The Parochial Clergy in the Life of the Radziwiłł Family from Nieśwież in the Eighteenth Century

Abstract

The paper discusses the interrelations between the parochial clergy and one of the most potent magnate families in the eighteenth century – the family of the Radziwiłł princes from Nieśwież. In the first part the author characterises a group of the clergy with a view to its function in the structures of the Catholic Church, background, customs, moral and intellectual formation. Then she focused on the question of presentation, and discussed it under the chronological (i.e. in which periods the Radziwiłł family made most nominations for church offices) and territorial angle. In the final part she attempts to answer the question about the real role and place of the parochial clergy in the structures of the magnate court. She also sought to find any reasons that were decisive for the potent mutual relations between the parochial clergy and the family of the Radziwiłł princes from Nieśwież.