House of Tarnowski

Tarnowski (plural: Tarnowscy) is the surname of a Polish noble and aristocratic family. Because Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, Tarnowska is the form for a female family member.

The Tarnowski family was one of the oldest and most powerful magnate families in Poland. The family achieved the greatest importance in the 14th, 15th and the 16th centuries, when family members from Tarnów, Melsztyn and later from Jarosław beside the throne of Piast and Jagiellon kings of Poland, from father to son held ten times the office of voivode of Kraków Voivodeship and six times the office of castellans of Kraków.

The history of the family started with the trusted advisor of the last Piast kings Comes Spytek z Melsztyna, the progenitor of the Tarnowski-Melsztyński-Jarosławski family. By 1320 he held the office of voivode of the Kraków Voivodeship and from 1331 the highest secular office in the Kingdom of Poland, castellan of Kraków. For military service during wars, King Władysław I the Elbow-high gave him large estates on Dunajec river, where Spytek founded the city of Tarnów in 1330 and build two stronghold castles, in Tarnów and in Melsztyn, about 1340.

After the death of Spytek, the castle of Melsztyn was inherited by his son Jan z Melsztyna, who like his father, was since 1360 voivode and castellan of Kraków. His younger brother castellan of Wiślica Rafał z Tarnowa became the owner of Tarnów. Rafał expanded his estates vastly, among others in Sandomierz land, Wielowieś and Dzików.

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Wikipedia