Ciężary wojskowe z dóbr starostwa brzeźnickiego w latach 1651-1793

Abstract

Brzeźnickie starosty (starostwo) had a status of starostwo niegrodowe, meaning it was not vested with administrative or judicial powers of a starost (starosta). Starosts were appointed by the king in perpetuity. Occasionally, a starosty could be transferred through conveyance by a living leaseholder of the king’s demesne (tenutariusz, or, starosta niegrodowy) to another party. In 1717, Brzeźnickie starosty was endowed to the Pauline Order on Jasna Góra in Częstochowa „for all eternity”. Under the Constitution of 1717, Pauline monks had to spend the total revenue raised from the starosty on the maintenance of the stronghold. The conveyance of the starosty was a payment for the losses sustained by the order in a Northern War. It was also an expression of the members of the Diet’s concern for the Jasnogórska stronghold protecting the border with Silesia. Despite the exemptions (libertacje) granted to Paulines, the army still collected various types of taxes from the demesne, including the following: pogłówne (poll tax), hiberna, kwarta, subsidium charitativum, łanowe and podymne. The monks also carried other burdens to provide financing for the army. The most burdened were the village of Dębowiec and the towns of Brzeźnica and Stara Brzeźnica. Between 1651 and 1790, the subjects of Brzezińskie starosty paid 126,196 zlotys 25.5 groszy 54 denars in total taxes. The highest percentage was raised from the following taxes: kwarta (67.16%), hiberna (24.82%) i łanowe (3.93%). The lowest percentage was the podymne tax (0.011%). Between 1725 and 1728, Brzeźnickie starosty’s income amounted to 38,529 Polish zlotys 16 groszy. At the same time, the sum of 34,544 zlotys 16 groszy was spent, so the profit was 3,985 zlotys. The kwarta tax paid in that period was 516 zlotys 4 groszy 16 denars, which was 1.49% of all expenditure. The income between 1775 and 1783 was 334,184 zlotys 20 groszy, whereas expenditure amounted to 195,660 zlotys 7 groszy. The profit between 1775 and 1783 was 138,524 zlotys 13 groszy. The burdens for the army in that period amounted to 7,895 zlotys 29 goszy, which was nearly 9.15% of the starosty’s total expenditure. Average annual income between 1775 and 1783 was 37,132 zlotys 27 groszy, whereas the average annual expenditure was 21,740 zlotys. Thus, the average annual profit from the Brzeźnickie starosty was nearly 15,392 Polish zlotys. Between 1774 and 1783, the Jasna Góra Monastery had an income of 1,587,566 zlotys 6.5 groszy 0.5 schilling, whereas expenditure amounted to 1,675,521 zlotys 15.5 groszy 0.5 schilling. The balance shows a deficit of 87,954 zlotys 21 groszy. The average annual income between 1774 and 1783 was 158,758 zlotys 6 groszy, whereas average annual expenditure amounted to 167,552 zlotys 21 groszy. The average annual deficit in the monastic funds was nearly 8,794 zlotys. Between 1775 and 1783, the income derived from this royal demesne (tenuta brzeźnicka) accounted for nearly 20% of total income of the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa. The expenditure, on the other hand, was nearly 11% of total expenditure of Jasna Góra. Military burdens raised solely from the Brzeźnickie starosty, excluding liabilities from other Jasna Góra’s demesne, constituted 1.068% of total expenditure of the Jasna Góra Monastery.