Dębowiec is a village in Jasło County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Dębowiec. It lies approximately south of Jasło and south-west of the regional capital Rzeszów. The village has an approximate population of 2,000. Debowiec has a long and rich history. For centuries it was a town, located in southeastern corner of the historic province of Lesser Poland. Until the Partitions of Poland, Debowiec belonged to Biecz County of Krakow Voivodeship. In the early Middle Ages, Debowiec was a gord, located in sparsely inhabited areas of Carpathian foothills. In the 11th century, Benedictine monks from Tyniec encouraged settlers to come to this corner of Lesser Poland. Debowiec was a village, destroyed in 1241, during the Mongol invasion of Poland. Asiatic hordes returned in 1259–1260 and 1287–1288, bringing further destruction. On August 15, 1349, King Kazimierz Wielki granted Magdeburg rights to Debowiec. By that time, Debowiec had already been a local center of administration, as first mention of a Roman Catholic parish of St. Bartholomew existing here dates back to 1328. According to some sources, Debowiec had been granted town charter as early as 13th century, and in 1349, Kazimierz Wielki changed the charter from Polish to German (Magdeburg rights). First known vogt of Debowiec was Mikolaj of Bakow. On May 13, 1365, Kazimierz Wielki visited Debowiec. By early 15th century, Debowiec had a number of artisans, and among its most famous owners was knight Marcin of Wrocimowice, who resided here in 1433–1442. His son, Marcin of Debowiec was captured by Turks during the Battle of Varna, and spent 20 years in Turkish captivity. In 1471, Debowiec burned in a great fire, and three years later the town was raided by Hungarian troops under Thomas Tarczay, which burned all local villages, together with Debowiec and its church (January 1474). In 1494, Debowiec was flooded, and in 1496–1497, the town was affected by a plague. Furthermore, in 1498 Debowiec was raided by Crimean Tatars and Wallachians, who burned all towns and villages of Carpathian foothills. Debowiec prospered in the period known as Polish Golden Age. Even though the town and its castle burned in 1512, it was quickly rebuilt, and became a local trade center, with a brewery, wine cellars, tax office, watermill and other businesses. In 1528, Debowiec was named seat of a starosta, and in 1535, royal privilege was