THE SZLACHTA INCORPORATION IN GALICIA TO THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE KNIGHTHOOD IN THE END OF THE XVIIITH – IN THE BEGINNING OF THE XIXTH CENTURIES

Abstract

methodology of the research is based on the principles of historicism, scientificity, verification, as well as the use of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special historical (historical-typological, historical-systemic) methods. The scientific novelty is that for the first time the Ancient Rzeczpospolita gentry (szlachta) entry/non-entry issue into the knightly and magnate states of the Kingdom of Galicia within the Austrian Empire was found out, and the explanation concerning the szlachta part absence among the nobility was given. The Conclusions.  After the First of Partition of Rzeczpospolita in 1772, Halychyna became part of the Austrian Empire. A major problem was the incorporation of the former Rzeczpospolita szlachta into the Austrian Empire. The Imperial Patent of 1775 defined the legal basis for the confirmation of the nobility. Subsequently, the patent was supplemented by other regulations designed to streamline the process. The successful completion of the confirmation of the nobility was marked by the receipt of a document – the legitimation. The nobility could only take full advantage of their privileged rights after the legitimation fit into the special books, the nobility metrics. However, such a procedure was optional. As a result, some part of the nobility did not fit in (did not intabulate) their legitimacy in the nobility metrics. The presence of unintabulated legitimations raises an important question about the relationship between issued legitimations and extant ones. There is reason to believe that some of the legitimation has been lost. The scale of losses cannot be calculated. The above-mentioned situation explains why some of the nobility did not confirm the nobility status, but fully benefited from their privileged position and did not feel offended.