Samogitian nobility

Samogitian nobility was nobility originating in the Lithuanian region of Samogitia.[1][2][3][4] The Samogitian nobility was an integral part of Lithuanian nobility.[1] Historically, the local gentry was formed of people of various ethnic backgrounds, including Lithuanian, Polish, Tartar, German and Ruthenian.[5]

Gabriel Narutowicz and Józef Piłsudski are 20th century descendants of the Samogitian nobility

As the Duchy of Samogitia maintained a certain level of autonomy within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth,[6] its nobility was considered a separate subject of the laws, on par with the nobility of other Commonwealth lands.[7] In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania the Samogitian nobles were electing Elders of Samogitia who had voivode rights and were the third highest ranked statesmen in the Lithuanian Council of Lords (after voivodes of Vilnius and Trakai).[8] The self-elected Elders of Samogitia were only confirmed by the Grand Duke of Lithuania.[8]

Samogitian nobility, especially its lower class, preserved knowledge of the Lithuanian language very well.[9] In fact, the Lithuanian language remained dominant in Samogitia and its nobility throughout the early modern period.[10] This is proven by the letter of Stanisław Radziwiłł to his brother Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł immediately after becoming the Elder of Samogitia that: "While learning various languages, I forgot Lithuanian, and now I see, I have to go to school again, because that language, as I see, God willing, will be needed."[10]

Prominent Samogitian noble origin representatives from the 20th century include: Stanisław Narutowicz (member of the Council of Lithuania), Gabriel Narutowicz (the 1st President of Poland, who was assassinated) and Józef Piłsudski (the Chief of State of Poland in 1918–1922 and First Marshal of Poland from 1920).[11][12][13]

See also

Notes and references
In-line:
  1. "Žemaitijos šlėktos". Zemaitijospaveldas.eu (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. "Žemaičių diduomenė ir politinė padėtis Žemaitijoje XIV a. pabaigoje – XV a. pradžioje". Zemaitijospaveldas.eu (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. "XVI a. I-osios pusės žemaičių valdžios elitas: kilmė ir tapatumas". Zemaitijospaveldas.eu (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  4. "Žemaitijos šlėktos 1390-1413 m." Zemaitijospaveldas.eu (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. Janusz Tazbir (2000). "Szlachta a teologowie". Państwo bez stosów i inne szkice (in Polish). Kraków: Universitas. p. 393. ISBN 83-7052-751-5., also published in English as: Janusz Tazbir; Alexander T. Jordan (1973). A State Without Stakes. New York: Kościuszko Foundation. p. 232. doi:10.2307/2497261. ISBN 0-8057-6137-3. JSTOR 2497261. S2CID 165106520.
  6. Simas Suziedielis (1999). "Samogitia". Postilla 400. The State Committee for theCommemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the Postile. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
  7. Włodzimierz Budka (1921). "Kto podpisał Konfederację Warszawską 1573 r.?". Reformacja W Polsce (in Polish). 1 (4): 314–319.
  8. Gudavičius, Edvardas. "Žemaitijos seniūnija". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023. Seniūnas turėjo vaivados teises (Ponų Taryboje pagal rangą ėjo po Vilniaus ir Trakų vaivadų). Jį rinko žemaičių bajorai, didysis kunigaikštis tik tvirtino.
  9. Aleksandravičius, Egidijus; Antanas Kulakauskas (1996). Carų valdžioje. Vilnius: Baltos lankos. ISBN 9986-403-69-3.
  10. Drungila 2019, p. 131.
  11. "Stanislovas Narutavičius". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  12. "Gabriel Narutowicz". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023. Kilęs iš Žemaitijos bajorų šeimos.
  13. Miknys, Rimantas. "Józef Piłsudski". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 March 2023. Kilęs iš senos Žemaitijos bajorų Gineičių giminės.

Sources
  • Drungila, Jonas (2019). Erelis lokio guolyje (in Lithuanian).


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