Konferencja
Scientific conference Wschowa-Leszno - register your participation in the scientific event
We invite you to participate in the 19th scientific conference devoted to the historical heritage of the Wschowa land and the Greater Poland-Silesia borderland.
The title of this year's conference is "Royal traces in the Wschowa land and the Greater Poland-Silesia borderland. On the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland and 300 years since the coronation of Maria Leszczyńska".
The conference will be held on 18-20 November this year. The conference is organized by the District Museum in Leszno, the Czas A.R.T. Association and the Department of Modern History until the 18th Century Adam Mickiewicz University.
The title of this year's conference is "Royal traces in the Wschowa land and the Greater Poland-Silesia borderland. On the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland and 300 years since the coronation of Maria Leszczyńska".
The conference will be held on 18-20 November this year. The conference is organized by the District Museum in Leszno, the Czas A.R.T. Association and the Department of Modern History until the 18th Century Adam Mickiewicz University.
Conference description
The year 2025 is a time of special anniversaries for Poland and the history of the Wschowa region. In 1025, the state of the Polans became a kingdom – the coronation of Bolesław Chrobry began to build the importance of Polish on the map of Europe. Seven centuries later, in 1725, the daughter of King Stanisław Leszczyński and Katarzyna née Opalińska became the Queen of France.
On this occasion, to commemorate this important event, we have the honour to invite you to participate in a scientific conference devoted to Maria Leszczyńska, her family and the relations between the Wschowa Land and the Greater Poland-Silesia borderland with crowned heads and royal families.
On this occasion, to commemorate this important event, we have the honour to invite you to participate in a scientific conference devoted to Maria Leszczyńska, her family and the relations between the Wschowa Land and the Greater Poland-Silesia borderland with crowned heads and royal families.
Historical background
In 1343, the Wschowa land was permanently incorporated into the Polish Crown by King Kazimierz Wielki. Wschowa, as the capital of the Wschowa land and a royal city, has hosted Polish monarchs many times. In February 1365, Kazimierz Wielki married Princess Jadwiga Żagańska in the local parish church. In 1416, King Władysław Jagiełło met here with Margrave of Miśnia Wilhelm, and the Jagiellonian double cross was permanently inscribed in the town coat of arms. Wschowa was also visited by subsequent rulers, including Kazimierz Jagiellończyk, Zygmunt Stary, Zygmunt III Wza with Prince Władysław, as well as August II and August III.
Among the townspeople of Wschowa, there was no shortage of doctors, who served as court physicians of Zygmunt III Waza and his sister Anna Wazówna or August III. The Primate of Polish Andrzej Krzycki – an outstanding writer and politician – also lived in the Wschowa region. Zygmunt I Stary, before becoming the king of Poland, served as the Duke of Głogów, and in 1504 he was appointed governor of Silesia and Lower Lusatia, strengthening his political position in the region.
Leszno – the family seat of the Leszczyński family – was not only a private town of nobility and magnates, but also a royal one. Stanisław Leszczyński – two-time king of Poland, the last male representative of the family, ended his life as the Duke of Lorraine. His daughter Maria became the queen of France. The rulers of the Wettin dynasty were orbited by another heir of Leszno – Aleksander Józef Sułkowski, cabinet minister at the court in Dresden.
Stanisław Leszczyński and Aleksander Józef Sułkowski went down in history especially as patrons of art, promoters of science, their political activity gained much more controversial assessments. Maria Leszczyńska, much better known in France than in her native country, is still waiting for a full presentation.
We want to learn more about the above-mentioned personalities, their complex biographies, the circumstances of their reign on thrones and lower offices, their subjects and trusted associates, family members, friends and enemies. Above all, we expect the results of research on the rulers' connections with the historical area of the Wschowa Land and the Greater Poland-Silesia border.
Among the townspeople of Wschowa, there was no shortage of doctors, who served as court physicians of Zygmunt III Waza and his sister Anna Wazówna or August III. The Primate of Polish Andrzej Krzycki – an outstanding writer and politician – also lived in the Wschowa region. Zygmunt I Stary, before becoming the king of Poland, served as the Duke of Głogów, and in 1504 he was appointed governor of Silesia and Lower Lusatia, strengthening his political position in the region.
Leszno – the family seat of the Leszczyński family – was not only a private town of nobility and magnates, but also a royal one. Stanisław Leszczyński – two-time king of Poland, the last male representative of the family, ended his life as the Duke of Lorraine. His daughter Maria became the queen of France. The rulers of the Wettin dynasty were orbited by another heir of Leszno – Aleksander Józef Sułkowski, cabinet minister at the court in Dresden.
Stanisław Leszczyński and Aleksander Józef Sułkowski went down in history especially as patrons of art, promoters of science, their political activity gained much more controversial assessments. Maria Leszczyńska, much better known in France than in her native country, is still waiting for a full presentation.
We want to learn more about the above-mentioned personalities, their complex biographies, the circumstances of their reign on thrones and lower offices, their subjects and trusted associates, family members, friends and enemies. Above all, we expect the results of research on the rulers' connections with the historical area of the Wschowa Land and the Greater Poland-Silesia border.
The painting depicts Maria Leszczyńska, the daughter of Stanisław Leszczyński. The painting comes from the collection of the District Museum in Leszno.
We invite you to participate
We invite you to submit papers concerning, among others:
- Maria Leszczyńska, Queen of France, and her influence on politics and culture of the era;
- Stanisław Leszczyński, his rule and political activity in the context of the Wschowa region;
- Literary themes and texts related to the Leszczyńskis;
- The connections between Polish monarchs and the Wschowa region and the Greater Poland-Silesia border;
- The role of the Wschowa starosts as representatives of the monarchs;
- Traces of royal visits and artistic foundations related to them in the topography of Wschowa and Leszno.
Application deadline and contact
Application deadline: 30.09.2025
Conference location: Leszno and Wschowa
Conference date: 18-20.11.2025
Contact: kamila.szymanska@muzeum.leszno.pl
Conference location: Leszno and Wschowa
Conference date: 18-20.11.2025
Contact: kamila.szymanska@muzeum.leszno.pl
Conditions of participation
- Please note that the time allocated for the presentation is 20 minutes.
- Multimedia equipment will be prepared for your use.
- The District Museum in Leszno charges a conference fee of PLN 100.00. Information on the payment will be provided at a later date.
- We guarantee meals during the conference and the organization of the off-site session to Trzebnica and Rydzyna. We do not provide reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs.
- The organizers plan to publish a peer-reviewed post-conference publication (scientific monograph) in a publishing house on the list of publishing houses publishing peer-reviewed scientific monographs - the list of the Ministry of Education and Science.
Events accompanying the scientific conference:
- Opening of a temporary exhibition dedicated to Maria Leszczyńska at the District Museum in Leszno
- Concert of early music in the church of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr in Wschowa
- Travel session: Leszno – Rydzyna – Trzebnica – Leszno (20.11.2025)