Sarmatism

Sarmatism was the dominant, and  of the   in the  from the  to the. Together with, it formed the unique aspects of the Commonwealth's culture.

History
The 15th century Polish historian was the first to write about Sarmatism in Poland, and it was confirmed by other historians and chroniclers such as,  and. Other Europeans quote it from Miechowita's Tractatus de Duabus Sarmatiis, a work which in was considered to be a substantial source of information about the territories and peoples of the. The name came from alleged ancestors of the szlachta, the, a confederacy of mostly tribes north of the , displaced by the  in the 2nd century AD, described by  in the  as descendants of  and. After many permutations, this produced the legend that Poles were the descendants of the ancient Sarmates, a warlike tribe originating in Asia who later resettled in northeastern Europe. Recent information on has been provided by Y-DNA research (see  and ).

In his 1970 publication "The Sarmatians (Ancient peoples and places)" the renowned (1898–1983), a Polish/British historian, archaeologist, and researcher on the ancient Sarmatian tribes, listed a number of ethnological traits that szlachta (pronounced 'schlakh-ta) shared with Sarmatians, including traditions, weaponry and military practices,, and relict burial customs, giving an archaeological credence to their legendary origins, and furthering the evidence that Sarmatian aristocracy was assimilated and remained a ruling class integrated with sedentary indigens.

Specifics
This belief became an important part of szlachta's culture, penetrated all aspects of life and served to differentiate Polish szlachta from Western nobility (which szlachta called pludracy) and their customs. Sarmatian concept enshrined equality among all szlachta, traditions, horseback riding, provincial village life, peace and pacifism, popularised eastern (almost al) clothing and looks, served to integrate the multiethnic nobility by creating an almost sense of unity and pride of the szlachta's political.

In its early, ideal form sarmatism looked like a good cultural movement: it supported religious belief, honesty, national pride, courage, equality and freedom. However as any doctrine that put some above others it became perverted in time. Late sarmatism transformed belief into intolerance and fanaticism, honesty into political naivety, pride into arrogance, courage into stubbornness, quality and freedom of szlachta into.

Sarmatism, which evolved during and entrenched itself during, found itself opposed to the ideology of the. When in the second half of the 18th century the word 'Sarmatism' made its reappearance, its meaning was decidedly negative. 'Sarmatism' functioned as a synonym of a backward and unenlightened mind, and as a contemptuous label for the political opponents of, the refomer-king's: the provincial and traditionalist petty szlachta. Such meanings were ascribed to it first in journalism and then in literary works. The Enlightenment writers treated the political and cultural implications of Sarmatism as a convenient target for criticism and mockery. , a militantly reformist periodical sponsored by King Poniatowski, used the term in a derogatory fashion, and so did in his comedies, like his play Sarmatism (Sarmatyzm, 1785).

A rehabilitation of the Sarmatism and old Polish szlachta began during, a time of military uprisings and memories associated with them, which this helped in the rehabilitation of Sarmatism, with its cult of courage and military prowesse. This became quite prominent especially during and after the. The genre of (a nobleman's tale) created by  is closely associated with reverence for the Sarmatian spirit. Visible in and in works of great Polish poets like  ('),  and, as well as writers ( and his '), by and large, Polish Romanticism is indebted to Polish history in ways not observable in other European countries, where the contrast between past glory and present misery was not that pronounced, or did not exist at all.

Sarmatian art and writings
The name and the culture were reflected in contemporary Polish literature.

Sarmatian culture was portrayed by many contemporary writers, especially:

was very popular and often mixed with the (in writings and in speech), resulting in. Knowing at least some Latin was an obligation of any szlachcic.

Many of the szlachta residences were wooden.

In the Sarmatian culture of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was portrayed and popularised by Polish writer,  in his  (,, ). In the 20th century, Sienkiewicz's trilogy was filmed, and Sarmatian culture became the subject of many modern books (by and others), songs (like that of ) and even  like.

One of the most distinctive art forms of the Sarmatians were the s.

Sarmatia
Sarmatia (Polish: Sarmacja) was also the unofficial, semi-legendary and poetic name of the Commonwealth, which became fashionable in the, designating qualities associated with the literate citizenry of the vast Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Modern usage
In contemporary Poland, the word Sarmatian (Polish: sarmacki) is a form of ironic self-identification, and is sometimes used as a synonym for the Polish character.

Literature

 * Tadeusz Sulimirski, "The Sarmatians (Ancient peoples and places)", Thames and Hudson, 1970, ISBN 0-500-02071-X