Starostwo

Starostwo (literally "eldership") [a] 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 starosta received the office from the king and kept it until the end of his life.

His deputy was variously known as podstarosta, podstarości, burgrabia, włodarz, or surrogator.

[1] The types of starosta included: 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.