Franciszek Ksawery was the son of Piotr Branicki, Chorąży of Halicz, and Melania Teresa Szembek, the chatelaine of Oświęcim.
He started his career as a soldier in the Seven Years' War, firstly in the Russian Imperial army and later with the French.
He distinguished himself at the battle of Sarbinowo (Zorndorf) in 1758 while commanding a squadron of Russian cavalry.
For his services in the French army Louis XV awarded him the title of count, however, in Poland, prior to the partitions, the title was not officially recognized by parliament.
In 1765 he became a Knight of the Order of Saint Stanislaus.

He became a member of the Polish Sajm in 1762 representing the Halicz county.
He inherited his father's noble titles.
In 1764, Branicki was one of the Electors of Stanisław August Poniatowski who reigned as Stanisław II August.
Branicki later became a member of the Military Commission of the Crown.
In 1766, he gave a speech in the Sejm on behalf of Halicz county.

Branicki was a strong supporter and member of the Radom Confederation and mostly focused on how to weaken the influence of Karol Stanisław "Panie Kochanku" Radziwiłł and possibly, on how to deprive Radziwiłł of his fortune.
In 1767, as a member of the Repnin Sejm of Sochaczew, he became a member of the pro-Russian delegation, which was created under the Russian envoy Nikolai Repnin in order to review the function of the government of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

As a commander, Branicki decided to side with the king and faithfully led the Royal Polish Army in the years 1768–1772 and helped to suppress the supporters of the Bar Confederation who were Polish patriots.
On June 19, 1768, together with Russian troops, he captured the city of Bar in Ruthenia, which served as the Bar's headquarters.

In 1770, during the crisis in Russian-Polish relations, king Stanisław II Augustus, appointed him as his envoy to the Russian Empire, without consulting with the powerful Czartoryski family, who were normally responsible for nominating envoys, Sejm Marshals and Hetmans.
On January 18, 1771 Branicki arrived in St. Petersburg, from where he warned king Stanisław that if the Russian delegation in Warsaw headed by general Kasper von Saldern could not reach agreement with the Polish Sejm, the Russian Empress would partition the country.
So it came to pass.

In 1772 he went on a diplomatic mission to Paris.
Between 1773 and 1775 he was a member of a newly established secret party, responsible for confiscating the assets of the Society of Jesus in the entire country.
For his "services", Stanisław Augustus rewarded him in 1774 by ceding to him the immense estate that was the county of Biała Cerkiew and appointed him Crown Hetman.
In 1776 Branicki became a member of Andrzej Mokronowski's controversial political party.

At the 1778 Sejm Branicki was appointed the adviser to the "Permanent Council's" Chief Marshal.

Later he became a member of the Great Sejm and chairman of the Military Commission of the Commonwealth.
He was an implacable opponent of the reforms proposed by the Sejm in its Constitution of May 3.
In league with the Russian envoys in Warsaw, he co-founded the traitorous Confederation of Targowica.
Branicki was included on Yakov Bulhakov's list, which included the names of people, mostly senators and deputies, on whom the Russians could rely and were keen to overthrow the latest Constitution, and possibly even the monarch himself.
Throughout his career, Branicki had been one of the leaders of the pro-Russian political tendency.

As a conservative, along with Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk, Branicki tried everything to keep his former Hetman privileges.
Even as a determined counter-revolutionary, he supposedly refused to sign any treaty that sanctioned the partitioning of his homeland.
However, because of his sympathies and cooperation with the Russians, Branicki was considered throughout the nineteenth century as a national traitor, along with all the leaders and members of the Targowica Confederation, which was essentially a conspiracy against the state.

Branicki held several impo
Franciszek Ksawery was the son of Piotr Branicki, Chorąży of Halicz, and Melania Teresa Szembek, the chatelaine of Oświęcim. He started his career as a soldier in the Seven Years' War, firstly in the Russian Imperial army and later with the French. He distinguished himself at the battle of Sarbinowo (Zorndorf) in 1758 while commanding a squadron of Russian cavalry. For his services in the French army Louis XV awarded him the title of count, however, in Poland, prior to the partitions, the title was not officially recognized by parliament. In 1765 he became a Knight of the Order of Saint Stanislaus.
He became a member of the Polish Sajm in 1762 representing the Halicz county. He inherited his father's noble titles. In 1764, Branicki was one of the Electors of Stanisław August Poniatowski who reigned as Stanisław II August. Branicki later became a member of the Military Commission of the Crown. In 1766, he gave a speech in the Sejm on behalf of Halicz county.
Branicki was a strong supporter and member of the Radom Confederation and mostly focused on how to weaken the influence of Karol Stanisław "Panie Kochanku" Radziwiłł and possibly, on how to deprive Radziwiłł of his fortune. In 1767, as a member of the Repnin Sejm of Sochaczew, he became a member of the pro-Russian delegation, which was created under the Russian envoy Nikolai Repnin in order to review the function of the government of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
As a commander, Branicki decided to side with the king and faithfully led the Royal Polish Army in the years 1768–1772 and helped to suppress the supporters of the Bar Confederation who were Polish patriots. On June 19, 1768, together with Russian troops, he captured the city of Bar in Ruthenia, which served as the Bar's headquarters.
In 1770, during the crisis in Russian-Polish relations, king Stanisław II Augustus, appointed him as his envoy to the Russian Empire, without consulting with the powerful Czartoryski family, who were normally responsible for nominating envoys, Sejm Marshals and Hetmans. On January 18, 1771 Branicki arrived in St. Petersburg, from where he warned king Stanisław that if the Russian delegation in Warsaw headed by general Kasper von Saldern could not reach agreement with the Polish Sejm, the Russian Empress would partition the country. So it came to pass. 
In 1772 he went on a diplomatic mission to Paris. Between 1773 and 1775 he was a member of a newly established secret party, responsible for confiscating the assets of the Society of Jesus in the entire country. For his "services", Stanisław Augustus rewarded him in 1774 by ceding to him the immense estate that was the county of Biała Cerkiew and appointed him Crown Hetman. In 1776 Branicki became a member of Andrzej Mokronowski's controversial political party.
At the 1778 Sejm Branicki was appointed the adviser to the "Permanent Council's" Chief Marshal.
Later he became a member of the Great Sejm and chairman of the Military Commission of the Commonwealth. He was an implacable opponent of the reforms proposed by the Sejm in its Constitution of May 3. In league with the Russian envoys in Warsaw, he co-founded the traitorous Confederation of Targowica. Branicki was included on Yakov Bulhakov's list, which included the names of people, mostly senators and deputies, on whom the Russians could rely and were keen to overthrow the latest Constitution, and possibly even the monarch himself. Throughout his career, Branicki had been one of the leaders of the pro-Russian political tendency.
As a conservative, along with Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk, Branicki tried everything to keep his former Hetman privileges. Even as a determined counter-revolutionary, he supposedly refused to sign any treaty that sanctioned the partitioning of his homeland. However, because of his sympathies and cooperation with the Russians, Branicki was considered throughout the nineteenth century as a national traitor, along with all the leaders and members of the Targowica Confederation, which was essentially a conspiracy against the state.
Branicki held several impo
Franciszek Ksawery Branicki