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{{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 "[[elder (administrative title)|elder]]ship") {{efn|[[Polish language|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 [[partitions of Poland|partition of Poland]] in 1795. Starostwos were established in the [[Crown land#Poland and Lithuania|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>[[wikisource:pl:Encyklopedia staropolska/Podstarosta i podstarości|''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 land]]s.

=== ''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 [[Polish local government reforms|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 ==
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==References==
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{{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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