From as far back as the mid-16th century there were Scots trading and settling in
Poland. A "Scotch Pedlar's Pack in Poland" became a proverbial expression. It usually consisted of cloths, woollen goods and linen kerchiefs (head coverings). Itinerants also sold tin utensils and ironware such as scissors and knives. Along with the protection offered by
King Stephen in the Royal Grant of 1576 a district in
Kraków was assigned to Scots immigrants.
Records from 1592 reveal Scots settlers, giving their employment as trader or merchant, being granted citizenship of Kraków. Payment for being granted citizenship ranged from 12 Polish florins to a musket and gunpowder, or an undertaking to marry within a year and a day of acquiring a holding.
By the 17th century, there were an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Scots living in the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
[31] Many came from Dundee and Aberdeen and could be found in Polish towns on the banks of the
Vistula as far south as
Kraków. Settlers from Aberdeenshire were mainly Episcopalians or Catholics, but there were also large numbers of Calvinists. As well as Scottish traders, there were also many Scottish soldiers in Poland. In 1656 a number of Scottish Highlanders who were disenchanted with
Oliver Cromwell's rule went to Poland in the service of the
King of Sweden.
The Scots integrated well and many acquired great wealth. They contributed to many charitable institutions in the host country, but did not forget their homeland; for example, in 1701 when collections were made for the restoration fund of the
Marischal College, Aberdeen, the Scottish settlers in Poland gave generously.
Many Royal grants and privileges were granted to Scottish merchants until the 18th century, at which time the settlers began to merge more and more into the native population.
"Bonnie Prince Charlie" was half Polish, being the son of
James Stuart, the "Old Pretender", and
Clementina Sobieska, granddaughter of
Jan Sobieski, King of Poland.
[43][44][45] In 1691, the City of
Warsaw elected the Scottish immigrant
Aleksander Czamer (Alexander Chalmers) as its mayor.
[46]