Wisy
Wisy | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Wisy | |
| Coordinates: 51°4′46″N 20°13′21″E / 51.07944°N 20.22250°E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Świętokrzyskie |
| County | Końskie |
| Gmina | Radoszyce |
| Population | 50 |
Wisy [ˈvisɨ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Radoszyce, within Końskie County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland.[1] It lies approximately 3 km (2 mi) west of Radoszyce, 20 km (12 mi) south-west of Końskie, and 36 km (22 mi) north-west of the regional capital Kielce.
Etymology
The name "Wisy" is most likely of Slavic origin. It is believed to have derived from Old Polish, where Wis was a common family surname. The "y" suffix of the village name makes the village plural. Therefore, the village name could be interpreted as "the settlement of the Wis family".[2]
History
According to local legend, the origins of the village link closely to the neighbouring village of Zychy. The history of Zychy and Wisy is closely linked to a long-standing rivalry between two noble families in the Świętokrzyskie region during the late Middle Ages. Local records suggest that the Zych family, a minor szlachta (noble) clan, established the first permanent settlement in the area in the 15th century. Within a generation, their rivals, the Wis family, founded a neighbouring settlement only a few kilometres away.[3]
The rivalry appears to have been rooted in land disputes and inheritance claims. Court registers from the Sandomierz region mention a series of lawsuits in the 16th and 17th centuries concerning ownership of fields, mills, and grazing rights along Kozówka River. Local tradition states that these quarrels occasionally escalated into skirmishes between villagers loyal to each family, though no large-scale violence is documented.
Despite tensions, both families contributed to the economic and cultural development of the region. The Zyches are credited with sponsoring a small wooden chapel in Zychy in the 1620s, while the Wises financed the construction of a watermill that supported local agriculture. By the 18th century, the rivalry had largely subsided as both families intermarried with other noble houses, and the two villages came to coexist more peacefully.
Today, traces of the rivalry survive mainly in local folklore and place names, with folk songs and legends recalling the disputes between the Zyches and the Wises.[3]
References
- ^ "Główny Urząd Statystyczny" [Central Statistical Office] (in Polish). To search: Select "Miejscowości (SIMC)" tab, select "fragment (min. 3 znaki)" (minimum 3 characters), enter town name in the field below, click "WYSZUKAJ" (Search).
- ^ "Wis Surname". Family Search.
- ^ a b Janowski, Robert (28 May 2017). Dawny spór. Legenda o Zychym i Wisie [An Ancient Dispute. The legend of Zychy and Wisy] (in Polish). Kielce, Poland.
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