Życie prywatne magnaterii polskiej w przekazach gazet rękopiśmiennych z epoki stanisławowskiej (1764-1795). Typologia doniesień prasowych

Abstract

During the Enlightenment, public opinion in Poland was largely shaped by press reports. In addition to printed magazines, handwritten newspapers still played a major role. Among their regular reports there was also a lot of information about the life of polish magnates, both their public political activity and private life. It appears that similar to social classes division, magnates took a privileged place in these newspapers as well. Information about the events from the magnates' family life was often placed on the first page. The newspapers presented there the latest news about magnates' personal, family andmarriage life. They wrote about marriage plans, weddings and wedding receptions, births of children, health condition, funerals, and conflicts between the family and/or neighbours. Not only ordinary or even trivial news was presented but also unexpected and sensational. Short references or notes in subsequent issues of the newspapers created a peculiar chronicle of the Polish magnates' lives. Therefore, written newspapers should definitely be considered as a valuable historical source in the study of the history ofPolish magnates' lives in the pre-partition period.