Topór coat of arms

The topór coat of arms is one of the oldest szlachta armorial bearings, found on a wax seal dated to 1282. Before the Union of Horodło in 1413, it's believed approximately 220 Polish szlachta families in and around Kraków, Lublin and Sandomierz used these arms. Under the Union of Horodło the coat of arms was represented by Maciej z Wąsosza, the Voivod of Kraków, and by Jan Butrym, a Lithuanian boyar. After the Union of Horodło the topór coat of arms was transported to Lithuania and adopted by Jan Butrym. Due to its antiquity it was sometimes referred to as Starża, an Old-Polish word meaning "old age". ==Blazon==

Gules an axe proper. For a crest, issuant from a ducal coronet an axe proper in bend. ==Notable bearers==

Notable bearers of this coat of arms have included: • House of Bogdanowicz • Jan Jerzy Grabowski • House of Matuszewski: Szymon Piotr Stefan Matuszewski • Mikołaj Rej z Nagłowice (Oksza arms) • Joey Największy z Gueltjakia • Cyprian Norwid • House Okulicz • House of Ossoliński: Jerzy Ossoliński, Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński, Anna Teresa Ossolińska, Józef Kajetan Ossoliński, Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński, Krzysztof Ossoliński • House of Starza Szolayski: Adam Prince Starza Szolayski, Wanda Princess Starza Szolayska, Gerda Starza Szolayska • House of Tarło, Teofilia Tarło, Zygmunt Tarło, Jan Tarło, Andrzej Tarło, Pawel Tarło, Jadwiga Tarło, Stanisław Tarło, Jan Karol Tarło, Barbara Tarło • House of Tęczyński: Zbigniew Tęczyński, Jan Magnus Tęczyński • Eustachy Trepka • Józef Zabiełło • House of Zemło ==Variations==

file:POL COA Topór IV.svg| file:POL COA Topór V.svg| file:POL COA Topór II.svg| file:POL COA Topór III.svg| file:POL COA Deciusz.svg| file:POL COA Ossoliński hrabia.svg| file:POL COA Topór odmienny.svg| file:POL COA Paczeński.svg| file:POL COA Ossoliński.svg| file:POL COA Zabiełło.svg| file:POL COA Morawicki.svg| file:POL COA Jakubowski - odmiana Topora II.svg| file:POL COA Morski.svg| file:POL COA Ossoliński hrabia.svg| file:POL COA Jakubowski - odmiana Topora.svg| file:POL COA Gumowski.svg| file:POL COA Jakubowski baron.svg| file:POL COA Grabowski.svg| file:POL COA Dzierzbicki.svg| file:POL COA Paczeński II.svg| file:POL COA Starykoń.svg| file:POL COA Oksza.svg| ==Gallery==

file:Jerzy ossolinski.jpg|Portrait of Jerzy Ossoliński with coat of arms in upper left File:Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński.JPG|Portrait of Franciszek Maksymilian Ossolinski with coat of arms on the shield (right bottom corner) File:Jan Zbigniew Ossolinski.jpg|Portrait of Jan Zbigniew Ossolinski with coat of arms in upper right File:Jan Tęczyński.PNG| Jan Magnus Tęczyński with coat of arms in upper right Elżbieta z Pileckich Granowska.PNG|Topór on the painting of Elizabeth Granowska, 1779 file:JKRUK 20080815 SZCZAWORYZ KOSCIOL EPITAFIUM JAN TARLO DSC05556.JPG| The epitaph of Jan Kanty Tarło (1790-1855) in Szczaworyż, Church of St. James file:Ossoliński family Coat of Arms.PNG| Coat of arms of the Ossoliński family on the St. Antoni Padewski Church in Warsaw file:Ujazd Krzyztopor 051004 1458.jpg|The ruins of Krzyżtopór Castle in Ujazd (topór coat of arms on the right side of the gate) ==See also==