Familia (political party)

This article is about the Polish political party. For other uses, see Familia (disambiguation).

Familia ("The Family", from Latin familia) was the name of a Polish political party led by the House of Czartoryski and families allied with them, which was formed towards the end of the reign of King of Poland Augustus II the Strong (reigned 1697–1706, 1709–1733). The Familia's principal leaders were Michał Fryderyk Czartoryski, Grand Chancellor of Lithuania, his brother August Aleksander Czartoryski, Voivode of Ruthenia (Rus), and their brother-in-law (from 1720), Stanisław Poniatowski, Castellan of Kraków.

During the interregnum in 1733, the Familia supported Stanisław Leszczyński for King, then reconciled with August III (reigned 1733–1763) and became a party of the Royal Court. Following the failure of legislative reforms in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (between 1744 and 1750) the Familia distanced itself from the Royal Court. In foreign affairs, they represented a pro-Russian orientation.

During the interregnum in 1763–1764, armed Russian intervention allowed the Familia to vanquish their opponents. When in 1764 Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski declined to seek the throne, the Czartoryskis agreed to the election, as King, of their kinsman, Stanisław August Poniatowski, a one-time lover of the Russian Empress Catherine II (the Great). In this period, the Familia suceeded in partially enacting their program of reforms. Among others, this included the creation of a Treasury and military commissions who limited the power of Treasurers and Hetmans. The liberum veto was suspended. Further reforms were, however, blocked by Russia and Prussia. The conservative opponents of the Familia and the King, backed by Russia's Catherine II, formed, in 1767, the Radom Confederation. At the infamous Repnin Sejm, they repealed part of the recently introduced reforms.

After the First Partition of Poland (February 17, 1772), the Familia became the core of magnate opposition to the King and the Permanent Council, while seeking support in Austria (only to shift in 1788 to a pro-Prussian stance). At the Four-Year Sejm (1788–1792), it was only in 1790 that Familia representatives, including Ignacy Potocki, effected a rapprochement with the King and his party. Together with him and the Patriotic Party the Familia worked toward enactment of the May 3rd Constitution, in 1791.