{{Short description|Polish administrative unit}} {{for|the village|Starostwo, Greater Poland Voivodeship}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2009}} [[File:Starosta. Староста (K. Rusiecki, 1823).jpg|thumb|''Starosta'', by Kanuty Rusiecki, 1823]]
'''''Starostwo''''' (literally "eldership"){{efn|Polish: ''Starostwo'', {{IPA|pl|staˈrɔstfɔ|lang}}; {{langx|lt|seniūnija}}; {{langx|be|староства|translit=starostva}}; {{langx|de|Starostei}}}} is an administrative unit established from the 14th century in the Polish Crown and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until the partition of Poland in 1795. Starostwos were established in the crown lands (''królewszczyzna''). The term continues to be used in modern Poland.
==''Starosta''== Each ''starostwo'' was administered by an official known as ''starosta''. The ''starosta'' received the office from the king and kept it until the end of his life. It usually provided a significant income for the ''starosta''. His deputy was variously known as ''podstarosta'', ''podstarości'', ''burgrabia'', ''włodarz'', or ''surrogator''.<ref>''Encyklopedia staropolska'', Podstarosta i podstarości"</ref>
The types of ''starosta'' <u>included</u>: * ''Starosta Generalny'' was the administrative official of a territorial unit: either the representative of the King or Grand Duke or a person directly in charge. * ''Starosta Grodowy'' was a county (''powiat'')-level official responsible for fiscal duties, police and courts, and also responsible for the execution of judicial verdicts. * ''Starosta Niegrodowy'' was the overseer of the Crown lands.
=== ''Powiat'' ''starosta'' === When Poland regained independence in 1918 (until the beginning of the World War II in 1939) and in 1944–1950, the ''starosta'' was the head of ''powiat'' (county) administration, subordinate to the voivode.
Since local government reforms effective from 1 January 1999, the ''starosta'' is the head of the ''powiat'' executive board (''zarząd powiatu''), and the head of the {{ill|powiat starostwo|pl|starostwo powiatowe}} (part of the powiat administration), elected by the ''powiat'' council (''rada powiatu'').
== Notes == {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Polish terms for country subdivisions}} {{Slavic-language terms for administrative divisions}}
Category:Types of administrative division Category:Legal history of Poland Category:Administrative divisions of Poland
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