Шляхта западного края в политике российской империи во второй половине XIX века: Леопольд Валицкий и его имение Озёры
The Gentry of The Western Region in the Policy of the Russian Empire in the Second Half of the XIX Century: Leopold Valitsky and His Estate Oziory

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with the tsarist’s policy towards nobility of Empire’s Western region on the example of the landlord Leopold Valitski from Grodno governorate. His fate was determined by the political situation in the region and closely intermingled with the fate of his estate Oziory. Valitski, as the majority of landless nobility, started his career as a clerk and only after coming into fortune had become an authoritative person in Grodno governorate. Large estate, broad circle of kin relations, high position in local society – all these factors made Leopold an object of particular attention of Russian authorities. Being absolutely apolitical he has been convicted of participating in uprising of 1863 and exiled into Siberia. The authors in slightly details investigate Oziory confiscation process and come to the conclusion that private property seizure by the government was followed by corruption and robbing of many estates by civil and military administration. In the result of wide scale sequestration and confiscation local gentry property lots of estates fell into decline.

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