellan</a> of Kraków, Sądecczyzna [pl] and Wiślica.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Spytko_II_of_Melsztyn/nMeJmDGI">Spytko II of Melsztyn</a> (1364–1399), Duke of Podolia, voivode of Kraków, initiated marriage of <a href="/facts/Queen_Jadwiga_of_Poland/0YU6C89P">Queen Jadwiga of Poland</a> and <a href="/facts/W%25C5%2582adys%25C5%2582aw_II_Jagie%25C5%2582%25C5%2582o/D0wzcRK6">Władysław II Jagiełło</a>. <ul><li>his wife <a href="/facts/Elizabeth_Lackfi/RrhbJcpn">Elizabeth Lackfi</a> (d. 1428), Hungarian noble, second wife of <a href="/facts/John_I_of_M%25C3%25BCnsterberg/IP34NVjp">John I of Münsterberg</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>Jadwiga of Melsztyn (1388–1424), wife of <a href="/facts/Bernard_of_Niemodlin/ofMaprj4">Bernard of Niemodlin</a>, Duke of Opole, Godmother of King Władysław II Jagiełło.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Spytko_III_of_Melsztyn/QsctDrrC">Spytko III of Melsztyn</a> (1398–1439), Polish Hussite, organiser of the Korczyn Confederation.</li> <li>Spytko IV of Melsztyn [pl] (d. 1503), <a href="/facts/Voivode_of_Krakow/Ls40QjUe">voivode of Kraków</a>.</li> <li>Anna Tarnowska-Melsztynska (1463–1521), was married to <a href="/facts/Miko%25C5%2582aj_Kamieniecki/erJgQV2n">Mikołaj Kamieniecki</a> (1460–1515) the first Grand Hetman of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_%2522Ciezki%2522_Tarnowski/Fv51QF6z">Jan "Ciezki" Tarnowski</a> (c.1479–1527), castellan, landowner.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Feliks_%2522Szram%2522_Tarnowski/PlhRrCd9">Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski</a> (1471–1507), <a href="/facts/Chor%25C4%2585%25C5%25BCy/Faj1vhzk">Chorąży</a>, voivode, <a href="/facts/Stolnik/aXaew4nC">Stolnik</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Tarnowski/q8X13GGx">Jan Tarnowski</a> (1488–1561), <a href="/facts/Grand_Hetman/fC5RBt58">Grand Hetman</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Krzysztof_Tarnowski/bpWcqa4F">Jan Krzysztof Tarnowski</a> (1537–1567), Secretary to the King, last of the Tarnow line. <ul><li>his wife <a href="/facts/Zofia_Odrow%25C4%2585%25C5%25BC/x4nCCWf6">Zofia Odrowąż</a> (1537–1580), daughter of Anna of Masovia, the last Masovian Piast duchess.</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Zofia_Tarnowska/doMG431e">Zofia Tarnowska</a> (1534–1570), was married to <a href="/facts/Konstanty_Wasyl_Ostrogski/xbmTjzE3">Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski</a>.</li> <li>Jan Spytek Tarnowski [pl] (1488–1553), statesman, Grand Treasurer of the Crown.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Dorota_Tarnowska/lk7dPzPl">Dorota Tarnowska</a> (c. 1513–c.1540), was married to <a href="/facts/Jan_Tar%25C5%2582o_(XV-1550)/lk7dPzPl">Jan Tarło</a>.</li> <li>Stanisław Spytek Tarnowski [pl] (1514–1568), statesman, Grand Treasurer of the Crown.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Barbara_Tarnowska/yblqfanj">Barbara Tarnowska</a> (c.1566–1610), was married to <a href="/facts/Jan_Zamoyski/nUnBFBKc">Jan Zamoyski</a> (1542–1605), Chancellor and Grand Hetman.</li> <li>Euphrosine Eulalia Tarnowska (c.1615–1645), was married to <a href="/facts/Hieronim_Radziejowski/0bFMPv1b">Hieronim Radziejowski</a> (1612–1667), Deputy Chancellor and Marshall of the Sejm; and mother of Cardinal <a href="/facts/Micha%25C5%2582_Stefan_Radziejowski/MR69Nbq2">Michał Stefan Radziejowski</a> (1645–1705), <a href="/facts/Archbishop_of_Gniezno/3Kq84754">Archbishop of Gniezno</a> and Primate of Poland.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Feliks_Tarnowski/PlhRrCd9">Jan Feliks Tarnowski</a> [pl] (1777–1842), senator, landowner and art collector (for example, Lotto's <a href="/facts/Adoration_of_the_Christ_Child_(Lotto%2c_Krak%25C3%25B3w)/3yw6uHXV">Adoration of the Christ Child</a>). <ul><li>his wife <a href="/facts/Waleria_Tarnowska/zpwdqaa8">Waleria Tarnowska</a> (1782–1849), painter and art collector (notably of <a href="/facts/The_Polish_Rider/Ysz4xbH0">The Polish Rider</a> and <a href="/facts/Canova/v98I27Mp">Canova</a>'s Perseus Triumphant).</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/W%25C5%2582adys%25C5%2582aw_Tarnowski/U0ArqEjN">Władysław Tarnowski</a> (1836–1878), pianist, composer, poet, dramatist, translator.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Stanis%25C5%2582aw_Tarnowski_(1837-1917)/d9HfE47u">Stanisław Tarnowski</a> (1837–1917), academic, politician, twice rector of Jagiellonian University, member of Austria's <a href="/facts/House_of_Lords_(Austria)/EcHqqlES">Herrenhaus</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Stanis%25C5%2582aw_Tarnowski_(Bia%25C5%2582y)/N0LRpuHy">Stanisław Tarnowski (Biały)</a> (1838–1909), painter and art collector.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Adam_Tarnowski_(senior)/N0V1hk0j">Adam Tarnowski (senior)</a> (1866–1946), Austro-Hungarian diplomat. <ul><li>his wife <a href="/facts/Maria_Tarnowska_(nurse)/FQ2gLGM3">Maria Tarnowska</a> née <a href="/facts/Czetwerty%25C5%2584ski_family/6uu3aByK">Czetwertyńska</a> (1884–1965), nurse, negotiated the surrender of Warsaw during the 1944 uprising against the Nazis.</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Adam_Tarnowski_(minister)/EInYfm6m">Adam Tarnowski (minister)</a> (1892–1956), diplomat, Foreign Minister of Polish government-in-exile.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Sophie_Moss/M0lV2DGx">Zofia Tarnowska</a> (1917–2009), was married to <a href="/facts/W._Stanley_Moss/PSpnoMtu">W. Stanley Moss</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Rula_Lenska/DtI66uyl">Rula Lenska</a>, b. 1947, Polish-British actress.</li></ul> <h2 id="residences">Residences</h2> <p>Some of the prominent residences of the Tarnowski family are: </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Tarnobrzeg/QSbgPnTa">Tarnobrzeg</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Melsztyn/UwQXoHaK">Melsztyn</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jaros%25C5%2582aw/NThqxWKh">Jarosław</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Przeworsk/HJP14df1">Przeworsk</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Samborzec/4Y0A8PuI">Sambor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ternopil/Lbd9F8LQ">Ternopil</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Rzoch%25C3%25B3w/ThB7Eaq0">Rzochów</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Chorzel%25C3%25B3w/30Ub59bf">Chorzelów</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Krasnobr%25C3%25B3d/sBgGTUc0">Krasnobród</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ko%25C5%2584skie/M8RfEURF">Końskie</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Wielopolski_Palace/zch1B8us">Wielopolski Palace</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Kachanivka/Km420xgn">Kachanivka Palace</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130830075657/http://www.tarnobrzeg.dominikanie.pl/historia_klasztoru.htm">https://web.archive.org/web/20130830075657/http://www.tarnobrzeg.dominikanie.pl/historia_klasztoru.htm</a></li> <li><a href="http://zamki.res.pl/dzikow.htm">http://zamki.res.pl/dzikow.htm</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Rod Tarnowskich". www.rodtarnowski.com. Archived from the original on 2005-02-06. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050206042145/http://www.rodtarnowski.com/Family_p.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20050206042145/http://www.rodtarnowski.com/Family_p.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>