Legal Regulations on Ordynacja Zamojska

Abstract

The article aims to present the legal aspects of Ordynacja Zamojska (the fee tail of the Zamoyski Family), which existed in the years 1589-1944, and was one of several such fee tails in Poland. Ordynacja was founded by Jan Zamoyski (1542-1605). The article presents issues related to its foundation, the provisions of the Statute of 1589 (the line of succession in particular), infringements of the Statute, the provisions of Emperor Joseph II's Diploma of 1786, and the ukase (edict) of Tsar Nicolaus I of 1848, both of which confirmed the provisions of the Statute, legal regulations on Ordynacja in the era of the Second Polish Republic and after World War II. The article appraises the provisions of the Statute of 1589 in terms of its conformity with the law of the time, especially inheritance law.