Przyszowa is a village in southern Poland, in the Limanowa County, within the province of Lesser Poland.
History The earliest known traces of human presence in the area of present-day Przyszowa were discovered on Mount Łyżka. Finds from the site include fragments of vessels dating from the 18th to the 16th centuries BC, probably associated with the late phase of the Mierzanowice culture, as well as pottery from later periods, including the Iron AgeBogusław Chorąży, Materiały archeologiczne z góry Łyżka w Beskidzie Wyspowym (stanowisko 6 w Przyszowej, gm. Łukowica), in: Tomasz Kalicki (ed.), Łyżka jako obiekt archeologiczny i geoturystyczny, Łukowica: Gminny Ośrodek Kultury, Sportu i Turystyki w Łukowicy, 2026, pp. 54–62, ISBN 978-83-67617-82-6.. The origin and purpose of the stone structures on the mountain remain under investigation; proposed interpretations include ritual and funerary functionsTomasz Kalicki (ed.), Łyżka jako obiekt archeologiczny i geoturystyczny, Łukowica 2026, pp. 67–71.. Local tradition also associates Łyżka with a castle known as Stare Zamczysko ("Old Castle") and with treasures said to have been hidden there by Saint Kinga from the TatarsMarceli Żuk-Skarszewski, Przyszowa, in: Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, vol. IX, Warsaw 1888, pp. 235–237..
The first documentary references to Przyszowa date from the 14th century. A parish existed there by 1325Bolesław Kumor, Powstanie i rozwój sieci parafialnej w Małopolsce Południowej do końca XVI w., Prawo Kanoniczne, vol. 6, nos. 1–4, 1963, p. 525. The year 1325 is given as the date of the first reference; the accounts cover the years 1325–1327., although the precise dates at which the settlement and parish were established are unknown. By the end of the 14th century, Przyszowa was a privately owned village in noble hands. In 1399 its proprietor was Zbyszko of PrzyszowaJerzy Rajman, Pierwszy wiek miasta Limanowej, Rocznik Naukowo-Dydaktyczny WSP w Krakowie, no. 181, Prace Historyczne, vol. XVIII, 1997, p. 21, note 5.; Jakusz of Przyszowa was also associated with the village at that timeBolesław Ulanowski (ed.), Najdawniejsze księgi sądowe krakowskie, Starodawne Prawa Polskiego Pomniki, vol. VIII, part II, Kraków 1886, pp. 709, 720 and 725, entries nos. 8790, 8880 and 8933..
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Przyszowa was closely associated with the Wierzbięta family, bearers of the Janina coat of arms. The earliest known member of the family in Przyszowa was Michał Wierzbięta, recorded in 1417Arkadiusz Urbaniec, Tajemnica zaginionej wsi Janina, Muzeum Regionalne Ziemi Limanowskiej, 3 July 2021; Kunice, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entries from 1417 and 1419. The 1417 entry identifies him as Michał of Przyszowa; Arkadiusz Urbaniec identifies him with Michał Wierzbięta, attested under that name in 1423.. In 1423 he owned half of Przyszowa and half of nearby Janina, a village that no longer exists, situated on the River Słomka near SiekierczynaJanina and Falkowa, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences.Arkadiusz Urbaniec, Tajemnica zaginionej wsi Janina, Muzeum Regionalne Ziemi Limanowskiej, 3 July 2021..
In 1431 Wierzbięta of Przyszowa, Michał's brother, took part in an expedition against the Carthusian monastery at Lechnica in Spiš, near present-day Červený Kláštor in SlovakiaJan Długosz, Historia Polonica, book XI, col. 576, account under the year 1431; the text gives the form "Wyerzbiatha de Przischow". Sławomir Wróblewski identifies this figure as Michał's brother, noting that his participation in the expedition against Červený Kláštor is recorded by tradition.. In 1443 he served as steward of Stary Sącz, which at the time belonged to the convent of the Poor ClaresKamienica, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entry from 1443; ZDM III no. 661.. His death around 1446 led to a protracted dispute between the proprietors of Przyszowa and the burghers of Nowy SączSławomir Wróblewski, Janina – średniowieczna siedziba rycerska w ziemi sądeckiej, Rocznik Sądecki, vol. XXXVIII, 2010, pp. 74–90, especially pp. 79–80.. His sons, including Marcin and Jan, accused the burghers of murdering their father and pursued their claims before the royal authorities over the following years. The dispute ended with a settlement in 1470: the burghers of Nowy Sącz agreed to compensate the Wierzbięta family, while the proprietors of Przyszowa relinquished any further claimsSzczęsny Morawski, Sądecczyzna za Jagiellonów z miasty spiskiemi i księstwem oświęcimskiem, Kraków 1865, pp. 244–248, documents CXLVII–CXLVIII. The 1470 settlement provided for the payment of 24 grzywnas to end the dispute. Marcin and Jan are named in the agreement of 1468; the published text of the 1470 settlement names Marcin and Wierzbięta..
Towards the end of the 15th century, the Wierzbięta family expanded its holdings to the area around Bilsko, near Rożnów. In 1486 Wierzbięta of Przyszowa, who was married to Elżbieta, daughter of Wiernek of Bilsko, acquired part of the local estates from her sister Małgorzata RatołdowaKrużlowa, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entries from 1486 and 1488 (GK 22, pp. 445–447; ZCz. 5, pp. 157–158).. In 1489 Elżbieta and her husband received part of the inheritance of her brother Mikołaj Wiernek, and the following year Wierzbięta purchased further shares from her sister StachnaBilsko, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entries from 1489–1490.. In 1505 he acquired another part of Bilsko from Jan Dymliński, together with a meadow in Łączne, now part of Łososina DolnaŁączne, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entry from 1505, ZCz. 7, pp. 217–218..
In 1519 Grzegorz Wierzbięta transferred his estates in Przyszowa and Bilsko to his nephews Jakub and Feliks, the sons of Marcin Wierzbięta. Feliks, a royal courtier, received among other properties holdings in Bilsko, Biała (now part of Michalczowa), Wola pod Ostrą Górą (within present-day Bilsko) and KrużlowaKrużlowa and Bilsko, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entries from 1519.. Grzegorz Wierzbięta settled in Nowy Sącz, where in 1521 he supported the Franciscan monastery on present-day Pijarska Street by financing a new roof for the monastery hospitalLeon Białkowski, Ziemia sandecka. Stan jej społeczno-gospodarczy w pierwszej połowie XVI wieku, Przegląd Historyczny, vol. 12, no. 1, 1911, p. 100, note 2.Stanisław Tomkowicz, Inwentarz zabytków powiatu sądeckiego, edited from the author's manuscripts and annotated by Piotr and Tadeusz Łopatkiewicz, Kraków 2007, p. 134, note 609.Zespół poklasztorny Franciszkanów, Szlaki turystyczne Małopolski, PTTK.. In 1525 Małgorzata, sister of Jakub and Feliks, received her share of the estate inherited from their parentsŁukowica, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entries from 1518 and 1525..
Jakub Wierzbięta became deputy starosta of Stary Sącz. In the first half of the 16th century he founded Nowa Janina within Przyszowa, in the part of the village adjoining Siekierczyna. The name was later applied to the northern part of Przyszowa, including the area of present-day BerdychówJanina, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences.. In 1535 he took part in the Lithuanian–Muscovite War (1534–1537) under the command of Hetman Jan Tarnowski. He distinguished himself during the capture of Starodub; Tarnowski later wrote that his actions had brought great glory to his family.
In 1560 Jakub's sons—Andrzej, Mikołaj, Marcin, Stanisław and Wojciech—together with their sister Anna, divided the family estateSzczęsny Morawski, Sądecczyzna za Jagiellonów z miasty spiskiemi i księstwem oświęcimskiem, Kraków 1865, p. 417.. Andrzej received the southern part of Przyszowa, including Wądole, the principal manor house and the right of patronage over the local church; this holding later became known as the Niżni Dwór ("Lower Manor"). Mikołaj received Stare Dworzysko, later known as the Wyżni Dwór ("Upper Manor"), situated within the former Janina and now within Siekierczyna. Marcin received Podoszczyzna and Zaręboszczyzna in the northern part of Przyszowa, including the eastern part of what later became the Berdychów manorial farm. Stanisław received Nowa Janina in the northern part of Przyszowa, adjoining Siekierczyna, as well as the Załubincze manorial farm near Nowy Sącz, while Wojciech received Siekierczyna.
The division of the estate established in 1560 persisted over the following decades. In 1581 separate parts of Przyszowa belonged to Andrzej, Mikołaj, Marcin and Stanisław WierzbiętaAdolf Pawiński, Polska XVI wieku pod względem geograficzno-statystycznym, vol. III: Małopolska, Źródła Dziejowe, vol. XIV, Warsaw 1886, p. 132.. Despite the division of the property, the four brothers continued to act jointly in matters concerning Przyszowa. In 1593 they appeared together against the Sędzimir and Łapka families in disputes over the boundaries between Przyszowa and their estates in neighbouring Łukowica and Roztoka, as well as in Zawada, now part of ŁukowicaŁukowica, in: Słownik historyczno-geograficzny województwa krakowskiego w średniowieczu, Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, entry from 1593.. Five years later Stanisław Wierzbięta, who owned Nowa Janina in the northern part of Przyszowa, was involved in litigation with Krzysztof Wiktor, proprietor of Siekierczyna, over the boundary between their estates.
In the second half of the 16th century, the ideas of the Reformation, which had been spreading through Europe and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth for several decades, also gained adherents among the nobility of the Sącz region. In Przyszowa, some members of the Wierzbięta family became associated with the Polish Brethren, and the local church was taken over for use as their meeting houseStanisław Kot, Szkolnictwo parafialne w Małopolsce XVI–XVIII w., Lviv 1912, visitation summary under the entry "Przeszowa"; Jan Sygański, Historya Nowego Sącza, vol. I. The published extract from the visitation confirms the seizure and destruction of the church by a Wierzbięta associated with the Reformation and its poor condition at the beginning of the 17th century; the extract does not give his first name.. The Catholic parish ceased to function during this period, and the disused church gradually fell into ruin. By 1608 it was already severely damaged. A new wooden Catholic church dedicated to St Nicholas was built in 1612Dzieje kościoła parafialnego, Przyszowa Parish [accessed 17 September 2026]..