Jan Klemens Branicki

:"This article is about the 18th century Hetman. See also Jan Klemens Branicki, starosta chęciński, who died in 1657 and Jan Klemens Branicki, marszałek trybunału koronnego, who died in 1673 "Count Jan Klemens (Jan Kazimierz) Branicki (September 21 1689-October 9 1771) was a Polish nobleman, magnate and Hetman, Field Crown Hetman of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth between 1735 and 1752, and Great Crown Hetman between 1752 and 1771.

He was the son of the Palatine of Podlaskie Voivodeship Stefan Mikołaj Branicki and Katarzyna Scholastyka Sapieha, the daughter of Hetman Kazimierz Jan Sapieha. Jan had three wives. The first one was the daughter of Court and Grand Marshal Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł, Princess Katarzyna Barbara Radziwiłł, that he married on October 1, 1720 in Biała., Izabella Poniatowska, whom he married in 1748.

He was Podczaszy of Lithuania ("podczaszy litewski") in 1723, Grand Standard-Bearer of the Crown ("chorazy wielki koronny") in 1724, commander of an infantry regiment ("szef regimentu pieszego") in 1726, Artillery General of the Crown ("general artylerii koronnej") in 1728, "hetman polny koronny" in 1735, Palatine of Kraków Voivodship ("wojewoda krakowski") in 1746, "hetman wielki koronny" in 1752 and Castellan of Kraków ("kasztelan krakowski") in 1762. He was the Starost of Brańsk, Bielsko-Biała, Mościsk, Janów Lubelski, Bohusław, Złotoria, Krośno and Jezierzysk ("starosta branski, bielski, mościcki, janowski, bohuslawski, zlotoryjski, krośnienski, jezierzyski").

Branicki was one of the most powerful and influential magnates in Poland of the 18th century. He was leader of the magnates party. Connected with the Radziwiłł and Potocki families and an opponent of the "Familia".

He sympatized with confederates of the Radom Confederation and the Confederation of Bar. Branicki was owner of Białystok. At that time Białystok began to develop. In 1745 he established a military and engineer school and a theatre.

In 1763–1764 he ran in the election of the King of Poland, but was beaten by his brother-in-law Stanisław Poniatowski.

He married firstly at Biała, October 1 1720 Princess Katarzyna Barbara Maria Radziwillówna (Biała, December 6 1693 - Białystok, October 16 1730), secondly in 1732 and divorced Barbara Szembekówna, and thirdly on November 19, 1748 to Izabella Poniatowska and had no issue.

Awards

* Knight of the Order of the White Eagle, since 1726.

ee also

* Branicki Palace