Polish Weekly A.D.1650
„Entry of Jerzy Ossolinski to Rome ", after 1643, fot. Wawel Royal Castle
Osoliński’s visit to Rome
The purpose of Jerzy Ossoliński's departure to
Rome was paying homage to the Pope - in the
name of the new chosen ruler in 1692. The
messenger was entrusted with some different
questions however the whole spectacle was
planned mostly as a great spectacle creating
the Polish effigy for Europe.
On 27th of November 1633 there was an entry
of Jerzy Ossoliński to Rome. It became historical, because it was a great legation. In the
procession there were 300 people, 22 carriages
with expensive red stuff, a lot of horses and 10
camels. The legate did not adjust to the local
customs, like usually did when travelling in
Europe, but he made an influence on the impact of propaganda. In the parade there participated: Polish, Lithuanians, Tatars, Armenians
and Cossacks. In the procession rode: John
Komorowski (the canon of Cracow) with 2
Roman envoys, Alexander, John and Casimir
Naruszewiczowie, sons of the Lithuanian treasurer and Christopher Lankoroński, Stanislaus
Minocki, a nephew of the deputy Carol Kotniakt, the canon of Płock ,Philip Lipski and 2
royal secretaries - Domenico Roncalli and
Dobieslaw Ciekliński. Next, there followed
young Polish magnates from the most popular
Catholic houses. In front of the parade there
rode 2 nobles in the member service. Behind
them 22 carts with expensive red stuff with
arms of the Polish nobility and 10 camels with
heads decorated with silver threads. Their
humps were shrouded with fabrics of velvet
with gold. Behind camels, there wheeled Tatars and Armenians, trumpeters took overdress
in green velvet.
The next time there rode Cossacks with musketeers and then the Pope's division, Pope's
valet and valets on mules. Behind them there followed the older valet deputy, Kociszewski with 30 ancillaries. Consecutively
the servant guided 5 Turkish horses, that
maybe had lost their gold horseshoes deliberately, but they had. Saddles of those horses were decorated with diamonds, rubies
and turquoises. Next there rode courtiers of
the Spanish deputy and 30 courtiers of the
Polish deputy, that first was Jacob Zieliński,
the marshal of the manor house and the
king’s wine-taster. Ossoliński wore a white
costume decorated with gold flowers. On
the head he had a golden crown with diamonds and a golden saber with rubies. The
decor of the horse's saddle was wonderful
too. It was decorated with costly stones.
Close to Ossoliński there rode 30 people of
his escort and the Pope's Swiss troops.
The entry was reported in all of Europe, because it was magnificent, full of splendor
and wealth. It made an impression in Rome
as well. Ossoliński succeeded, his entry to
the Eternal City showed the power and multiculturalism of the Republic of Poland.
Aleksandra Bednarz, II Tb