On the Matter of Research into Signatories of Spytko of Melsztyn’s Confederation of 1439

Abstract

In the present article the author investigates the problem of identification of noblemen participating in Spytko of Melsztyn’s confederation convened in1439. Their list is known from the document of the confederation, already published twice, but with reading errors that had an impact on the identification of people listed in the text. After the author verified and corrected those errors, it is possible to say that there were 170 Polish noblemen who participated in the confederation. A thorough analysis, based on unknown so far archival sources, makes it possible to identify the places of origin and social background of the following supporters of Spytko: Jan Kowalowski of Zaryszyn, Klemens of Kłaj, Moniaczkowski (of Moniaczkowice, probably Mikołaj), Mikołaj of Włoszynów, Otłuczony of Kręciszki in the Land of Łęczyca (probably Paweł or Mikołaj of Rola coat of arms), Jan of Milejów, Cracow sword-bearer Mikołaj of Chrząstów of Kościesza coat of arms, Florian and Imram of Marzęcin of Jelita coat of arms, Wincenty Imbir of Kiszew of Nałęcz coat of arms, and Jan of Lubania of Grzymała coat of arms. The article is enriched with a new and free of the old errors edition of the document of Spytko of Melsztyn’s Confederation of 1439, the original of which is kept in the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw.