DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0034
some Sarmatian tribes left the steppes fringing the Black Sea coast to settle between the Dnieper and
Vistula and turned the local population into slaves. The Polish knighthood and their successors, the
gentry, were allegedly descended from those valiant warriors. This theory assured a privileged position
to the gentry and justified their dominance in state government. It was the gentry, and the gentry alone,
that enjoyed unlimited personal freedom, the 'golden freedom' it was so uncritically attached to, which
was the source of its self adulation, xenophobia and megalomania combined with belief in its historical
mission; it was also this theory which lay at the root of the orientalization of the gentry's customs, habits
and aesthetic tastes. Convinced that Poland had the best socio-political system under the sun, the Polish
gentry regarded with contempt and horror the despotic tyrants of the East, the Turkish Sultan, the Tartar
Khan and the Tsar of Muscovy, and looked with mistrust upon absolute monarchs in the West. Contradic-
tions were to be found in everything: while making their own some elements of Muslim attire and habits
which allegedly recalled those of the mythical Sarmatians, the gentry doggedly fought those pagans and
turned Poland into the 'bulwark of Christendom'. The Church made good use of the Sarmatian myth to
fan religious feeling, even fanaticism, for its own specific ends. Traditional Polish religious tolerance gave
way to the oppression of other religious denominations, though it must be admitted that cases of overt
persecution were only sporadic. The belief spread that the Poles are a 'chosen people', that all misfortunes
they suffered were decreed by Providence to put the nation's faith and mettle to test. Atonement for real
and imaginary sins was sought in pilgrimages to places famed for miracles, in founding new churches and
monasteries and making votive offerings, in crowning church pictures and in penance. To propitiate Death
magnificent funeral ceremonies were staged, the splendour of which equalled only similar rites in
Spain and Sicily. This religious ardour however was accompanied by growing superstition, belief in
witchcraft and sorcery. In its extremes, Sarmatism was represented by unprecedented luxury and dire
poverty, heroism and despicable cowardice, haughtiness and humility, ignorance and profound learning,
sublime slogans of civic freedoms on the one hand, and outrageous examples of squabbling, sedition and
anarchy on the other. Since little was known about the real Sarmatians, and nothing at all about their
language, customs and culture, the use of Latin became even more widespread than it had been in medieval
times. Texts by Roman authors, learnt by heart at school, were the foundation of the education of the
gentry. The language they used was a macaronic mixture of Polish and Latin. Scipio, Cato and Julius
Caesar were frequently quoted and the heroic deeds of Hercules and other mythological heroes were often
referred to as examples to be followed. Some families, especially Lithuanian, claimed descent from ancient
Romans. The heroic deeds of Polish chivalry were extolled in verse and prose, praises were sung of the
charm of the rural life led by gentlemen, panegyrics were composed in honour of great nobles, whereas
the burghers and peasants were considered mean and despicable. Relations with neighbours were carefully
cultivated, all weddings, births and funerals in the neighbourhood were always attended, banquets were
given on every conceivable occasion; but on the other hand, fierce quarrels and disputes were just as
frequent, ending usually in settlements outside of the law, in duels and bloody forays. Despite deeply
rooted xenophobia, parents sent their sons abroad to travel, gain knowledge and refinement in the West;
a willing ear was lent to news from Western Europe, visitors from the West were received with lavish
hospitality, often surpassing the host's financial means, occasionally with servility. Members of foreign
dynasties were often elected as kings of Poland, something unknown to other nations. German, Turkish,
Tartar and Walachian examples were resorted to in forming some units of the army. In the field of art,
architecture in particular, the Baroque style was very popular, followed by rococo and the neo-classical
style and as a rule the services of Western architects, mostly Italian, were sought. Splendid magnate
country residences and town houses, usually in Warsaw, the new capital, were centres where Western
culture flourished. The Sarmatian style and taste was dominant mainly in painting and artistic crafts.
Sarmatian-style portraits, which had developed since the late 16th century, were typical of this type of
culture. Sarmatian portraiture adhered to verism in depicting facial features, dress and attributes, armorial
bearings and inscriptions referring to the position and office held by the sitter. Hexagonal coffin portraits,
painted on metal plates, were a specifically Polish custom. Fixed to the coffin during the funeral ceremony,
they were subsequently preserved in the church above the deceased's epitaph. A sepulchral banner bearing
the deceased's likeness carried in the funeral procession, served to emphasize the dignity and importance
of the person being laid to rest. Objects of beauty surrounded the Sarmatian from birth till death. Special
importance was attached to the splendour of attire, interior furnishings, ornaments of the banqueting
table, richness of armour and weapons, dignified appearance during hunts and travels. Gradually, a uniform
Vistula and turned the local population into slaves. The Polish knighthood and their successors, the
gentry, were allegedly descended from those valiant warriors. This theory assured a privileged position
to the gentry and justified their dominance in state government. It was the gentry, and the gentry alone,
that enjoyed unlimited personal freedom, the 'golden freedom' it was so uncritically attached to, which
was the source of its self adulation, xenophobia and megalomania combined with belief in its historical
mission; it was also this theory which lay at the root of the orientalization of the gentry's customs, habits
and aesthetic tastes. Convinced that Poland had the best socio-political system under the sun, the Polish
gentry regarded with contempt and horror the despotic tyrants of the East, the Turkish Sultan, the Tartar
Khan and the Tsar of Muscovy, and looked with mistrust upon absolute monarchs in the West. Contradic-
tions were to be found in everything: while making their own some elements of Muslim attire and habits
which allegedly recalled those of the mythical Sarmatians, the gentry doggedly fought those pagans and
turned Poland into the 'bulwark of Christendom'. The Church made good use of the Sarmatian myth to
fan religious feeling, even fanaticism, for its own specific ends. Traditional Polish religious tolerance gave
way to the oppression of other religious denominations, though it must be admitted that cases of overt
persecution were only sporadic. The belief spread that the Poles are a 'chosen people', that all misfortunes
they suffered were decreed by Providence to put the nation's faith and mettle to test. Atonement for real
and imaginary sins was sought in pilgrimages to places famed for miracles, in founding new churches and
monasteries and making votive offerings, in crowning church pictures and in penance. To propitiate Death
magnificent funeral ceremonies were staged, the splendour of which equalled only similar rites in
Spain and Sicily. This religious ardour however was accompanied by growing superstition, belief in
witchcraft and sorcery. In its extremes, Sarmatism was represented by unprecedented luxury and dire
poverty, heroism and despicable cowardice, haughtiness and humility, ignorance and profound learning,
sublime slogans of civic freedoms on the one hand, and outrageous examples of squabbling, sedition and
anarchy on the other. Since little was known about the real Sarmatians, and nothing at all about their
language, customs and culture, the use of Latin became even more widespread than it had been in medieval
times. Texts by Roman authors, learnt by heart at school, were the foundation of the education of the
gentry. The language they used was a macaronic mixture of Polish and Latin. Scipio, Cato and Julius
Caesar were frequently quoted and the heroic deeds of Hercules and other mythological heroes were often
referred to as examples to be followed. Some families, especially Lithuanian, claimed descent from ancient
Romans. The heroic deeds of Polish chivalry were extolled in verse and prose, praises were sung of the
charm of the rural life led by gentlemen, panegyrics were composed in honour of great nobles, whereas
the burghers and peasants were considered mean and despicable. Relations with neighbours were carefully
cultivated, all weddings, births and funerals in the neighbourhood were always attended, banquets were
given on every conceivable occasion; but on the other hand, fierce quarrels and disputes were just as
frequent, ending usually in settlements outside of the law, in duels and bloody forays. Despite deeply
rooted xenophobia, parents sent their sons abroad to travel, gain knowledge and refinement in the West;
a willing ear was lent to news from Western Europe, visitors from the West were received with lavish
hospitality, often surpassing the host's financial means, occasionally with servility. Members of foreign
dynasties were often elected as kings of Poland, something unknown to other nations. German, Turkish,
Tartar and Walachian examples were resorted to in forming some units of the army. In the field of art,
architecture in particular, the Baroque style was very popular, followed by rococo and the neo-classical
style and as a rule the services of Western architects, mostly Italian, were sought. Splendid magnate
country residences and town houses, usually in Warsaw, the new capital, were centres where Western
culture flourished. The Sarmatian style and taste was dominant mainly in painting and artistic crafts.
Sarmatian-style portraits, which had developed since the late 16th century, were typical of this type of
culture. Sarmatian portraiture adhered to verism in depicting facial features, dress and attributes, armorial
bearings and inscriptions referring to the position and office held by the sitter. Hexagonal coffin portraits,
painted on metal plates, were a specifically Polish custom. Fixed to the coffin during the funeral ceremony,
they were subsequently preserved in the church above the deceased's epitaph. A sepulchral banner bearing
the deceased's likeness carried in the funeral procession, served to emphasize the dignity and importance
of the person being laid to rest. Objects of beauty surrounded the Sarmatian from birth till death. Special
importance was attached to the splendour of attire, interior furnishings, ornaments of the banqueting
table, richness of armour and weapons, dignified appearance during hunts and travels. Gradually, a uniform