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    Published: 2026-10-08
    Vol. 33 No. 1 (2026)

    Early modern fortified manor houses in the Mazovia - Podlachia borderland from the mid-16th to the mid-17th c.

    Magdalena Żurek Profil ORCID autora Magdalena Żurek
    Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings
    Section: Rozprawy i Artykuły
    DOI https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2026.33.1.9

    Abstract

    A phenomenon of fortified manor houses on embankments or surrounded by ramparts and moats emerged in the borderland of Mazovia and Podlachia in the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century. In this region, seven such structures were erected: Zawiszyn, Ossówno, Starawieś, Miedzna, Ciechanowiec, Waniewo, and Białystok. Although they likely differed in appearance, all were enclosed by a ring of fortifications, earthworks, or moats. Also, all were located in the borderland of Mazovia and Podlachia, an area was predominantly settled by the middle nobility. Some of members of the group, thanks to generous land grants successful careers, and carefully arranged marriages, managed to accumulate extensive estates. The owners of fortified manor houses were individuals who pursued careers at the royal court. The author suggests that the construction of fortified manor houses in this region, as well as their subsequent abandonment or reconstruction, may have been linked to increased economic activity initiated by King Zygmunt August in the area. Their prestige is evidenced by the fact that all these manors were built in peacetime and in the safe region. Their representative function is indicated by the fact that all of them were built during a period of peace, in a relatively secure region. Some were erected near royal residences in Warsaw and Knyszyn by members of the middle nobility (or newcomers) who improved their social standing through connections with the royal court.

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    Żurek, M. (2026). Early modern fortified manor houses in the Mazovia - Podlachia borderland from the mid-16th to the mid-17th c. Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2026.33.1.9

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