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Poniatowski
Poniatowski
	Princely arms of the Poniatowski family
Country	Poland
Founded	15th century
Final ruler	King Stanisław II August
Titles	King of Poland; Grand Duke of Lithuania; Grand Duke of Ruthenia; Grand Duke of Prussia; Grand Duke of Masovia; Grand Duke of Samogitia; Grand Duke of Kiev; Prince of Bohemia; Prince of Monterotondo
Estate(s)	Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus
Deposition	1795
Cadet branches	Poniatowski di Monterotondo

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.

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.

On 7 September 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 King's brothers hereditary titles of Princes.

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
Stanisław Poniatowski (1754–1833), Duke, Grand Treasurer
Konstancja Poniatowska (1759–1830), was married to Ludwik Tyszkiewicz
Józef Poniatowski (1763–1813), General, Marshal of France
Jozef Michal Poniatowski (1814–1873), Tuscan plenipotentiary, French senator, composer and singer
Józef Stanisław Poniatowski (1835–1908), Polish nobleman, son of Jozef Michal
André Poniatowski (1864–1954), was a Polish nobleman, financier and industrialist, son of Józef Stanisław
Michel Poniatowski (1922–2002), French politician
Elena Poniatowska (1932-), Mexican journalist and author

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 Commonwealth from times of reign of Stanisław August Poniatowski, Guard House, Poznań
Ceremonial sword of King Stanisław August Poniatowski with his coat of arms

Palaces

Palace in Korsuń Szewczenkowski
Jabłonna Palace in Jabłonna
Palace in Kozienice
Manor house Stanisławówka in Grodno
Ruins of the palace in Wołczyn

Family tree

Notes

^ Granted to Andrzej Poniatowski in 1765 by Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
^ Granted to Józef Michał Poniatowski and Karol Poniatowski in 1847 in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany