Page "Biała Podlaska" Paragraph 3

In 1569 Biała changed hands ; the new owners were the Radziwiłł family.

Under their rule, Biała had been growing for two and half centuries.

In 1622 Aleksander Ludwik Radziwiłł has built the fortress and the castle.

In 1628 Krzysztof Ciborowicz Wilski established Bialska Academy as a regional center of education ( since 1633 it was a branch of the Jagiellonian University, then called Kraków Academy ).

During this time many churches were erected, as was one hospital.

The prosperity period had finished with Swedish invasion in 1655.

Then Biała was attacked by Cossacks and Rakoczy armies.

The town was significantly destroyed ; however, thanks to Michał Radziwiłł and his wife Katarzyna Sobieska, it was rebuilt.

In 1670 Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł gives Biała town rights and the coat of arms, which depicts archangel Michael standing on a dragon.