Problems of everyday life at the court of Konstancja Marianna née Potocka Szczukowa (d. 1733), deputy-chancelloress of Lithuania

ENThe turn of the 17th and 18th centuries was characterized by an increase in women’s activity in many areas of public life, but this issue, despite the fact that it is of increasing interest to contemporary researchers, has still not been fully investigated. There is still a lack of studies on the involvement of noblewomen and magnates in managing the family property and their efforts to maintain and multiply it. Among these resourceful and enterprising ladies there is Konstancja Marianna née Potocka Szczukowa (died 1733), the wife of Stanisław Antoni Szczuka (died 1710), the Lithuanian deputy chancellor. Konstancja Marianna was brought up at the court of Maria Kazimiera (died 1716), hence she was in close relations with both the queen and the Sobieski princes. Moreover, she was in close relations with her paternal aunt – three time widow Anna née Potocka Stanisławska (died after February 1695), the Kiev voivodship, who introduced her to the world of court intrigues. The aforementioned acquaintances gave Szczukowa many significant social contacts, which helped her to conduct extensive public and patronage activities in her adult life. For the purposes of this article, a variety of archival material was analysed: correspondence (mainly economic), court bills, lease agreements, property inventories and supplications, and the information obtained on their basis was used to present the daily duties and activities of the Lithuanian deputy chancelloress related to the administration of the Szczuka property and the maintenance of their court. and showing Konstancja Marianna’s relationship with her subjects, in the eyes of whom she was perceived as a just and merciful benefactor. Keywords: correspondence, noble court, everyday life, economic activity of women, court officials.

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