The rank was first introduced in the armies of the Commonwealth in the 17th century to denote a captain ("rotmistrz") of the core banner of a regiment. By the end of the 17th century, the title of the assignment became a "de facto" rank as such and started to denote the commanding officer of the entire regiment. In mercenary troops fighting in the ranks of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth's army, the direct equivalent of the rank of "pułkownik" was "oberszter", but in the 18th century the rank was abolished and renamed as "pułkownik" as well.