Firlej (plural: Firlejowie) was a Polish szlachta (noble) family. They were magnates in the 15th–17th centuries.
History According to Kasper Niesiecki, Ostafi of Lewart coat of arms came from Franconia, Germany, to Poland, in 1317, to serve Polish king Władysław Łokietek. He was nicknamed Firlej, and the name became his family name. From the 15th to 17th centuries, the Firlej family was a powerful magnate family in the Lesser Poland (Małopolska) region.
From the time of Jan Firlej, the Firlej family were staunch Calvinists (Protestantism) condemned by Catholics. Although most of Jan's sons converted to Catholicism as early as the 1670s, one branch of the family persisted in Calvinism until the mid-17th century, when this one died out.
Over time, the Firlej family declined severely, the richest lines had no male descendants, and the poorer lines grew so large that they fell into the ranks of the middle and poor nobility.
The history of the Firlej family is not fully known or documented. Most historical descriptions end with the year 1730. In 1995 the Society of Friends of Janowiec was established in Janowiec, which organises meetings on the Firlej family and publishes cyclical studies.
Notable members Piotr Firlej z Dąbrowicy (died 1499), judge and notary of Lublin, married to Jadwiga Osmólska h. Bończa Mikołaj Firlej (died 1526), Great Hetman of the Crown, married to Anna z Mielca h. Gryf Piotr Firlej (died 1553), voivode of Ruthenia, married Katarzyna Tęczyńska h. Topór Jan Firlej (1521-1571), Grand Marshal of the Crown, married Barbara Mniszech h. Mniszech, Zofia Boner h. Boner, Zofia Dzik h. Doliwa Mikołaj Firlej (died 1601), voivode of Kraków, married Elżbieta Ligęza h. Półkozic and Agnieszka Tęczyńska h. Topór Mikołaj Firlej (1588–1635), voivode of Sandomierz, married Maria Amalia Mohyła and Regina Oleśnicka h. Dębno Zbigniew Firlej (1613-1449), starost of Lublin, married Princes Anna Wiśniowiecka h. Korybut and Katarzyna Opalińska h. Łodzia Andrzej Firlej (died 1609), castellan of Radom, married Barbara Kozińska and Marianna Leszczyńska h. Wieniawa Andrzej Firlej (1583-1649), voivode of Sandomierz, married Helena Rohostajska h. Leliwa and HH Przyjemska h. Rawa Jan Firlej (died 1614), Great Treasurer of the Crown, married Gertruda Opalińska h. Łodzia Henryk Firlej (1599-1635), Bishop of Poznań Piotr Firlej (died 1619), voivode of Lublin, married Jadwiga Włodek h. Prawdzic Stanisław Firlej (died after 1659), castellan of Lublin, married Dorota Leśniowolska h. Roch II Jan Firlej, member of the Sejm, married Teresa Warszycka h. Awdaniec Piotr Firlej, castellan of Wojnice, married Agnieszka Bal z Boisk h. Gozdawa Mikołaj Firlej (1605-1640), married Zofia Skotnicka h. Bogorya Jan Firlej (died 1701), castellan of Sanok, married Weronika Wichrowska z Wichrowa Henryk Firlej (1574-1626), Archbishop of Gniezno Mikołaj Firlej (died 1588), voivode of Lublin, married Anna Sierzchowska z Sierzchowy h. Nałęcz Zofia Firlej, married landlord of Wola Boguszowa Mikołaj Bogusz z Ziemblic h. Półkozic Katarzyna Firlej, married wojski of Krzemieniec Teodor Sieniuta h. Sieniuta Andrzej Firlej (c. 1537-1585), Royal Secretary and castellan of Lublin, married Barbara Szreńska h. Dołęga Dorota Firlej (1563-1591), married voivode of Witebsk and Troki Prince Stefan Zbaraski h. Korybut and Grand Chancellor of the Crown and Hetman Lew Sapieha h. Lis Anna Firlej (died 1588), married voivode of Brześć Kujawski Andrzej Leszczyński h. Wieniawa, great-grandmother of King Stanisław I Leszczyński Katarzyna Firlej (died after 1545), married castellan of Chełmno and Sandomierz Stanisław Tarnowski h. Leliwa Marcin Firlej (born. 1975), Polish journalist and author.
Palaces
Bibliography
Andrzej Przybyszewski, Firlejowie herbu Lewart, Radomyśl Wielki, 2008, Andrzej Szymanek, Mecenat kulturalny Firlejów ; Firlejowie w tradycji lokalnej Lubelszczyzny, Janowiec : TPJ, 2001,