Pilawa coat of arms

Pilawa () is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by many noble families known as szlachta in Polish in medieval Poland and later under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, branches of the original medieval Piława Clan (Pilawici) family as well as families connected with the Clan by adoption.

History

The progenitor of the Pilawa Clan was supposed to have been Żyrosław z Potoka, who was fighting the Prussians, a pagan tribe and brought himself glory in the Battle of Piława, where he fought along Bolesław IV the Curly. The legend states that Żyrosław reached the pagan chief, fought him in hand-to-hand combat and killed him. The terrified enemy hordes fled the battle field. The related legend tells also that in 1166, to commemorate the victory, Bolesław IV bestowed a coat of arms upon Żyrosław, naming it for the place, where the battle took place.

Blazon

The Pilawa coat of arms assumed its final form in the late 14th century. Formerly, there were two differing patterns, and the records from the years 1387, 1388 and 1389 mention that it had to be a letter "Z" with two and a half of a cross, or an arrow with two and a half of a cross.

Notable bearers

Notable bearers of this coat of arms have included:

House of Potocki
Mikołaj Potocki
Jan Potocki
Antoni Protazy Potocki
Roman Ignacy Potocki
Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki
Józef Potocki
Andrzej Potocki
Feliks Kazimierz Potocki
Katarzyna Potocka
Alfred Józef Potocki
Alfred Wojciech Potocki
Roman Potocki
Stanisław Kostka Potocki
Józef Potocki
Franciszek Salezy Potocki
Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki
Teodor Andrzej Potocki (Golden Piława)
Wiktoria Elżbieta Potocka
House of Kamieniecki
Mikołaj Kamieniecki
Ludwik Kamieniecki
Marcin Kamieniecki
Jan Kazimierz Kamieniecki
Jan Kamieniecki
Henryk Andreas Kamieniecki
Piotr Kamieniecki
Henryk Kamieniecki
Dominik Kamieniecki
Andrzej Kamieniecki
Klemens Moskarzewski
Anna Stanisławska

Family name changes during the Second World War and 1944–1953

The communist government of Poland was in deep opposition to every rich (specially noble) family. Hundreds of Potockis were killed by NKVD and Red Army. Many Potockis, who decided to stay in Poland were forced to change their family names (otherwise they could be killed, imprisoned or have other problems).

The most popular changes was from Potocki to Nowak, Kowalski, Gnejowicz, Stanisławski, Pryszkiewicz, Wszelaki, Petecki, Blacha, Musiał, Woldan, Walera, Melka, Madej and Pastuch.

Gallery

File:Herb Pilawa, Baranow Sandomierski.PNG|Piława coat of arms in Baranow-Sandomierski castle

file:POL COA Pilawa.svg|Silver Piława

file:POL COA Pilawa Złota.svg|Golden Piława

File:POL COA Potocki Hrabia.svg|Coat of arms of Counts Potocki

file:Wilanow herb Pilawa na mauzoleum.jpg|Piława at the Potocki mausoleum at Wilanow Park

File:Pilawa coat of arms in Lancut palace.JPG|Piława at the Lańcut Castle

File:Łańcut zamek Pilawa.jpg|Piława at the Lańcut Castle

file:Pilawa CoA in Lezajsk monastery.JPG|Piława at Leżajsk monastery

file:Pilawa (Potocki count) and Czartoryski (prince) CoA in Lancut palace.jpg|Piława and the Prices Czartoryski coat of arms in Lańcut Castle

file:Pilawa (Potocki count) and Lubomirski (prince) CoA in Lancut palace.jpg|Piława and the Szreniawa coat of arms of the Prices Lubomirski in Lańcut Castle

File:Pilawa and Topor CoA in Lancut palace.jpg| Piława and the Topór coat of arms in Lańcut Castle

File:Panoplia Pałac Tyszkiewiczów Warszawa.jpg|At Tyszkiewicz Palace in Warsaw

File:Антоніни.Герб Потоцьких.2006.jpg|Piława at the Palace in Antoniny, Ukraine

File:Pilawa Krzeszowice 04.JPG|Piawa at St.Martin Church in w Krzeszowice

File:Wilanow herb Pilawa lew.jpg|Wilanów Palace

POL Stanisławów COA.svg|Former coat of arms of Stanisławów (Iwano-Frankiwsk)

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Paintings

Stanisław Potocki (1659-1683)11.PNG|Piława on the painting of Stanisław Potocki

Mikołaj Kamieniecki.PNG|Piława on the painting of Mikołaj Kamieniecki

Teodor Potocki (29357921) (cropped).jpg|Piława on the painting of Teodor Andrzej Potocki

Mikołaj Bazyli Potocki.PNG|Golden Piława on the painting of Mikołaj Bazyli Potocki

Katarzyna Potocka (1642).jpg|Piława on the painting of Katarzyna Potocka