DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22262#0022
Janina Poskrobko-Strzęciwilk
The origin of the use of the kontusz sash in
Poland's history was directly related to the
concept of sarmatism, the prevailing ideol-
ogy of the Polish nobility beginning in the
sixteenth century. Sarmatism was based on
a legend that Polish nobility, or szlachta,
were descended from the Sarmatians, the
ancient rulers of Eastern Europę who were
known for their excellent horsemanship and
bravery in combat against the Romans. In
fact, the Polish Commonwealth of Nations
(1500-1772) was freąuently referred to as
Sarmatia, and the root word, Sarmata, was a
term for a Polish nobleman. Wars between
Poland against the Tartars and Ottoman
Turks during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries established Poland's reputation as
a bulwark of Christianity: hence, the nobil-
ity saw themselves as the chosen people,
meant to protect Europę from paganism.4
Contemporary chivalric portraits depicted
the Polish Sarmata in pseudo-antiąue ar-
mour, a symbol of devotion to antiąuity and
Fig. i tradition. 'The Sarmatian costume,' wrote
An example of the eighteenth-century Franęois Dalerac, a French diarist and dip-
Polish nobleman's outer garments eon- lomat, who was retained in the service of the
sisting of a żupan (caftan) with a kontusz Polish king Jan III Sobieski (1629-1696,
(long vest) over it, and a kontusz sash reigned from 1674), 'is worn by everyone in
tied m the front. Poland, from King to a minor nobleman,
Nattonal Museum in Craeow imitating the model of antiąue warriors.'5
After Sobieski's victory in the battle of Vi-
enna against the Ottomans in 1683, the Middle-Eastern, or Oriental, fashion spread
throughout Poland. The King himself popularised the tradition of wearing a kontusz
sash and publicised it as a significant feature of the Polish nobleman's national cos-
tume. A Sarmata, therefore, wore the costume with its Oriental influence in order to
express his devotion to Polish tradition, and to indicate sentiments of separatism and
opposition to foreign influence, especially that of the Western Europę. Describing
4 The phenomenon of sarmatism is explained by Stanisław Cynarski, 'Program
polityczny sarmatyzmu', [in:] Seminaria Nidzickie, Vol. 2, Craeow, 1985, p. 16; Żygulski,
op. cit., pp. 29-31, emphasizes the influence of sarmatism on the development of Polish
contemporary painting and decorative arts.
5 F. Dalerac ąuoted in Teresa Chynczewska-Henkel, Rzeczypospolita XVII wieku w oczach
cudzoziemców, Wrocław-Warsaw-Cracow, 1993, p. 174. Quote translated by the author.
The origin of the use of the kontusz sash in
Poland's history was directly related to the
concept of sarmatism, the prevailing ideol-
ogy of the Polish nobility beginning in the
sixteenth century. Sarmatism was based on
a legend that Polish nobility, or szlachta,
were descended from the Sarmatians, the
ancient rulers of Eastern Europę who were
known for their excellent horsemanship and
bravery in combat against the Romans. In
fact, the Polish Commonwealth of Nations
(1500-1772) was freąuently referred to as
Sarmatia, and the root word, Sarmata, was a
term for a Polish nobleman. Wars between
Poland against the Tartars and Ottoman
Turks during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries established Poland's reputation as
a bulwark of Christianity: hence, the nobil-
ity saw themselves as the chosen people,
meant to protect Europę from paganism.4
Contemporary chivalric portraits depicted
the Polish Sarmata in pseudo-antiąue ar-
mour, a symbol of devotion to antiąuity and
Fig. i tradition. 'The Sarmatian costume,' wrote
An example of the eighteenth-century Franęois Dalerac, a French diarist and dip-
Polish nobleman's outer garments eon- lomat, who was retained in the service of the
sisting of a żupan (caftan) with a kontusz Polish king Jan III Sobieski (1629-1696,
(long vest) over it, and a kontusz sash reigned from 1674), 'is worn by everyone in
tied m the front. Poland, from King to a minor nobleman,
Nattonal Museum in Craeow imitating the model of antiąue warriors.'5
After Sobieski's victory in the battle of Vi-
enna against the Ottomans in 1683, the Middle-Eastern, or Oriental, fashion spread
throughout Poland. The King himself popularised the tradition of wearing a kontusz
sash and publicised it as a significant feature of the Polish nobleman's national cos-
tume. A Sarmata, therefore, wore the costume with its Oriental influence in order to
express his devotion to Polish tradition, and to indicate sentiments of separatism and
opposition to foreign influence, especially that of the Western Europę. Describing
4 The phenomenon of sarmatism is explained by Stanisław Cynarski, 'Program
polityczny sarmatyzmu', [in:] Seminaria Nidzickie, Vol. 2, Craeow, 1985, p. 16; Żygulski,
op. cit., pp. 29-31, emphasizes the influence of sarmatism on the development of Polish
contemporary painting and decorative arts.
5 F. Dalerac ąuoted in Teresa Chynczewska-Henkel, Rzeczypospolita XVII wieku w oczach
cudzoziemców, Wrocław-Warsaw-Cracow, 1993, p. 174. Quote translated by the author.