Patron’s activity of the widow Konstancja Marianna Szczukowa, née Potocka, Lithuanian deputy chancelloress

Abstract

Women in old Poland, due to their significant participation in the development of both economic activity and economics, influenced the formation of women’s patronage, which can be divided into legal, economic, educational, church and artistic. However, in case of the majority of women patrons their protectorate activity coincided with the onset of their widowhood, which involved a change in their legal and material status. This was connected with the property which was bequeathed to a widow at the moment of entering into marriage and which could be managed only after her husband’s decease. One of such resourceful widows was Konstancja Marianna Szczuka, née Potocka (died in 1733), the wife of Stanisław Antoni, a deputy chancellor of Lithuania (died 1710). Her exceptional economic and protectorate activity took place during her widowhood period, that is 1710–1733. Konstancja received begging letters and supplications with pleas for her help and support. Noteworthy, however, is her highly developed religious patronage visible in numerous ecclesiastical and monastic legacies, as well as educational patronage, which involved effort to raise and educate her own children. Konstancja died as a role model portraying her as a generous and resourceful widow who not only did not squander the family heritage of the Szczuka, but also significantly contributed to its sustenance and multiplication.