What is "skartabellat"

Skartabellat (lat. scartabellat) was a specific form of nobilitation in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Introduced by pacta conventa of 1669, ennoblement into a sort of lower nobility. Skartabels could not hold public offices or be members of the Sejm.

After 3 generations in noble ranks these families would "mature" to peerage. Most scartabellats came from burghers; the institution was abolished in 1817.