Stanisław was son of the Lord Sword-Bearer Jan Jabłonowski (1600–1647) and Anna Ostroróg, the daughter of author and scholar Jan Ostroróg. Jabłonowski began his military career in 1655, leading several battles against Russia and the Cossacks. In 1657 he took part in the war against Moldavia and George II Rákóczi. Later he distinguished himself during the war with Sweden (1656), known as "The Deluge", fighting under the command of the great general Stefan Czarniecki. In 1659 he fought in Polish occupied Ukraine under the command of Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki and Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski. From 1664 he was the voivode (governor) of Ruthenia and in later years he fought against the invading Turks and Tatars, alongside with Hetman John Sobieski (future King John III). He took part in the Polish-Cossack-Tatar War of 1666–71, he commanded a unit belonging to Sobieski, most notably, at the battle of Podhajce.