Skalbmierz

Skalbmierz is a town in southern Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in Kazimierza County. It has 1,326 inhabitants (2004). Skalbmierz has a long and rich history, the town belongs to the historic region of Lesser Poland.

== History == thumb|left|upright|Old bell tower Skalbmierz was presumably founded in the first half of the 12th century, yet it was first mentioned in written sources in 1217. It was devastated during the first Mongol invasion of Poland in 1241. In 1242, Konrad I of Masovia called a meeting in Skalbmierz, where he imprisoned representatives of Lesser Poland. In 1309, a school in Skalbmierz was first mentioned. On 20 February 1342, was granted a town charter (see Magdeburg rights) by King Casimir III the Great. In 1400, Stanisław of Skarbimierz became first vice-chancellor of Kraków Academy. Skalbmierz's town charter was confirmed by King Władysław II Jagiełło in 1427 and Bishop of Kraków Jan Rzeszowski on 24 May 1483. In 1578 King Stephen Bathory confirmed the right of Kraków curates to appoint Skalbmierz president canons of the Chapter. The town was hit by a fire in 1618 and plague epidemic in 1652–1653. In 1655–1657, it was destroyed by the invading Swedes, Hungarians and Cossacks (see Deluge (history)). To help revive the town, King John II Casimir Vasa confirmed old privileges and established four annual fairs in 1666. On 25 September 1781, King Stanisław August Poniatowski confirmed the privileges of Skalbmierz. On 29 April 1794, Russian general Fiodor Denisov during the retreat from Racławice robbed Skalbmierz and set it on fire.