Українознавство (Dec 2020)
The Khrinnytski Szlachta Family in Private and Public Life of the Early Modern Volhynia
Abstract
The article elucidates the history of the Khrinnytski szlachta family, who gradually ascended from the ranks of petty and nameless Volhynian szlachta to the status of the most influential families of the 16th – first half of the 17th century. They played an important role in the political, military, and public life of the Volhynian society. A historiographical review of the Polish genealogists’ works, who include Ukrainian szlachta to the ranks of the Polish nobility, demonstrates scarcity of information on this family and some inaccuracies, which were successfully corrected by means of documentary sources. On the basis of documents, the first cohorts of the clan are singled out and matrimonial ties and individual family structures are re-established. The occupations of individual family members who held important offices in the local administration of that time are identified. It is ascertained that the rise of the entire Khrinnytski House among the Volhynian szlachta began with Mykhailo Svatkovych, who, owning to his advantageous matrimonial ties, formed family connections with such powerful Volhynian families as the Semashkivs and the Rusyn Berestetskis, who were already holding important land offices by that time. Ivan Mykhailovych, the son of Mykhailo Svatkovych, gained some considerable influence among the szlachta: for almost 46 years he had held the office of Lutsk sub-judge and then that of Lutsk judge. Public activities of the family members are analyzed, especially their participation in the socioreligious fight, which was related to the significant changes taking place in the Commonwealth, and particularly Volhynia. The participation of the Khrinnitskis in the struggle against the introduction of the Brest Union and their partaking in the establishment of fraternities and in military expeditions is revealed and presented. The property status of the family during the 16th – first half of the 17th century is analyzed. The documents proved that the family members holding important land offices started to become rich and actively acquired estates. Profitable marriages with representatives of princely and magnate families also brought them big land holdings. All that contributed to the transition of the family from petty szlachta to a group of a few powerful magnate families.
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