:: wikimiki.org ::

Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski

Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski

Jan Feliks Tarnowski (1471-1507) was a Polish nobleman (szlachcic). Jan Feliks was owner of Wielowieś, Rzochów and Wadowice estates. He was Chorazy of Krakow since February 20, 1484, starost of Belz since December 28, 1485, Stolnik of the Royal court since May 27, 1494, castellan of Lublin since December 27, 1497, voivode of Lublin Voivodship befor May 28, 1499, voivode of Sandomierz Voivodship since March 6, 1501, voivode of Krakow Voivodship and starost of Horodlo since September 1, 1505. Tarnowski, Jan Feliks Tarnowski, Jan Feliks Tarnowski, Jan Feliks Category:Tarnowski

1471

This article is about the year 1471, not the BT caller ID service accessible by dialling 1-4-7-1.

Events

- March - The Yorkist King Edward IV returns to England to reclaim his throne.
- April 14 - Battle of Barnet - Edward defeats the Lancastrian army under Warwick, who is killed.
- May 4 - Battle of Tewkesbury - King Edward defeats a Lancastrian army under Queen Margaret and her son, Edward of Westminster the Prince of Wales, who is killed. This practically destroys the Lancastrian cause.
- May 20 - Henry VI of England is murdered in the Tower of London and Edward IV becomes sole King of England.
- October 10 - Battle of Brunkeberg in Stockholm. The forces of Regent of Sweden Sten Sture the Elder with help of farmers and miners repel an attack by Christian I, King of Denmark.
- The Shetland and Orkney islands were ceded to Scotland in lieu of an unpaid dowry.
- First Inca Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui of the Inca Empire dies and is succeeded by his son Tupac Inca Yupanqui.
- Pedro Escobar and João Gomes first visit São Tomé and Principe.

Births

- February 15 - Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici, ruler of Florence (died 1503)
- May 21 - Albrecht Dürer, German artist, writer, and mathematician (died 1528)
- August 27 - George, Duke of Saxony (died 1539)
- October 7 - King Frederick I of Denmark (died 1533)
- October 15 - Konrad Mutian, German humanist (died 1526)
- John Forrest, English martyr and friar (died 1538)
- Conradus Mutianus Rufus, German humanist (died 1526)
- Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk (died 1513)
- Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski, Polish nobleman (died 1507)

Deaths

- 18 January - Emperor Go-Hanazono of Japan (born 1419)
- 21 February - John of Rokycan, Archbishop of Prague
- 14 March - Thomas Malory, English author
- 14 April - John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu (born 1431)
- 14 April - Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, English kingmaker (born 1428)
- 4 May - Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset (executed) (born 1438)
- May - Edward, Prince of Wales (killed in battle) (born 1453)
- May - King Henry VI of England (murdered in prison) (born 1421)
- 26 July - Pope Paul II (born 1417)
- Thomas à Kempis, German monk and writer (born 1380)
- Pachacuti, Inca emperor
- George of Podebrady, first elected King of Bohemia
- Thomas Tresham, Speaker of the House of Commons Category:1471 ko:1471년 simple:1471

1507

Events

- The western continent is named America on the maps of Martin Waldseemüller.
- Cisneros, inquisidor general de Castilla.
- The Portuguese occupy Mozambique and the islands Sokotra and Lamu.

Arts and Literature

- Rafael: "Burial of Jesus"

Science and Technology

- Martin Waldseemüller: "Introduction to Universal Cosmography".

Births

- March 7 - Magdalena of Saxony (died 1534)
- September 16 - Jiajing Emperor of China (died 1567)
- December 18 - Ouchi Yoshitaka, Japanese warlord (died 1551)
- Pieter Aertsen, Dutch painter (died 1573)
- Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Spanish general (died 1582)
- Bálint Bakfark, Hungarian composer (died 1576)
- Guillaume Rondelet, French physician (died 1566)
- Ralph Sadler, English statesman (died 1587)
- Johannes Sturm, German educator (died 1589)
- Inés Suárez, Spanish conquistadora (died 1580)

Deaths

- March 12 - Cesare Borgia, Italian general and statesman (born 1475)
- April 2 - Francis of Paola, Italian founder of the Order of the Minims (born 1416)
- July 29 - Martin Behaim, German navigator and geographer (born 1459)
- August 23 - Jean Molinet, French writer (born 1435)
- Jan Feliks "Szram" Tarnowski, Polish nobleman (born 1471) Category:1507 ko:1507년

Szlachcic

Szlachta (pronounced: Image:Ltspkr.png ) was the noble class in Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The szlachta were formed in the late Middle Ages and existed through the 18th century and into the 19th century. Traditionally, the szlachta were owners of landed property, often in the form of folwarks. The szlachta enjoyed substantial and almost unrivalled political privileges until the Partitions of Poland in the late 18th century. The nobility was officially abolished during the Second Polish Republic by the March 1921 Constitution, though membership in its ranks remains widely claimed in various strata of Polish society at home and abroad.

History

Etymology

The Polish word "szlachta" (meaning the "gentle class" or "noble class", an untranslatable term essentially encompassing the idea of gentility or nobility of blood, and treating the English words gentry and nobility as roughly coterminous: a specific nobleman was a "szlachcic," a noblewoman was a "szlachcianka"). Early Polish historians thought it may derive from the name of the legendary proto-Polish chief, Lech, mentioned in Polish and Czech writings. "Szlachta" is thought by some simply to mean "Lechitians," or "men of Lech's" (in modern Polish, "z Lecha"), probably denoting the ruling warrior class in Lech's tribe. Even to this day, some Ukrainians refer to Poles as "Lachy" (Lechitians), while Turks use the term "Leh". Another theory states that this word derives from old German "geschlech" or "slahta" ("house, family"), like many of the other Polish words concerning nobility [for example Polish "rycerz" ("knight") comes from German "ritter" and Polish "herb" ("crest") comes from German "erbe" ("heirdom")] A kindred term that might be applied to an early Polish nobleman was "knight" ("rycerz"), Latin nobilis (plural: nobiles), or możny (plural: możni). Some powerful Polish nobleman were refered to as magnates ("magnat").

Origins

See also: History of Poland (966-1385) History of Poland (966-1385)). Painting by Jan Matejko, 1869, National Museum, Warsaw.]] The Polish nobility probably derived from a Slavic warrior class, forming a distinct element within the ancient Polonic tribal groupings. This is uncertain, however, as there is little documentation on the early history of Poland, or of the movements of the Slavonic people into what became the territory so designated. Around 14th century there was little difference between those called knights and those referred to as szlachta in Poland. Members of the szlachta had the personal obligation to defend the country (pospolite ruszenie), and thereby became the kingdom's privileged social class.

Szlachta rise to power

See also Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth#State organisation and politics Nobles were born into a noble family, adopted by a noble family (this was abolished in 1633) or ennobled by a king or Sejm for various reasons (bravery in combat, service to the state, etc. - yet this was the rarest means of gaining noble status). Many nobles were, in actuality, really usurpers, being peasants or merchants, who moved into another part of the country and falsely pretended to noble status. Hundreds of such false nobles were denounced by Walerian Nekanda Trepka in his Liber generationis plebeanorium (or Liber chamorum) in the first half of 16th century. Many sejms issued decrees over the centuries in an attempt to resolve this issue, but with little success. It is unknown what percentage of the Polish nobility came from the 'lower' orders of society, but most historians agree that nobles of such base origins formed a 'significant' element of the szlachta. The Polish nobility enjoyed many rights that were not available to the noble classes of other countries and, typically, each new monarch conceded them further privileges. Those privileges became the basis of the Golden Liberty in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Despite having a king, Poland was called a noble "republic" (Rzeczpospolita) because the king was elected by all interested members of the nobility and Poland was considered to be the property of this class, not of the king or the ruling dynasty. This state of affairs grew up in part because of the extinction of the male-line descendants of the old royal dynasty, and the selection by the nobility of the Polish king from among the dynasty's female-line descendants. dynasty's buława.]] Poland's successive kings granted privileges to the nobility at the time of their election to the throne (the privileges being specified in the king-elect's pacta conventa) and at other times in exchange for ad hoc permission to raise an extraordinary tax or a levée en masse (pospolite ruszenie). Poland's nobility thus accumulated a growing array of privileges and immunities: In 1355 King Kazimierz III (the Great) decreed that the nobility would no longer be required to pay taxes, or pay with their own funds for military expeditions outside Poland. In 1374 King Louis the Hungarian approved the Privilege of Koszyce (Polish: "przywilej koszycki" or "ugoda koszycka") in Koszyce in order to guarantee the Polish throne for his daughter Jadwiga. He broadened the definition of who was a member of the nobility and exempted the entire class from all but one tax (łanowy, which was limited to 2 grosze from łan (a measure of land size)). In addition, the King's right to raise taxes was abolished; no new taxes could be raised without the agreement of the nobility. Henceforth, also, district offices (Polish: "urzędy ziemskie") were reserved exclusively for local nobility, as the Privilege of Koszyce forbade the king to grant official posts and major Polish castles to foreign knights. Finally, this privilege obliged the King to pay indemnities to nobles injured or taken captive during a war outside Polish borders. In 1422 King Władysław II Jagiełło by the Privilege of Czerwińsk (Polish: "przywilej czerwiński") established the inviolability of nobles' property (their estates could not be confiscated except upon a court verdict) and ceded some jurisdiction over fiscal policy to the Royal Council (later, the Senat), including the right to mint coinage. In 1430 with the Privileges of Jedlnia, confirmed at Kraków in 1433 (Polish: "przywileje jedlneńsko-krakowskie"), based partially on his earlier Brześć Kujawski privilege (April 25, 1425), King Władysław Jagiełło granted the nobility a guarantee against arbitrary arrest, similar to the English Magna Carta's Habeas corpus, known from its own Latin name as "neminem captivabimus (nisi jure victum)." Henceforth no member of the nobility could be imprisoned without a warrant from a competent court of justice: the king could neither punish nor imprison any noble at his whim. King Władysław's quid pro quo for this boon was the nobles' guarantee that his throne would be inherited by one of his sons (who would be bound to honor the privileges theretofore granted to the nobility). On May 2, 1447 the same king issued the Wilno Privilege which gave the Lithuanian boyars the same rights as those possessed by the Polish szlachta. boyar. Painting by Wilhelm August Stryowski.]] In 1454 King Kazimierz IV the Jagiellon granted the Nieszawa Statutes (Polish: "statuty cerkwicko-nieszawskie"), clarifying the legal basis of voivodship sejmiks (local parliaments). The king could promulgate new laws, raise taxes, or call for a levée en masse (pospolite ruszenie) only with the consent of the sejmiks, and the nobility were protected from judicial abuses. The Nieszawa Statutes also curbed the power of the magnates, as the Sejm (national parliament) received the right to elect many officials, including judges, voivods and castellans. These privileges were demanded by the szlachta as a compensation for their participation in the Thirteen Years' War. The first "free election" (Polish: "wolna elekcja") of a king took place in 1492. (To be sure, some earlier Polish kings had been elected with help from bodies such as that which put Kazimierz II the Just on the throne, thereby setting a precedent for free elections.) Only senators voted in the 1492 free election, which was won by Jan I Olbracht. For the duration of the Jagiellonian Dynasty, only members of that royal family were considered for election; later, there would be no restrictions on the choice of candidates. In 1493 the national parliament, the Sejm, began meeting every two years at Piotrków. It comprised two chambers:
- a Senate of 81 bishops and other dignitaries; and
- a Sejm of 54 deputies (in Polish, "deputy" is "poseł") representing their respective sejmiks. The numbers of senators and deputies later increased. On April 26 1496, as a compensation for the unsuccessful incursion on Moldavia which had decimated the szlachta, King Jan Olbracht granted the Privilege of Piotrków (Polish: "przywilej piotrkowski" or "konstytucja piotrkowska"), increasing the nobility's feudal power over serfs. It bound the peasant to the land, as only one son (not the eldest) was permitted to leave the village; townsfolk (Polish: "mieszczaństwo") were prohibited from owning land; and positions in the Church hierarchy could be given only to nobles. On 23 October 1501, at Mielnik Polish-Lithuanian Union was reformed as the Union of Mielnik (Polish: unia mielnicka, unia piotrkowsko-mielnicka). It was there that the tradition of the coronation Sejm (Polish: "Sejm koronacyjny") was founded. Once again the nobility attemped to reduce the power of the magnates with a law that made them impeachable before the Senate for malfeasance. However the Act of Mielno (Polish: Przywilej Mielnicki) of 25 October did more to strenghten the magnate dominated Senate of Poland then the lesser nobility. The nobles were conceded the right to refuse to obey the King or his representatives--in the Latin, "non praestanda oboedientia"--and to form confederations, an armed rebellion against the king or state officers if the nobles thought that the law or their legitimate privileges were being infringed. confederations of 1573." Painting by Jan Matejko.]] On 3rd May 1505 King Alexander the Jagiellon granted the Act of "Nihil novi nisi commune consensu" (Latin: "nothing new without our consensus"). This forbade the king to pass any new law without the consent of the representatives of the nobility, in Sejm and Senat assembled, and thus greatly strengthened the nobility's political position. Basically, this act transferred legislative power from the king to the Sejm. This date commonly marks the beginning of the First Rzeczpospolita, the period of a szlachta-run "republic". In 1520 the Act of Bydgoszcz granted the Sejm the right to convene every four years, with or without the king's permission. About that time the "executionist movement" (Polish: "egzekucja praw"--"execution of the laws") began to take form. Its members would seek to curb the power of the magnates at the Sejm and to strengthen the power of king and country. In 1562 at the Sejm in Piotrków they would force the magnates to return many leased royal lands to the king, and the king to create a standing army (wojsko kwarciane). One of the most famous members of this movement was Jan Zamoyski. After his death in 1605, the movement lost its political force. Until the death of Sigismund Augustus, the last king of the Jagiellonian dynasty, monarchs could only be elected from within the royal family. However, starting from 1573, practically any Polish noble or foreigner of royal blood could become a Polish-Lithuanian monarch. Every newly elected king was supposed to sign two documents - the Pacta conventa ("agreed pacts") - a confirmation of the king's pre-election promises, and Henrican articles (artykuły henrykowskie, named after the first freely elected king, Henry of Valois). The latter document served as a virtual Polish constitution and contained the basic laws of the Commonwealth:
- free election of kings;
- religious tolerance;
- the Diet to be gathered every two years;
- foreign policy controlled by the Diet;
- a royal advisory council chosen by the Diet;
- official posts restricted to Polish and Lithuanian nobles;
- taxes and monopolies set up by the Diet only;
- nobles' right to disobey the king should he break any of these laws.

Transformation into aristocracy

For many centuries, wealthy and powerful members of the szlachta sought to gain legal privileges over their "equals." Few szlachta were wealthy enough to be known as magnates (karmazyni — the "crimson ones," from the crimson color of their boots). A proper magnate should be able to trace noble ancenstors back for many generations and own at least 20 villages or estates. He should also hold a major office in the Commonwealth. Some historians estimate the number of magnates as 4% of szlachta number. Out of 1 million of szlachta, tens of thousands of families, perhaps only 200-300 persons could be classed as great magnates with country-wide possessions and influence, and 30-40 of them could be viewed as those with significant impact on country's politics. Magnates often received gifts from monarchs, which significantly increased their wealth. Often, those gifts were only temporary leases, which the magnates never returned (in 16th century, the anti-magnate opposition among szlachta were known as the ruch egzekucji praw - movement for execution of the laws - which demanded that all such possetions are returned to their proper owner, the king). One of the most imporant victories of the magnates was the late 16th century right to create ordynacja's (similar to majorats), which ensured that a family which gained wealth and power could more easily preserve this. Ordynacje's of families of Radziwiłłs, Zamoyski's, Poniatowski's or Lubomirski's often rivaled the estates of the king and were important power bases for the magnates. With the partitions of Poland, the magnates finally got the recognition in law they craved. The equality among szlachta was no more, as the law systems of the partitioning powers recognized only the privileged aristocracy and treated the poorer szlachta as normal citizens, or extreme cases, peasants. All szlachta privileges were finally abolished after the Second World War under the communist regime of the People's Republic of Poland.

Szlachta culture

The Polish nobility differed in many respects from the nobility of other countries. The most important difference was that, while in most European countries the nobility lost power as the ruler strove for absolute monarchy, in Poland the reverse process occurred: the nobility actually gained power at the expense of the king, and the political system evolved toward a partial democracy (and eventually, anarchy). anarchy Poland's nobility were also more numerous than those of all other European countries, they formed some 8-10% of the population, and in some poorer regions (e.g. Mazowsze, the area centred on Warsaw) nearly 30%. By contrast, the nobilities of other European countries, except for Spain, amounted to a mere 1-3%. There were a number of ways to upward social mobility and the achievement of nobility. Poland's nobility, unlike France's aristocracy, was not a rigidly exclusive, closed class. Many low-born individuals, including townsfolk, peasants and Jews, could and did rise in Polish society. Thus Poland's noble class was more stable than those of other countries, and so was spared the societal tensions and eventual disintegration that characterised the French revolution. Each szlachic had enormous influence over the country's politics, in some form even greater that what is enjoyed by the citizens of modern democratic countries. Between 1652 and 1791 any nobleman could nullify all the proceedings of a given sejm (Commonwealth parliament) or sejmik (Commonwealth local parliament) by exercising his individual right of liberum veto (Latin: I don't allow), except in the case of a confederated sejm or confederated sejmik. All children of the Polish nobility inherited their noble status from a noble mother and father. Any individual could attain ennoblement (Polish: "nobilitacja") for special services to the state. A foreign noble might be naturalised as a Polish noble (Polish: "indygenat") by the Polish king (later, from 1641, only by a general sejm). general sejm In theory at least, all Polish noblemen were social equals. The poorest enjoyed the same rights as the wealthiest magnate. The exceptions were a few privileged families such as the Radziwiłł, Lubomirski and Czartoryski, who sported aristocratic titles received from foreign courts, such as "Prince" or "Count." All other szlachta simply addressed each other by their given name or as "Sir Brother" (Panie bracie) or the feminine equivalent. Count in crimson red bekiesza. Holds buława in right hand. Note crimson shoes (buty karmazynowe), a sign of wealth and rank. Crimson color wore by wealthy szlachta led to the magnates nickname, 'karmazyni' - the crimson ones.]] According to their financial standing, the nobility could be divided into:
- magnates: the wealthiest class;
- middle nobility;
- lesser nobility (often referred to by a variety of colourful Polish terms such as
- szaraczkowa - 'grey ones', from their grey, woollen, uncoloured zupans
- zaściankowa - from zaścianek, a name for szlachta village, full of zagrody, the impoverished
- okoliczna - 'nearby', similar to zaściankowa
- zagrodowa - from zagroda, a poor szlachta house, often little different from a peasant's dwelling
- zagonowa - from zagon, a small unit of land measure
- cząstkowa - 'partial', owners of only part of a single village
- drążkowa - when gathered, had no comfortable chairs, so they had to sit on fences and the like
- gołota - 'naked ones', i.e. the landless, or ones who owned no land
- panki - little 'pan' (i.e. lordling), term used in Kaszuby, the Kashubian region
- brukowa - 'cobbled ones', for those living in towns like townsfolk
- hreczkosiej - 'those who sow' and have to work on their own fields by themselves

Heraldry

Coats of arms were very important to the Polish nobility. It is notable, that the Polish heraldic system evolved separately from its western counterparts and differed in many ways from the heraldry of other European countries. The most notable difference is that, contrary to other european heraldic systems, the coat of arms did not "belong" to a family or a clan, but the other way around, the szlachta family pertained to a coat of arms. As a consequence, it was common that many distinct, unrelated families (sometimes as many as 600) share the same coat of arms. Because of that, the symbols were barely ever parted. Logically, the number of coats of arms in this system was rather low and did not exceed 200 in late Middle Ages. Also, the tradition of differentiating between the coat of arms proper and a lozenge granted to women did not develop in Poland. Usually men inherited the coat of arms from their fathers (or the member of the clan who "adopted them") while women inherited it after their mothers or were adopted to the family of the husband. Also, the brisure was rarely used.

Sarmatism

The szlachta's prevalent mentality and ideology were manifested in "Sarmatism," a name derived from supposed ancestors of the szlachta, the Sarmatians. This belief system became an important part of szlachta culture and affected all aspects of their lives. It enshrined traditional village life, peace and pacifism; popularised oriental-style apparel (the żupan, kontusz, sukmana, pas kontuszowy, delia); and made the scimitar-like szabla, too, a near-obligatory item of everyday szlachta apparel. Sarmatism served to integrate the multi-ethnic nobility as it created an almost nationalistic sense of unity and pride in the szlachta's Golden Freedom (złota wolność). Knowledge of Latin was widespread, and most szlachta freely mixed Polish and Latin ("macaronisms" — from "macaroni") in everyday conversation. macaronism and blue silk żupan.]] In its early, idealistic form, Sarmatism seemed like a salutary cultural movement: it fostered religious faith, honesty, national pride, courage, equality and freedom. As with any doctrine, however, that puts one social class above others, it eventually became perverted. Late Sarmatism turned belief into bigotry, honesty into political naiveté, pride into arrogance, courage into stubbornness, equality and freedom within the szlachta class into dissension and anarchy.

Religious beliefs

Prior to the Reformation, the Polish nobility were mostly Catholic or Orthodox. Many families, however, soon adopted the Reformed faiths. After the Counter-Reformation, when the Roman Catholic Church regained power in Poland, the nobility became almost exclusively Catholic, despite the fact that Roman Catholicism was not the majority religion in Poland (the Catholic and Orthodox churches each accounted for some 40% of the population, with the remaining 20% being Jews or members of Protestant denominations). Szlachta, as the Commonwealth itself, was extremely tolerant of other religions. There were almost no conflicts based on faith, and szlachta members are known to have intervened several times to pacify religious conflicts in cities and towns. In the 18th century, many followers of Jacob Frank joined the ranks of Jewish-descended Polish gentry.

External links

- [http://www.szlachta.org/ Confederation of the Polish Nobility]
- [http://www.nobility.by/ Association of the Belarusian Nobility]
- [http://www.bajorusajunga.lt/ Association of Lithuanian Nobility]
- [http://www.geocities.com/polishnobles The Polish Aristocracy - History of Polish titled families, heraldry, Orders]
- [http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Slavonic/staff/Szlachta.html The Inexorable Political Rise of the szlachta]
- [http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/PolNobility.html Short article on The Polish Nobility ]
- [http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/ Digital Library of Wielkpolska] Category:History of Poland

Wadowice

Wadowice is a town in southern Poland, 50km from Krakow with 19,500 inhabitants (2001), situated on the Skawa river, confluence of Vistula, in the eastern part of Silesian Plateau (Pogórze Ślaskie). Wadowice was the birthplace of Pope John Paul II (1920).

History

The first permanent settlement in the area of today's Wadowice was founded in late 10th century or early 11th century. According to a local legend, the town was founded by certain Wad or Wład, a short form for the Slavic name of Ladislaus. The town is first mentioned as Wadowicze in St. Peter penny register in years 1325-1327. In 1327 it is also mentioned (under the same name) in a fief registry sent from prince John I Scholastyk of Oświęcim to Bohemian king John I, Count of Luxemburg. At this time it was a trading settlement belonging to the Dukes of Silesia of the Piast Dynasty, and according to some historians it was already a municipality. In 1430 a great fire destroyed the town. It was soon rebuilt and granted city rights, along with a city charter and a self-government, based on the then-popular Chełmno Law. The privileges, granted by Prince Kazimierz I of Oświęcim led to a period of fast reconstruction and growth. The administrative division of the region in the times of regional division was complicated. Initially, between 1313/1317 and 1445, Wadowice belonged to the Silesian Duchy of Oświęcim and after 1445 to the Duchy of Zator. In 1482 Władysław I of Zator inherited only half of his father's lands and created a separate Duchy of Wadowice, which lasted until his death in 1493. The following year his brother and successor, Jan V of Zator abdicated. At the same time the land was subject to Bohemian overlordship, which lasted until the following year, when the Duchy was bought by the Kings of Poland and incorporated as a Silesian County. Finally, the County was incorporated into the Kraków Voivodship in 1564. 1564 In the 16th-17th centuries Wadowice was a regional centre of crafts and trade. Among the most notable sons of the town was Marcin Wadowita, a teologist, philosopher and a deacon of the Kraków Academy. He was also the founder of a hospital and a basic school in Wadowice. However, several plagues and fires halted the prosperity and the town's growth was eventually halted as well. In the effect of the 1st Partition of Poland, Wadowice was annexed by Austria and incorporated into the newly-established Kingdom of Galicia, under direct Austrian rule. The town's growth started soon afterwards, after a road linking Vienna with Lwów was built. The town became a seat of a communal administration and since 1867 - a county site. Small industries were developing slowly during the 19th century. New inhabitants settled in the area, attracted by the industry, new military barracks and various administrative institutions. In addition, a new hospital and a regional court were erected in the town centre. Finally, in the last 25 years of the 19th century partial liberalisation of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy led to creation of various Polish cultural and scientific societies. After the World War I and the dissolution of the monarchy, Wadowice became part of the newly-reborn Poland. The seat of a powiat remained in the town and in 1919 the inhabitants of the area formed the 12th Infantry Regiment that took part in the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1919-1920. In 1920 Karol Wojtyła was born in Wadowice (later known as the bishop of Kraków and Pope John Paul II). John Paul II John Paul II After the Polish Defence War of 1939, Germany occupied the area and on October 26 Wadowice was annexed to the Third Reich. On December 29 of the same year the town was renamed to Frauenstadt. Initially the Polish intelligentsia was targeted by harsh German racial and cultural policies and hundreds of people from the area, most notably priests, teachers and artists, were murdered in mass executions. Hundreds more were expulsed and resettled to the General Government in order to make place for German settlers. Between 1941 and 1943 a ghetto was established in the city. Almost entire local Jewish population (more than 2.000) was exterminated, mostly in the nearby Auschwitz concentration camp. In addition, the Germans set up a POW camp for Allied soldiers and a penal camp that served as a transfer camp for various German concentration camps. Despite German terror, the Home Army units were active in the area, most notably in the town itself and in the Beskid mountains to the south of it. After the war, in 1945 Wadowice retained its powiat town status and until 1975 served as a notable centre of commerce and transport in the Kraków Voivodship. After that the town was transferred to the newly-created Bielsko-Biała Voivodship. After the peaceful transformation of the political and economical system in Poland (in 1989), most of the local industry was found inefficient and went bankrupt. However, the ecological and historical heritage of the area, as well as the place being the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, led to a fast growth of tourist potential. Currently there are more than 200.000 people coming to Wadowice every year and this number is going higher with every year.

Economy

Wadowice is today mainly a centre for tourism and sightseeing, but also a place for small industries like machines production, food processing and production of construction materials.

Culture and Sightseeing

- Days of Wadowice (Dni Wadowic) are held every May-June. The feats starts every May 18 to commemorate the birth of Karol Wojtyła
- Museum of the Holy Father Family House in the native home of Pope John Paul II collects remainders and relics about Karol Wojtyła and his family.
- Parochial church - the Virgin Mary's Offertory Minor Basilica - 15th century, rebuilt in 18th century
- Kościelna 4 street, an 18th century house
- Classicist "Mikołaj" manor - 19th century, named after mayor Mikołaj Komorowski
- Municipal Museum of Marcin Wadowita
- Pope John Paul II square with 19th century burgher houses
- Monument to Emil Zegadłowicz, a writer who described the area of Wadowice in many of his books

Notable people

- Marcin Wadowita Martinus Vadovius Campinus (born 1567), Polish teologist, philosopher and deacon of the Kraków Academy
- Emil Lask (b. 1875), philosopher
- Berta Lask (b. 1878), writer
- Ada Sari (Jadwiga Schayer, b. 1886) opera singer and actress
- Godwin Brumowski (born 1889), Austro-Hungarian WWI fighter ace and air general
- Karol Wojtyła (1920-2005), Polish priest and bishop of Kraków, 1978-2005 the Roman Catholic Pope (as John Paul II)
- Rafał Bujnowski (b. 1974), painter

External links

- [http://www.wadowice.pl Wadowice Town Council]
- http://www.it.wadowice.pl - Tourist Information
- http://www.wck.wadowice.pl/ - Wadowice Cultural Center
- http://www.wadowice.pl/dom/srodek.htm Pope's home
- http://www.wadowice-online.com/ - Wadowice Online Guide
- http://www.wadowice.com/ - info. Wadowice

Sports

- http://www.skawa.iap.pl/ - Klub Sportowy Skawa Wadowice, football club
- http://pukskarol.pl - football, basketball, voleyball and swimming

Business

- http://www.skawa.com.pl/ - ZPC Skawa Wadowice, sweets producer
- http://www.fumis-bumar.com.pl/ - Fumis-Bumar, producer of mechanical devices
- http://www.maspex.pl/ - Maspex Wadowice, producer of drinks and juices
- http://www.ponar-wadowice.pl/ - Ponar Wadowice, producer of hydraulics devices
- http://www.ajb.pl/ distributor of electrical products and bearings
Category:Towns in Poland Wadowice ja:ヴァドヴィツェ

Krakow

Kraków (pronounced: Image:Ltspkr.png ['krakuf]; variant English spelling Cracow; in full Royal Capital City of Kraków, Polish: Królewskie Stołeczne Miasto Kraków, see also Names of European cities in different languages) is one of the oldest and largest cities of Poland, with a 2004 population of 760,000 (1.2 million, counting adjacent communities). This historic city is situated on the Vistula (Wisła) River at the foot of Wawel Hill in the southerly region of Little Poland (Małopolska). It is the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodship (województwo małopolskie) (since 1999); previously it was the capital of Kraków Voivodship (since the 14th century). Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading scientific, cultural and artistic centres of the country. It was once the national capital and is considered by many to still be the heart of Poland, due to its history of more than a thousand years. Kraków is also a major centre of local and international tourism, with more than two million visitors annually.

Modern landmarks

14th century 14th century The old city of Kraków (Stare Miasto) has a rich architecture, mostly Renaissance with some examples of Baroque and Gothic. Kraków's palaces, churches and mansions display a richness of color, architectural details, stained glass, paintings, sculptures, and furnishings. Among the most notable of the city's hundreds of historic buildings are: the Royal Castle and Cathedral on Wawel Hill, where King John III Sobieski is buried; the medieval Old Town with its beautiful square; Market Square (200 meters on a side); dozens of old churches and museums; the 14th century buildings of the Jagiellonian University; as well as Kazimierz, the historical centre of Kraków's Jewish religious and social life. The Gothic St. Mary's Church (Kościół Mariacki, actually a basilica) stands by the market place. It was built in the 14th century and boasts a famous wooden altar carved by Wit Stwosz. Every hour, a trumpet call, the hejnał mariacki, is sounded from the church's main tower. Kraków hosts many annual artistic events, including some of international significance, such as the festival of Short Feature Films, Biennial of Graphics, and the Jewish Culture Festival. There are several active theaters, including:
- The Old Theatre (Kraków) (Stary Teatr)
- the Slowacki Theatre
- Kraków Opera
- Kraków Operetta An ugly landmark is the incomplete high-rise Szkieletor. Nearby points of interest include the salt mine in Wieliczka, the Tatra mountains, the historic city of Czestochowa, the former concentration camp at Auschwitz, and Ojcowski National Park. Kraków contains 28 museums and art galleries, such as the National Museum (Kraków) and Czartoryski Museum (Muzeum Czartoryskich). Kraków is a major centre of education. Today there are 18 university-level institutions with about 10,000 faculty and 110,000 students. Notable modern artists from or living in Kraków include:
- Ewa Demarczyk
- Tadeusz Kantor
- Nigel Kennedy
- Sławomir Mrożek
- Krzysztof Penderecki
- Zbigniew Preisner
- Wisława Szymborska
- Maciej Maleńczuk
- Zbigniew Wodecki
- Adam Marczynski

Historic districts

Adam Marczynski The oldest parts of Kraków, united in late 18th century are:
- Old Town (Stare Miasto) - the area once contained within the city walls, now encircled by a park known as Planty
- Wawel - a limestone hill south of the Old Town, the site of the Royal Castle and the cathedral
- Stradom and Kazimierz - south of Wawel; the latter was once divided into Christian and Jewish quarters
- Kleparz - north of the Old Town Areas added in the 19th and 20th centuries include:
- Podgórze - built across the Vistula by the Austrians in the 19th century
- Nowa Huta - built east of Kraków by the Communist regime after the Second World War

Administrative districts

Second World War # Stare Miasto # Grzegórzki # Prądnik Czerwony # Prądnik Biały # Łobzów # Bronowice # Bieńczyce # Zwierzyniec # Dębniki # Łagiewniki # Swoszowice # Wola Duchacka # Prokocim-Bieżanów # Podgórze # Czyżyny # Mistrzejowice # Grębałów # Nowa Huta

History

Medieval

Nowa Huta's Schedelsche Weltchronik.]] The earliest known settlement on the present site of Kraków was established on Wawel hill, and dates back to the 4th century. Legend attributes the town's establishment to the mythical ruler Krak, who built it above a cave occupied by a ravenous dragon. Before the Polish state existed, Kraków was the capital of the tribe of Vistulians, probably linked to the larger polity of Greater Moravia. Kraków's first appearance in historical records dates back to the 8th century, and notes that the prince of the Vistulians was baptized. The first mention of the name dates to 966, when Abraham ben Jacob mentioned it as a notable commercial centre. After Greater Moravia was destroyed by the Hungarians, Kraków became part of the kingdom of Bohemia. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a major center of trade. Around this time, it was incorporated into the holdings of the Piast dynasty of Poland. Several brick buildings were also constructed, including a castle, Romanesque churches, a cathedral, a basilica, and the St. Felix and Adaukt Church. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. Two hundred years later, it was almost entirely destroyed in the Tatar invasions. Tatar invasions In 1257, the city was rebuilt, in a form which has remained practically unaltered, and received city rights under Magdeburg Law. The year 1311 saw a rebellion against Poland's King Władysław I. It was organised by Wójt Albert and involved mostly German-speaking citizens of Kraków. The rebellion cost Poland the city of Gdańsk, which was taken by the Teutonic Order, but German-speakers lost their political ambitions and began to Polonize. Kraków rose to new prominence in 1364, when Casimir III of Poland founded the University of Kraków, the second in central Europe after the University of Prague. There had been a cathedral school under the auspices of the city's bishop since 1150. The city continued to grow under the Lithuanian Jagiello dynasty (1386-1572), which maintained close connections to the imperial house of Habsburg of the Holy Roman Empire. As the capital of a powerful state, it became a flourishing center of science and the arts. Many works of Renaissance art and architecture were created here during that time. In 1475 delegates of the elector George the Rich of Bavaria came to Kraków to negotiate the marriage of Hedwig, the daughter of King Casimir IV Jagiello to George the Rich. Hedwig traveled for two months to Landshut in Bavaria, where an elaborate marriage celebration, the Landshut Wedding (Landshuter Hochzeit) took place.

Renaissance

Landshut Wedding beside the Jagiellonian University's Collegium Novum (New College).]] In 1468 the Italian humanist Filip Callimachus cam to Krakow, where he worked as the teacher of the childeren of Kazimierz IV. In 1488 the imperial Poet Laureate and humanist Conrad Celtes founded the Sodalitas Litterarum Vistulana, a learned society based on the Roman Acadiemies. In 1489 Veit Stoss of Nuremberg finished his work on the Great Altar of the St. Mary's Church. He later also wrought a marble sarcophagus for Casimir IV. Numerous other artists, mainly from Nuremberg and Italy (Francesco Florentino, Bartholommeo Berecci, Santi Gucci, Mateo Gucci, Bernardo Morando, Giovanni Baptista di Quadro etc.), worked in Kraków. By 1500, Haller had established a printing press in the city. In 1520, Johan Behem made the largest churchbell in Poland, named the Sigismund Bell after king Sigismund I. At the same time Hans Dürer, younger brother of Albrecht Dürer, was Sigismund's court painter. Hans von Kulmbach made the altar for the Johannis Church.

Decline

In 1572, the king Sigismund II died childless, and the throne passed to Sigismund III of the Swedish House of Vasa. Kraków's importance began to decline, accelerated by the pillaging of the city during the Swedish invasion, and an outbreak of plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. Sigismund III moved his capital to Warsaw in 1596.

After the partition of Poland

In the late 18th century, the weakened Polish state was absorbed by its more politically vigorous neighbors, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. Kraków became part of the Austrian province of Galicia. Tadeusz Kościuszko initiated a revolt, the Kościuszko insurrection, in Kraków's market in 1794. The Prussian army put down the revolt, and looted Polish royal treasure kept in the city. When Napoleon Bonaparte of the French Empire captured what had once been Poland, he established the Duchy of Warsaw (1809) as an independent but subordinate state. The Congress of Vienna (1815) restored the partition of Poland, but gave Kraków independence as the Free City of Kraków. The city again became the focus of a struggle for national sovereignty in 1846, during the Kraków Uprising. The uprising failed to spread outside the city to other Polish-inhabited lands, and was put down, resulting in Kraków's annexation by Austria. After the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Austria granted autonomy to Galicia, making Polish a language of government and establishing a provincial diet. As this form of Austrian rule was more benevolent than that exercised by Russia and Prussia, Kraków became a Polish national symbol and a center of culture and art, known frequently as the "Polish Athens" (Polskie Ateny) or "Polish Mecca" to which Poles would flock to revere the symbols and monuments of Kraków's (and Poland's) great past. Several important commemorations took place in Kraków during the period from 1866-1914, including the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald in 1910, in which world-renowned pianist Ignacy Paderewski unveiled a monument. Famous painters, poets and writers of this period include Jan Matejko, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Jan Kasprowicz, Juliusz Kossak, Wojciech Kossak Stanisław Wyspiański, and Stanisław Przybyszewski. The latter two were leaders of Polish modernism.

20th century

Polish modernism Polish modernism Polish modernism Fin-de-siecle Kraków was famously the center of Polish nationalism and culture, but the city was also becoming a modern metropolis during this period. In 1901 the city installed running water and witnessed the introduction of its first electric streetcars. (Warsaw's first electric streetcars came in 1907.) The most significant political and economic development of the first decade of the 20th century in Kraków was the creation of Greater Kraków (Wielki Kraków), the incorporation of the surrounding suburban communities into a single adminisitrative unit. The incorporation was overseen by Juliusz Leo, the city's energetic mayor from 1904 to his death in 1918. Thanks to migration from the countryside and the fruits of incorporation from 1910 to 1915, Kraków's population doubled in just fifteen years, from approx. 91,000 to 183,000 in 1915. Russian troops besieged Kraków during the first winter of the First World War, and thousands of residents left the city for Moravia and other safer locales, generally returning in the spring and summer of 1915. During the war Kraków Legions led by Jozef Pilsudski set out to fight for the liberation of Poland, in alliance with Austrian and German troops. The Austrians and Germans lost the war, but the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) established the first sovereign Polish state in over a century. Poland was partitioned again in 1939, at the outset of the Second World War, and Nazi German forces entered Kraków in September of that year. It became the capital of the General Government, a colonial authority under the leadership of Hans Frank. The occupation took a heavy toll, particularly on the city's cultural heritage. On one occasion, over 150 professors and other academics of the Jagiellonian University were summoned to a meeting, arrested and dispatched to the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen (see also Sonderaktion Krakau). Many relics and monuments of national culture were destroyed or looted. Major concentration camps near Kraków included Plaszow and Auschwitz, which many Polish Jews were sent to. Specific events surrounding the Jewish ghetto in Kraków and the nearby concentration camps were famously portrayed in the film Schindler's List, itself based on a book by Thomas Keneally entitled Schindler's Ark. Thanks to a manoeuvre by advancing Soviet forces, Kraków escaped complete destruction during the German withdrawal and some historic buildings and works of art were saved. After the conclusion of the war, however, the government of the People's Republic of Poland ordered the construction of the country's largest steel mill in the suburb of Nowa Huta. This is regarded as an attempt to diminish the influence of Kraków's intellectual and artistic circles by attracting the working class. Kraków's population has quadrupled since the end of the war, and it is still regarded as the cultural capital of Poland. In 1978, UNESCO placed Kraków on the list of World Heritage Sites.

Politics

Kraków constituency

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Kraków constituency Sejm
- Andrzej Adamczyk, PiS
- Bogusław Bosak, PiS
- Barbara Bubula, PiS
- Kazimierz Chrzanowski, SLD
- Jerzy Feliks Fedorowicz, PO
- Marek Bolesław Kotlinowski, LPR
- Jacek Krupa, PO
- Ireneusz Raś, PO
- Jan Władysław Rokita, PO
- Monika Ryniak, PiS
- Tomasz Szczypiński, PO
- Zbigniew Wassermann, PiS
- Zbigniew Ziobro, PiS

Education

PiS ::For a list of universities in Kraków see: Education in Kraków. Kraków is home to several major state universities and several dozen other schools of higher education. It is also home to Jagiellonian University, the first Polish university and one of the oldest and most prominent universities in Central Europe. Apart from the local population, the schools of Kraków provide education for inhabitants of the region of Southern Poland. Among the most notable schools in Kraków are:
- Jagiellonian University
- Cracow University of Economics [http://www.ae.krakow.pl/]
- AGH University of Science and Technology
- Akademia Muzyczna w Krakowie [http://www.amuz.krakow.pl/]
- Akademia Pedagogiczna w Krakowie [http://www.wsp.krakow.pl/]
- Akademia Rolnicza w Krakowie [http://www.ar.krakow.pl/]
- Akademia Sztuk Pieknych [http://www.cyf-kr.edu.pl/KRAKOW/AA/]
- Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Teatralna w Krakowie [http://www.cyf-kr.edu.pl/KRAKOW/UM/PWST/]
- Papieska Akademia Teologiczna [http://www.pat.krakow.pl/]
- Politechnika Krakowska [http://www.pk.edu.pl/]

Culture

Politechnika Krakowska Politechnika Krakowska Main article: Culture of Kraków Kraków is considered by many to be Poland’s capital of culture. The city boasts one of the best museums in the country and a number of famous theaters. It has counted among its residents two Nobel Prize winners in literature: (Wisława Szymborska and Czesław Miłosz). It is also home to one of the world’s oldest and most distinguished universities. Kraków was named a European City of Culture in 2000.

Kraków by Night

There is no shortage of places to drink, eat, and stay merry late into the night in Kraków. Notably, the huge central Grand Square in the heart of the historic Old Town district and its environs look like they never sleep. Recently trendy new hangouts are launched also in the nearby Kazimierz quarter almost by the month. Notable Kraków Restaurants:
- Wierzynek restaurant - The oldest Polish restaurant (1364)
- Wentzl restaurant
- Hawełka restaurant Kraków Night Clubs: Kraków boasts a lively club scene. The party goes on all week long, but–no doubts about it–the Friday and Saturday nights tend to be the hottest. As elsewhere, on weekends Kraków's young professionals, expats, and students mingle happily in crowds that pack bars, discotheques, and restaurants in vogue at the moment. Loyal patrons happen, but most club-goers wander from place to place. Local clubs are not large, few can seat more than 100. Recorded music is the staple, with live performances two or three nights a week. Some Kraków DJs attained local fame, while club celebrities from other parts of Poland and from abroad spin occasionally in the city. Kraków's myriad live entertainment venues cater to all tastes and generations. Sure thing, those in their twenties to thirty-something are best served since most places offer contemporary club music. On the other hand, jazz seems surprisingly popular. There are also hangouts for the fans of rock, modern pop, ballads, etc. The roots music, inspired by varied traditions of this part of Europe, has a niche of its own. Seniors, too, have their places of choice to enjoy themselves with immortal evergreens.

Sports

Hawełka Hawełka
- Cracovia Kraków - one of the oldest still existing Polish football team (est. 1906) (Polish Champion 1921, 1930, 1932, 1937, 1948)
- Wisła Kraków - (est. 1906) football team (Polish Champion 1927, 1928, 1949, 1950, 1978, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004,2005, Polish Cup winner: 1926, 1967, 2002 and 2003; Polish SuperCup winner: 2001)
- Juvenia Kraków - (est. 1906) football and rugby team
- Hutnik Kraków - football team (3rd league)
- Wawel Kraków - football team
- Garbarnia Kraków - football team
- TS Wisła Can-Pack Kraków - women basketball team, 5th place in Sharp Torell Basket Liga in 2003/2004 season

Sons and daughters of the city

Sharp Torell Basket Liga Sharp Torell Basket Liga Sharp Torell Basket Liga]]
- Alexander Abusch
- Stefan Banach
- Daniel Bogusz
- Boleslaw III
- Krzysztof Borek
- Carl Carl
- Ewa Demarczyk
- DJ Tomekk
- Robert Gadocha
- Mordecai Gebirtig
- Henryk Grossmann
- Ludwig Gumplowicz, sociologist, born 1838
- Friedrich Halm
- Wojciech Has
- Roman Haubenstock-Ramati
- Zvi Hecker
- Jerzy Hoffman
- Josef Hofmann
- Stanislaus Hosius
- Roman Ingarden
- Jan I.
- Holy Kasimir
- Jan II. Kazimierz
- Zygmunt Konieczny
- Ewa Lipska
- Franciszek Macharski
- Jan Matejko
- Edward Ochab
- Karin Reschke
- Jan Rokita
- Zygmunt II
- Jerzy Stuhr
- Grzegorz Turnau
- Karl Freiherr von Urban
- Vladislav II
- Wanda Wasilewska
- Wladyslaw II

References

External links

- [http://www.krakow.pl/en/ Magical Kraków - city's official website]
- [http://www.krakow.pl/kamera/ Webcam]
- [http://www.krakow2000.pl/pk2001/en/index.html Kraków 2000 - official information on cultural events]
- [http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Krakow Kraków on Wikitravel]
- [http://krakow4u.pl/eng_index.php?parametr=eng_glowna_s Cracow4u]
- [http://krakow4u.pl/tapety/8.jpg Panorama of Kraków]
- [http://www.wrotamalopolski.pl/root_en_Visiting-card+of+Malopolska/Unique+Malopolska/Zaproszenie/ Cracow and Malopolska]
- [http://public-transport.net/bim/Krakow.htm Tramway in Kraków] Krakow Krakow Krakow Krakow als:Krakau ja:クラクフ

1484

Events

- January 25 - Peter Arbues, chief of the Spanish Inquisition, is assassinated when he is praying in the cathedral at Saragossa, Spain
- July 6 - Portuguese sea captain Diogo Cão finds the mouth of Congo River
- December 5 - Pope Innocent VIII gives the inquisition a mission to hunt heretics and witches in Germany with the lead of Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger
- The first sugar mill becomes operational in the Gran Canaria
- First cuirassier units (kyrissers) formed in Austria

Births

- January 1 - Huldrych Zwingli, Swiss religious reformer (died 1531)
- January 17 - George Spalatin, German religious reformer (died 1545)
- February 21 - Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg (died 1535)
- April 12 - Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Italian architect (died 1546)
- November 29 - Joachim Vadian, Swiss humanist and reformer (died 1551)
- Georg, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (died 1543)
- Bartolomé de Las Casas, Spanish bishop in Mexico (died 1566)
- Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian humanist scholar (died 1558)
- Hosokawa Takakuni, Japanese military commander (died 1531)

Deaths

- March 4 - Saint Casimir, Prince of Poland (born 1458)
- August 12 - Pope Sixtus IV (born 1414)
- August 12 - George of Trebizond, Greek philosopher (born 1395)
- William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness (born 1410)
- Mino da Fiesole, Italian sculptor
- John of Kolno, Polish navigator (born 1435)
- Luigi Pulci, Italian poet (born 1432) Category:1484 ko:1484년

Belz

---- Belz (Ukrainian Белз, Polish Bełz, Yiddish בעלז) is a small town in western Ukraine, near the border with Poland. It has 2,408 inhabitants (2004). Geo-coordinates in degrees (decimal): 50.38°N, 24.02°E. The town has existed since at least the 11th century, when it was part of Rus. In 1366 it became a part of Poland, to which it belonged until 1793. It then passed to the Austrian Empire, later the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where it was a part of the region of Galicia. During that time, the town became home to a Hasidic dynasty, which was named Belz after the town. From 1918 to 1939 Belz was again part of Poland. Then from 1939 to 1941 it was occupied by the Soviet Union, and occupied by Germany from 1941 to 1944. After the war it reverted to Poland until 1951 when, after a minor border readjustment, it passed to the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Since 1991 it has been part of independent Ukraine.

People

- Nissan Spivak, cantor ([http://www.bh.org.il/Names/POW/Spivak.asp]) Category:Towns in Ukraine Category:Belz Hasidism ja:ベルス

1485

Events

- August 5-7 - First outbreak of sweating sickness in England begins
- August 22 - Battle of Bosworth Field is fought between the armies of King Richard III of England and rival claimant to the throne of England Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Richard dies in battle and Henry Tudor becomes King Henry VII of England.

In Fiction

- In Blackadder -
- August 21 - The first Baldrick/Blackadder servancy begins.
- August 22 - Richard III wins the Battle of Bosworth Field, only to be killed by Edmund Blackadder. Henry VII escapes and Richard IV becomes King.

Births

- June 24 - Johannes Bugenhagen, German religious reformer (died 1558)
- December 16 - Catherine of Aragon, queen of Henry VIII of England (died 1536)
- Leo Africanus, Spanish writer on Africa (died 1554)
- Hugh Aston, English composer (approximate date; died 1558)
- John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, English royal minister (died 1555)
- Hernán Cortés, Spanish conquistador (died 1547)
- Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, English statesman (approximate date; died 1540)
- Johannes Dantiscus, Polish poet and bishop (died 1548)
- Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, French military leader (died 1528)
- Clément Janequin, French chanson composer (approximate date)
- Pierre Moulu, French composer (died c. 1550)
- Sebastiano del Piombo, Italian painter (died 1547)
- Francisco de Sa de Miranda, Portuguese poet (died 1558)
- Giovanni da Verrazano, Italian explorer (approximate date; died c. 1528)

Deaths

- February 28 - Niclas, Graf von Abensberg, German soldier (born 1441)
- March 16 - Anne Neville, queen of Richard III of England (born 1456)
- August 7 - Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany, English prince
- August 22 - King Richard III of England (killed in battle) (born 1452)
- August 22 - John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk (born 1430)
- August 22 - William Brandon, English soldier (born 1426)
- October 28 - Rodolphus Agricola, Dutch scholar (born 1443)
- William Catesby, supporter of Richard III of England (born 1450)
- Richard Ratcliffe, supporter of Richard III of England
- John Scott of Scott's Hall, Warden of the Cinque Ports Category:1485 ko:1485년 simple:1485

May 27

May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining.

Events

- 1328 - Philip VI is crowned King of France.
- 1703 - Tsar Peter the Great founds the city of Saint Petersburg.
- 1813 - War of 1812: In Canada, American forces capture Fort George.
- 1849 - The Great Hall of Euston station, London opened.
- 1860 - Giuseppe Garibaldi begins his attack on Palermo, Sicily, as part of the Italian Unification.
- 1883 - Alexander III is crowned Tsar of Russia.
- 1895 - Oscar Wilde is sent to prison for sodomy.
- 1896 - The F4-strength St. Louis-East St. Louis Tornado hits in St. Louis, Missouri and East Saint Louis, Illinois, killing at least 255 people and incurring $2.9 billion in damages (1997USD).
- 1901 - In New Jersey, the Edison Storage Battery Company is founded.
- 1905 - Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of Tsushima begins.
- 1907 - A Bubonic plague outbreak begins in San Francisco, California.
- 1919 - The NC-4 aircraft arrives in Lisbon after completing the first transatlantic flight.
- 1923 - The first 24 hours of Le Mans race ends.
- 1924 - The Music Corporation of America (MCA) is founded.
- 1927 - The Ford Motor Company ceases manufacturing the Ford Model T and begins to retool plants to make Ford Model As.
- 1930 - The 1,046 feet (319 meters) tall Chrysler Building in New York (tallest man-made structure at the time) opens to the public.
- 1932 - The Sydney Harbour Bridge opens.
- 1933 - New Deal: The U.S. Federal Securities Act is signed into law requiring the registration of securities with the Federal Trade Commission.
- 1933 - The Walt Disney Company releases the cartoon The Three Little Pigs, with its hit song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"
- 1933 - The Century of Progress World's Fair opens in Chicago, Illinois.
- 1935 - New Deal: The Supreme Court of the United States declares the National Industrial Recovery Act to be unconstitutional in the case A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, (295 U.S. 495).
- 1936 - The RMS Queen Mary begins her maiden voyage.
- 1937 - In California, the Golden Gate Bridge opens to pedestrian traffic, creating a vital link between San Francisco and Marin County.
- 1939 - DC Comics publishes its second superhero in Detective Comics #27; he is Batman, one of the most topical comic book superheroes of all time.
- 1940 - World War II: 97 out of 99 members of a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit are massacred while trying to surren