Jan Jerzy Przebendowski, Grand Treasurer of the Crown, and His Archive

Abstract

Although the life and activities of Jan Jerzy Przebendowski, Grand Treasurer of the Crown, have already been the subject of numerous publications, there remain several areas that still offer potential for fruitful exploration. The longevity of this figure and, above all, his tangible influence on the fate of the country in the early 18th century have led scholars to focus mainly on that period, somewhat neglecting his earlier activity. This article seeks, at least in part, to fill that gap. The first section of the paper discusses the family coat of arms, which evolved over the years, posing considerable challenges to heraldists and resulting in various interpretations and representations. The second section focuses on the earliest part of Przebendowski’s life – the least studied period – which, in his case, spanned as many as sixty years. It seems that several previously unknown or misinterpreted facts from his biography have been clarified here. Przebendowski’s “senatorial” period is undoubtedly the best known, particularly in terms of his public service. Consequently, this study emphasizes his possessions, which until now have been described only superficially. The final part of the article examines Jan Jerzy Przebendowski’s archive in the broad sense of the term – specifically, the surviving remnants scattered across various domestic and foreign archives, whose fate became intertwined with that of the Radziwiłł family’s archives. The focus here is mainly on the materials preserved in the still unorganized and unprocessed portion of the Radziwiłł Warsaw Archive held at the Central Archives of Historical Records. The hope is that this information will inspire further research and help make the collection more accessible.