Society of Motherland Friends (pol. Towarzystwo PrzyjaciÃ³à  Ojczyzny) was a secret society of patriotic youth created in Warsaw under the Prussian partition in 1803 by son of starosta (pol. staroà Âcic) of Opinogóra Wincenty Krasià Âski with a help of young aristocrats: Józef Krasià Âski, Ludwik Pac, Stanisà Âaw Maà Âachowski, Henryk à Âubieà Âski, Piotr à Âubieà Âski and Tomasz à Âubieà Âski, and under the protection of the Marshal Stanisà Âaw Maà Âachowski, in whose chateau by the Krakowskie Przedmieà Âcie street (today Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw) they held their first meetings. The spiritual patron of the organization (according to Krasià ÂskiâÂÂs suggestion) was Tadeusz Koà Âciuszko.
The Society members prepared its program, and oath of allegiance. As the organizationâÂÂs dress, they used black frock coats with black-painted brass buttons ornamented with emblem of anchor and single-world slogan: "hope" (pol. nadzieja). Their idea was, that along with paint erasing the emblem and slogan should be more and more visible, what had to symbolize the return of the independence. However after some time the Society changed into social coterie of an amusement character.
From the very beginning patriotic activity of the Society was endangered by the stiff competition with "Blacha", as people of Warsaw called roistering youths grouped around Copper-Roof Palace (quarters of prince Józef Poniatowski), who wore green frock coats with "Jabà Âonna" inscription on their collars. Both coteries competed with each other in splendour of banquets, night drinking-boats, and instant duels, toward which activities Prussian invaders turned a blind eye, glad to see progressive demoralization of Polish noble youth. However, as political situation in Europe has been changed, Prussian administration changed its view of Polish organizations and societies suspecting that they were sources of pro-French activity. In the beginning of 1806 Prussian governor Köhler ordered Krasià Âski to dissolve the Society.
After one year its members became a nucleus of the so-called "Polish Honour Guard" of Napoleon, and next the cadre of the Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard.