About
The Medynsky Family (Ukrainian: Мединський, German: Medynski; Czech: Medynsky, Lithuanian: Medynskiai, Polish: Medyńsky) is an ancient noble family of Lithuanian origin, with a rich historical legacy in the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia (Ukrainian: Галицько-Волинське князівство, Latin: Regnum Galiciae et Lodomeriæ), also known as the Kingdom of Rutheni (Old East Slavic: Королєвство Русь, Ukrainian: Королівство Русь, Latin:Regnum Russiæ).
The Medynsky Family traces its lineage back to Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania (1275–1341), founder of the Gediminid dynasty, which ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. One of Gediminas’s sons was Mikhail-Koriat (Koryata), Prince of Novogrudok. Koriat, also known as Mikhail after baptism, was a son of Gediminas and held the titles of Prince of Novogrudok and Volkovysk. He was among the progenitors of the Gediminid dynasty, which ruled over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
One of Koriat’s sons, Prince Vasily Koriatovich, the youngest member of the Koriatovich princely house of Podolia, became the founder of the branch that settled in the lands of the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia. According to the Russian Encyclopedia (2004–2017), Vasily Koriatovich of Podolia (the son of Koriat-Mikhail Gediminovich) ruled during the period after 1370, when a system of duumvirate was established in Podolia, with co-rulers being the eldest and next eldest brothers (Yuri–Alexander, Alexander–Konstantin, Konstantin–Boris, Boris–Fyodor, Fyodor–Vasily). Further records state that Prince Fyodor of Novogrudok and Gomel (until 1388), Prince of Podolia (1388–1393), an opponent of Vytautas’s policies, even minted his own coinage. Due to Vytautas’s actions, he fled Podolia for Hungary in 1401 together with his brother Vasily.
After the death of his brother Fyodor, Vasily inherited Podolia and continued the Gediminid line through his father, Mikhail-Koriat, son of Gediminas. Vasily, the youngest of Koriat’s sons, is referred to as Prince of Podolia in a document issued by Sigismund of Luxembourg on February 2, 1398.
Following the relocation of the Koriatovich family from Podolia in the late 14th to early 15th century, Vasily Koriatovich and part of his family found refuge in Eastern Galicia, in the vicinity of the village of Medyn (modern-day Ternopil region). This area, formerly part of the historical Principality of Galicia-Volhynia, was later incorporated into Poland. Seeking to avoid further involvement in internecine strife, many Lithuanian princes migrated and settled across various regions of the principality, becoming ancestors of numerous aristocratic families. One such family was the Medynsky (Medina / Medinski / Medynsky) lineage, whose name derives from Prince Vasily Koriatovich and his descendants, lords of Medyn. The Medynskys thus represent a junior branch of the Gediminids.
The Medynsky family is listed among the hereditary nobility of the Podolia (Kamianets-Podilskyi) Governorate and Volhynian Governorate. The Medynsky/Medina line is recorded in the sixth section of the Nobility Genealogical
Book as an ancient noble family, with proof of noble status dating back more than100 years, i.e., before the reign of Peter the Great.
• The Medynskys are included in the “Register of Noble Families entered in the Genealogical Book of the Noble Deputies’ Assembly of the Oryol Governorate.”
• They appear in the 1785 Book of the Noble Deputies’ Assembly of Kyiv under entry number 7470.
• They are mentioned in the “List of Nobility of the Kingdom of Poland, with brief notes on proofs of nobility; Supplement II to the List of Nobility of the Kingdom of Poland” (Warsaw, 1851, State Public Historical Library of
Russia).
• The family is also listed among the Polish szlachta in Spis nazwisk szlachty polskiej.
• The Medynskys/Medinski are recorded in the Nobility of Galicia, Lodomeria, and Bukovina (p. 166, Göttingen State University Library).
• Their knighthood is confirmed in the “List of Members of the Estates of the Kingdoms of Galicia and Lodomeria, 1845” (Liste der Mitglieder der Landstände der Königreiche Galizien und Lodomerien 1845).
The family’s noble status was recognized both under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and later confirmed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire. The Medynskys bore the Sas coat of arms, a Polish noble heraldic emblem, as recorded in the heraldic registers. Scholars note that the Sas coat of arms was originally used in Hungary, which once again confirms the Medynskys’ descent from Vasily Koriatovich, since chronicles mention that his brother Fyodor relocated from Podolia to Hungary together with Vasily. Another branch of the Medynsky family is noted in the Protocols of the Volhynian Noble Deputies’ Assembly under entry number 2496, as a Polish noble family entitled to bear the Doliwa coat of arms (Polish: Doliwa, Doliwczyk, Doliwita, Tres Rosae).
The family members played notable roles in the histories of Ukraine, Habsburg Empire and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. They owned various estates primarily in Ruthenian lands, including the Austrian Empire, Bohemia, and the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. These estates were located in territories such as Volhynia, Chernihiv, Poltava, Lubny, and Kiev.
During the 17th century, the family's base was the city of Lutsk (Ukrainian: Луцьк, Polish: Łuck, Yiddish: לוצק). While Medynsky estates were primarily located in Volhynia, they expanded to the left-bank Ukraine region around Kyiv, Lubny, Romny, and Priluky in the 1680s. As members of the Ruthenian nobility, the Medynskys were also recognized as Austrian noblemen, holding the title of Knights as per the Register of Ritter und Edelleute of Kaiserin Maria Theresia. In the late 17th century, one of the family lines, through Theodor Medynski, extended its presence to Bohemia. In the 18th century, several family members, including Bruno Medynski, Kazimir Medynski, Theodor Medynski, Basil Medynski, Stefan Medynski, Anton Medynski, and Johann Medynski, became knights of the Holy Roman Empire and later the Austrian Empire. They maintained their presence primarily in Volhynia, but also extended to Kiev and Chernihiv, as recorded in 1782. During the 19th century, family members, such as Michal Medynski in 1821 and Johann Medynski in 1841, held active positions in the campaigns of the Austrian Empire.
The Medynsky family is a collateral branch of the princely Gediminid line, descending from the direct descendants of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
Medynski h. SAS. written from the village Medyn, in the district of Halytsky; one family with the Holynski family, coat of arms Sas. Roman received in 1580 under the Magdeburg law from his village Medyn. Ivan Medynski seu. Holynski, heir of Medin and Cheremcha. Ivachno and Alexander, sons of Fedko Medynsky, inherited town of Brosniov and
Topulsk in 1590. Trofim Medynski-Holynski inherited part of Medyn and village Babin in 1590.
Stefan of Medyn 1590, as ruthenian bellidux Cheremcha and Halyts. George and Pavel, sons of Demetro Medynsky polish ruthenian bellidux 1593 joined Hryhorij Loboda in Kiev Voivodeship as colonels of the registered Cossacks.
Mikolaj Medynski in 1608, Pawel and Peter Medynsky 1665 held notable military positions in the Polish Crown army.
Peter Holynski elector 1669 from the Wielun region, Jan-Albrycht Janicki by Theresa Medynsky sword-bearer of Lwów 1680, Jan and Teodor Medynski 1697 were significant members of the Ruthenian Voivodeship (bellidux).
Antoni-Dominik was elected plenipotentiary of polish army in Ruthenian Voivodeship in 1720. Joseph in 1724. MarcinMedynsky acquired: 1729 the village of Tworowice. Stefan Medynsky became the elector 1733 of the Ruthenian Voivodeship. In 1775 Maciej Medynski became land viceregent of Rawski. In 1740 Kazimir, Theodor and Michal Medynsky joined the court of Maria Theresa. Feliks Medynsky in 1764 became the elector from Sieradz voivodeship and was nominated colonel of the Crown army (Metr. Kor., Wyr. i Zap. Tryb. Lubel., Don.
Vars., Ks. Gr. Piotrk., Czerskie and Rawskie.) Ignacy Medynsky in 1838 received the rights of the new nobility of the principle officer rank and was written to the books of nobility of Kalisz province. In 1841 Johann Medynsky held notable military achievements in the Austrian royal force.
Since 1867 to 1918 the Medynsky Family was recognized in the Austro-Hungarian Empire as Galician Nobility (Galizizcher Adel) with titles of Medyn, Cheremcha, Halyts, Babin, Tworowitz, Zaezd, Priluky and Lutsk. Phylyp, Vasyl, Oleksiy, Josef and Michael Medynsky held estates and managed family lands in Priluky in yy 1761-1919, while Johann, Theodor, Basil, Stefan and Anton Medynsky lands in Lutsk and Poltava regions.One of the contemporaries was Jan Holynski, born on April 24, 1890, and died on September 28, 1969. He was a Polish politician, economist, and a deputy of the Sejm of the Second Polish Republic.
From the period of 1930 the Family direct line was held by Michael Medynsky, military marines commander notable during WWII and Japan campaign, Natalia Medynsky musician, Volodymyr Medynsky artist and sculptor, Oleksandr Medynsky known Ukrainian artist, collector, philanthropist and entrepreneur.
