Brzóza Królewska

Brzóza Królewska
Village
Church in Brzóza Królewska (built 1914)
Brzóza Królewska
Coordinates: 50°15′N 22°20′E / 50.250°N 22.333°E / 50.250; 22.333
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Subcarpathian
County	Leżajsk
Gmina	Gmina Leżajsk
Highest elevation	214 m (702 ft)
Lowest elevation	184 m (604 ft)
Population	3,200

Brzóza Królewska [ˈbʐuza kruˈlɛfska] (literally "Royal Birch") is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Leżajsk, within Leżajsk County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It lies approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of Leżajsk and 34 km (21 mi) north-east of the regional capital Rzeszów. In 2006 the village had a population of 3,200.

Brzóza Królewska is divided into the following parts: Podbór, Stępnie, Bednarze, Kmiecie, Zagrody, Łoiny, Flisy, Piaski, Podsośnina, Chiny.

Brzóza Królewska was first mentioned in 1565. Its current location was not inhabited then and was only a hunting area known as over the birch (za brzozą). It was first settled in the mid-17th century.

The area was originally a temporary shelter against Tatars raids for the people of Giedlarowa. Life was not easy for early occupants as the soil was not fertile. It was difficult to earn a living and have sufficient food provisions. However, over time, the population of Brzóza increased as a result of wolnizna (settlers did not have to pay rent for land in the beginning) granted to inhabitants by the starost from Leżajsk - Łukasz Opaliński. After first partition of Poland Brzóza Królewska was a part of the Austrian Empire.

At the end of the 18th century there were approximately 1,500 occupants. In 1830, a Roman Catholic parish was created (earlier Brzóza Królewska was under supervision of Giedlarowa parish). In 1914, the original wooden church was rebuilt in brick temple. During World War II, the village remained relatively free from German persecution. Only one Polish family was executed for hiding Jews.