Wpływ osadnictwa dorzecza Douspudy (Douszpudy, Dowspudy, Rospudy) na przemiany środowiska naturalnego do XVII wieku

ENThe Rospuda River was called in the past Douspud, Douszpud or Dowspuda. Before 1939 it was located very close to the state border, currently the province border. In modern times, there were five parishes of the Olwita deanery near the River: Przerośl, Filipów, Bakałarzewo, Raczki and Janówka. The name of the River derives from the Jatvingian language used by the ancient inhabitants of these lands – the Jatvingians. The beginning of Christian permanent settlement took place there only in the first half of the 16th century. Inter alia, the following families took part in it: the Raczkowicz, Szembel, Wołłowicz as well as royal officials. The first church is most likely to have originated in Bakałarzewo (1520). In 1562, on the other hand, Przerośl vicar was replaced. Another church was built in Filipów (1567). The oldest known reference to the existence of a church in Raczki comes from 1599. A turn of the 16th and 17th centuries is also the most probable time of the establishment of Catholic church in Janówka. It should be added here that as early as in 1559, a Latin church was also functioning in Grabowo and an Orthodox church in Dowspuda (1541). Four cities developed here: Bakałarzewo (1558), Przerośl (1566), Filipów (1567) and Raczki (1682). Przerośl and Filipów are royal centers bestowed Magdeburg law by the monarchs. In 1570 Sigmund August granted this privilege to Filipów whereas in 1576 Stefan Batory – to Przerośl. Two other cities belonged to the nobles, inter alia, the Raczkowicz, Wolski, Pac or Chlewiński, and were functioning within the frames of the rights granted to them by the successors. A turning point of this area’s development was the middle of the 17th century when wars and plagues decimated its population and contributed to the decline of the cities and villages.