Subject: szlachcic nobleman
Culture: Polish nobility
Setting: late Polish-Lithanian commonwealth 18thc
Context (Event Photos, Primary Sources, Secondary Sources, Field Notes)
* Zamoyski 1987 p
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Costume
* Mundury wojewódzkie rzechypospolitej obojga narodów 1992 p41
"Die männliche Nationaltracht des polnischen Adels ('Schlachta') im 18. Jh. bestand aus ein paar festen Kleidungsstücken, von welchen der Unterrock, genannt 'Zupan' under der Oberrock, gennant 'Kontusch' die Hauptteile waren. Beide Röcke, von sich mit der Zeit wandelnder Länge, immer lang jedoch, haben schleißlich, in der zweiten Hälfte des 18. Jhs. bis an die Hälfte der Wade gereicht. Das Unterkleid, Zupan, war eigentlich enganliegend, trotzdem bequem, mit einem ziemlich kleinen Kragen, bis hoch an den Hals mit einer Reihe von Kleinen Zierknöpfen verschlossen und mit engen, bis an die Handgelenke reichenden Ärmeln. Der Kontusch, gewöhnlich faltenreicher und länger als der Zupan, hatte gegen Ende des Jahrhunderts einen hohen Stehkragen. Die von den Ellenbogen abwärts aufgeschlitzten Ärmel ließen, falls angezogen, die Zupanärmel sehen. Es wurde Sitte, die Ärmel über die Arme zurückzuschlagen, wobei sie manchmal auf dem Rücken geknotet wurden.
"Das schönste Element der Adelstracht war ein seidener, sehr dekorativer, gold -- oder silberfadiger Gürtel (eigentlich eine Schärpe) der um den Kontusch getragen wurde. Er zählte bis 4-5 m Länge und 30-60 cm Breite. Daher mußte er entsprechend zusammengefaltet werden. Ursprünglich hat man solche Gürtel aus Persien eingeführt, später auch im Lande (Słuck im Großfürstentum Litauen) oder manchmal auch nach polnischer Art in Frankreich (Lyon) produziert, von wo sie nach Polen importiert wurden.
"Die beiden Röcke wurden im allgemeinen in kontrastiven Farben getragen, wobei die Regel war, daß bei einem dunklen Zupan der Kontusch heller war und umbekehrt. Die Tracht ergänzten: eine typische polnische Mütze mit viereckigem quergestelltem Oberteil und Pelzbrame; hohe Schaftstiefel (meistens aus Saffian, gelb oder rot, im Alltag schwarz), in die man die under dem Kontusch night sichtbaren. Hosenbeine schob ...."
* Mundury wojewódzkie rzechypospolitej obojga narodów 1992 p37
"The attire of the 18th century nobleman in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth stood in such contrast to the dress of the European nobility elsewhere that it captured the attention of many foreign travelers to Poland. The accounts of Englishman N. W. Wraxall, Frenchman H. Vautrin, and Germans J. W. Biester and F. Schultz are all replete with wonderment at the Polish national dress, dwelling on its splendor and style of dress adopted by the noblemen in other European countries.
"To appreciate the former's uniqueness one should consider its design. Most important were the undercoat called żupan and the overcoat or kontusz. Although lengths varied, both garments were always long; in the second half of the 18th century, they reached midcalf. The flared kontusz was usually a little longer. Generally they were of contrasting colors, e.g. when the żupan was dark, the kontusz was light. The żupan was close-fitting yet comfortable. It was buttoned from top to bottom, had a small collar and long, narrow sleeves.
"By the end of the 18th century, the kontusz acquired a tall, upright collar. Sleeves of the kontusz were slit from the elbows down, exposing the sleeves of the żupan. It was customary to flip back the kontusz sleeves or to tie them across one's back. Most beautiful of the nobleman's dress was a highly ornamental sash of silk, 5 meters long by 30 to 60 centimeters wide, and interwoven with gold or silver threads, which was wrapped around the kontusz. Originally, these sashes were imported from Persia; later they were manufactured in Słuck in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, or in Lyon, France.
"To complete his outfit, the nobleman wore a typical Polish cap (square top and a fur band), high boots, and a saber. The boots, made of safian (goat leather), were yellow, red, or black for daily wear. The trousers, which the kontusz kept from view, were tucked into the boots."
Saber
* Mundury wojewódzkie rzechypospolitej obojga narodów 1992 p41
"[E]in an die Seite angegürteter Krummsäbel, genannt 'Karabela', mit einem charakteristischen Griffknauf in Form eines Adlerkopfes (das Staatswappen Polens ist ein weißer Adler)."
* Nadolski 1974 p38-39
"The eighteenth century witnessed the unification of side-arms used in Europe. The palaches with the sabre-like or similar hilts, the sabres with the closed hilt and the small sword also worn with the civilian dress were the only ones to survive as military weapons. New arms included the bayonet and the cutlass (infantry sabre). In Poland the situation was similar, though in the first half of the 18th century Polish cavalry still used the already anachronistic thrusting sword, whereas most of the gentry, dressed in the Polish fashion, continued to wear sabres with the open hilt, usually the 'karabele', more or less lavishly ornamented. In addition to sabre blades of local origin, Eastern damask blades and those imported from the West, notably Solingen, continued to be in use. The guild and maker's marks finally lost their significance. They were occasionally replaced by inscriptions, usually engraved on the back and giving the name of firm and the place where the blade was made. The European weapons of the period often bear monograms of the then ruling monarchs. The monograms used in Poland include 'AR' = Augustus Rex, relating to August II and August III, kings of the Saxon dynasty, and later 'SAR' = Stanislaus Augustus Rex, relating to the last king of Poland Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski. Sabres and palaches with blades marked in this way are called 'augustówki'. In addition, inscriptions of various types still occurred. Attention should be called to the inscriptions in honour of the constitution of the Third of May (1791), which testify how strong an impression was made on society by the great attempt at reform which probably would have saved the Polish-Lithuanian republic from its fall had it not been for the brutal interference of neighbouring powers. The 'karabela' of the 18th century is nearly always a parade weapon only. Its hilt often differed significantly from the classic 17th-century model. It was usually lavishly decorated but ceased to be an efficient battle weapon."
* Mundury wojewódzkie rzechypospolitej obojga narodów 1992 p37
"The saber, known as karabela, was attached to his side. The most noticeable characteristic of the saber was its handle, in the shape of Poland's national emblem,an eagle's head in profile."
