The House of Leszczyński (lesh-CHIN-skee,[4]Polish:[lɛˈʂtʂɨj̃skʲi]ⓘ; plural: Leszczyńscy, feminine form: Leszczyńska) was a prominent Polishnoble family. They were magnates in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and later became the royal family of Poland.
History
The Leszczyński family was a magnate family. In 1473, Rafał Leszczyński obtained from Emperor Frederick III the title of count. This title was conferred on "the entire family". The last representative of the main family, Stanisław Leszczyński, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and later Duke of Lorraine, died in 1766.
The family name derives from Leszczyna, now a suburb of Leszno, Greater Poland. The Leszczyński family obtained the title of count of Leszno in the Holy Roman Empire. The family had its greatest importance in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when they were ardent supporters of Calvinism and turned their estates of Leszno and Baranów Sandomierski into major centres of the Polish Reformed Church.
There is another unrelated Leszczyński family with the Abdank coat of arms.
Coat of arms and motto
The Leszczyński family used the Clan Wieniawa arms, and their motto was Qui Lescynsciorum genus ignorat, Poloniae ignorat.
Coat of Arms of King Stanisław I Leszczyński
Coat of Arms of Stanisław I Leszczyński as King of Poland and Prince of Lorraine
Coat of Arms of Maria Leszczyńska as Queen of France
Notable family members
Rafał Leszczyński (died 1441), Podkomorzy of Kalisz, general starost of Wielkopolska, progenitor of the Leszczyński family
Rafał Leszczyński (c. 1526–1592), Voivode of Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship and castellan of Śrem
Wacław Leszczyński (1576–1628), Voivode of Kalisz Voivodship, Great Chancellor of the Crown
Rafał Leszczyński (1579–1636), Voivode of Belz Voivodship, leader of Polish Calvinists
Jan Leszczyński (1603–1678), Great Chancellor of the Crown
Wacław Leszczyński (1605–1666), Bishop of Warmia, Primate of Poland
Przecław Leszczyński (1605–1670), Voivode of Dorpat Voivodship
Andrzej Leszczyński (1606–1651), Palatine of Dorpat Voivodship
Andrzej Leszczyński (1608–1658), Primate of Poland, Great Chancellor of the Crown
Bogusław Leszczyński (1614–1659), Grand Treasurer and Deputy Chancellor of the Crown
Jan Leszczyński (died 1657), Bishop of Kijów (Kyiv, also Kiev)
Samuel Leszczyński (1637–1676), poet, Voivode of Dorpat Voivodship
Rafał Leszczyński (1650–1703), Grand Treasurer of the Crown
Stanisław Leszczyński (1677–1766), King of Poland and later Duke of Lorraine, married Catherine Opalińska
Maria Leszczyńska (1703–1768), Queen of France, married to Louis XV of France
Famous descendants
Among the descendants of Stanislaw Leszczyński were four Kings of France and Navarre, two Kings of the Two Sicilies, two Kings of Etruria, two Kings of Italy (simultaneously one Emperor of Ethiopia and one King of the Albanians), six Kings and one Queen of Spain, two Emperors of Brazil (simultaneously one King of Portugal and Algarve), five Kings and one Queen of Portugal and Algarve, one Emperor of Austria (simultaneously one King of Hungary), five Kings of Saxony, four Kings of Belgium, one King of Bavaria, two Tsars of Bulgaria, three Kings of Romania, one King of Yugoslavia, two Princes of Lichtenstein, two Grand Dukes and two Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, several Queen consorts and several titular Kings.
Tree
Stanisław Leszczyński, married Catherine Opalińska
Maria Leszczyńska, married Louis XV of France
Louise Élisabeth of France, married Philip, Duke of Parma
Princess Isabella of Parma, married Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand, Duke of Parma, married Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria
Maria Luisa, Queen of Spain
Carlota Joaquina of Spain
Miguel I of Portugal
Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal
Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal
Pedro I of Brazil
Maria Luisa of Spain, Duchess of Lucca
Ferdinand VII of Spain
María Isabella of Spain
Ferdinand VII of Spain
Louis Ferdinand
Palaces
Further reading
References
^Title of Stanisław Leszczyński since 9 July 1737, after him the Duchy has been inherited by his son-in-law, king Louis XV of France and incorporated in his dominions
^Title of Maria Leszczyńska
^Granted by Emperor Frederick III on the Leszczyński family
^"Stanisław I". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 24 September 2019.