Ostrogski family coat of arms by Bartosz Paprocki

The House of Ostrogski (Polish: Ostrogscy; Lithuanian: Ostrogiškiai; Ukrainian: Острозькі, romanizedOstroz'ki) was one of the more prominent families in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.[1][2][3] The family spanned from the 14th century Ruthenian noble Daniil Ostrogski to the 17th century Polish members. After the death of Janusz Ostrogski, the last male heir, most of the family's possessions passed to the Zasławski family.

The family played a crucial role in preserving the Eastern Orthodoxy, particularly during the Union of Brest signing in 1595. Members contributed to printing books in Church Slavonic (Kyiv [Ruthenian] recession)[4] and supporting the Orthodox brotherhoods. By the 17th century almost all members turn to Catholicism and became fully associated with the Polish nation (Polonization). Many of their possessions were passed on or inherited by members of Sanguszko family.

History

Monument to the princes in Ostroh:
Konstanty Ostrogski,
Feodor Ostrogski,
Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski

The Ostrogski family was most likely of Rurikid stock and descended from Sviatopolk II of Kiev. Some scholars however claim that their descent is from the Galicia-Volhynia line of the Rurikid dynasty. Vasilko Romanovich (c.1256-1282), Prince of Slonim, may have been the grandfather of Prince Daniel Ostrogski.[5] The probable progenitor of this family was Prince Danylo Dmytrovych (or Danylo Wasilijewicz), who received Ostroh from Liubartas, son of Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas. His son, Prince Feodor Danilovich Ostrogski, was a supporter of King Jagiello, who in 1386 confirmed him in possession of the Ostroh Castle and appointed governor of Volhynia in 1387.[6] In addition to Ostrog Feodor Danilovich Ostrogski became owner of Korets, Zaslav (Izyaslav, in present Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukraine), and other towns. In some chronicles Feodor is called Dux Fethko de Ostrog.[7] Their dominions in Volynia, Galicia, and Podolia included 24 towns, 10 townlets, and more than 100 villages.

Possessions of Ostrogski are marked in pink

The most notable among Feodor's descendants was Grand Hetman of Lithuania, Prince Konstanty Ostrogski, who defeated Muscovy in the Battle of Orsha (1514) and his son Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski (or Konstantin Konstantinovich Ostrozhski). Unlike other Ruthenian magnates, the Ostrogskis refused to give up Eastern Orthodoxy for Roman Catholicism despite the cultural pressure that led to Polonization of Ruthenian nobility. For several generations the Ostrogskis supported the religion of their forefathers, by opening schools, printing books in Ruthenian language with Cyrillic such as "Ostrog Bible" (written by Ivan Fedorov) and making a generous charitable contributions to the construction of the Orthodox churches in the region.

The last male member of the family was Janusz Ostrogski (d. 1620); the last female was Anna Alojza Ostrogska (1600–54), married to Grand Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz. When a junior line of the family (princes Zasławski or Zasławski-Ostrogowski) which inherited the Ostrogoski fortune became extinct in 1682 (with the death of Aleksander Janusz Zasławski), their huge possessions passed to the Lubomirski family (due to their marriage with Aleksander sister, Teofilia Ludwika Zasławska) and other families of Polish szlachta. A complicated litigation concerning the Ostrogski inheritance continued until the Russian Empire annexed Poland during the Partitions.

Ostrogski Palace in Warsaw, Poland

Notable family members

Family tree

Daniel
George
d. ~ 1377
Theodore
~ 1410
AgathaMichael
d. 1399
Demetrius
d. 1399
AnastasiaAlexander (Olexa)
d. 1388
Theodor (Frederik)Basileus the Red
d. 1461
Hanka (Agatha)Dashko
d. 1420
Andrew (Andrushko)
d. after 1436
Mytko
d. 1442
AnastasiaTheodora-Anna
Vaclav (Frederik)
d. 1460
John
d. after 1465
MariaGeorge
d. 1530
Agrippine
TetianaConstantine
d. 1530
AlexandraMichael
d. 1501
Maria
Beata
1510-1539
Elijah
1510-1539
Constantine Basileus
1526-1608
SophiaSophia-Mavra
d. after 1561
Elizabeth (Halshka)
1539-1582
Alexander
1570-1603
Anna
1575-1635
Catherine
1560-1579
Elizabeth
d. 1599
Constantine
d. 1588
SuzannaJanusz
1554-1620
Theophilia
Alexander
d. 1607
Adam Constantine
1597-1618
Christof
d. 1606
Janusz Paul
1598-1619
Anna Aloise
1600-1654
Basileus
d. 1605
Catherine
1602-1642
Sophia
1595-1622
Eleonora
d. 1618
Euphrosina
d. 1628
John-Volodymyr
1617-1618

See also

References

  1. ^ Tomasz Kempa, "Dzieje rodu Ostrogskich", ISBN 83-7174-971-6, Toruń 2002.
  2. ^ Tomasz Kempa, "Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski (ok.1524/1525-1608). Wojewoda kijowski i marszałek Ziemi Wołyńskiej", ISBN 83-231-0796-3, Toruń 1997.
  3. ^ Tomasz Kempa, "Akademia i Drukarnia Ostrogska", ISBN 83-88863-23-1, Biały Dunajec - Ostróg 2006.
  4. ^ Новікова Т.В. (2013). Історію церковнослов’янської мови на території України та її періодизація (PDF) (in Ukrainian). Науковий вісник Чернівецького університету. Романо-слов’янський дискурс. pp. 145–148. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-11-08.
  5. ^ Opis starożytnéy Polski By Tomasz Święcki
  6. ^ Ostrogski in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 3 (1993)
  7. ^ Jan Długosz Annales seu cronici incliti regni Poloniae in 1432 year


No tags for this post.