Jan Skrzetuski
Encyclopedia
Jan Skrzetuski is a fictional character
created by Polish
author Henryk Sienkiewicz
in the novel With Fire and Sword
. He is a man of honour, always faithful to his master, duke Jeremi Wiśniowiecki
. He loves Helena Kurcewiczówna
, who was kidnapped by the Ukrainian Cossack Bohun
, who is also in love with her. Skrzetuski is the best friend of Michał Wołodyjowski. Jan Skrzetuski is partly based on a historical character, Mikołaj Skrzetuski, the Polish hero of the Siege of Zbarazh
.
In the 1999 film With Fire and Sword
he is portrayed by Michał Żebrowski.
nobleman (szlachcic) serving Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki
as lieutenant of the hussar regiment. In 1647 he was coming back from Crimea
where he had been sent as an envoy. On his way he saved Bohdan Khmelnytsky
who was attacked by Daniel Czapliński's
servants. He let Khmelnytsky go and went to Chyhyryn
. He met there Jan Onufry Zagłoba and Longinus Podbipięta
who became his friends. A few days later he set off to Lubny
with Podbipięta. They met on their way princess Helena Kurcewicz and her aunt. Skrzetuski and Helena fell in love with each other. The old princess invited soldiers to their house, Rozłogi. During the feast, Skrzetuski learned that Helena had been promised to the Cossack colonel Bohun
. Skrzetuski threatened the old princess Kurcewicz and persuaded her to give Helena's hand to him.
Soon Skrzetuski was sent by Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki to Zaporizhian Sich
as an envoy. During the mission he was wounded and taken captive. He was saved by Khmelnytsky, who was grateful for Skrzetuski's help. Khmelnytsky, however, didn't agree to set him free at once. Skrzetuski as a captive witnessed Polish defeat in Battle of Zhovti Vody
.
In the meantime Bohun discovered the old princess' betrayal and attacked Rozłogi, intending to kidnap Helena. She managed to escape, but the rest of family was killed and the dwór
was burnt by peasants. When Skrzetuski regained his freedom, he headed to Rozłogi but found there only ruins. He grieved, thinking that Helena was dead. He was found in Rozłogi by his friends.
Skrzetuski returned to the service of Wiśniowiecki and soon met Zagłoba, who told him that Helena was alive and safe in Bar
. Skrzetuski planned to go there, but he received the news that the city had been captured by Bohun. Skrzetuski set off to search for Helena but failed to find any trace of her. He only received information that his beloved was murdered in the monastery in Kiev (which was not true). After these news Skrzetuski became ill. He didn't know that Helena was found by Rzędzian
, Wołodyjowski and Zagłoba.
After recovering, Skrzetuski went to Zbarazh
, where he bravely fought during the siege
. After Podbipięta's death he decided to sneak through the Cossacks' camp and go to John Casimir to let him know that soldiers in Zbarazh needed reinforcements. He managed to fill his mission - the king went with his army to Zbarazh and soon the treaty
was signed.
During recovery Skrzetuski was treated by Rzędzian who told him that Helena was alive. The girl soon arrived and they went to Lviv to get married.
After the Khmelnytsky Uprising
Skrzetuski lived with Helena and their children in Burzec. They had 12 sons and at least one daughter. Skrzetuski appeared in The Deluge and was mentioned in Fire in the Steppe
. In 1673 he took part in the Battle of Khotyn
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
author Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
in the novel With Fire and Sword
With Fire and Sword
With Fire and Sword is a historical novel by the Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, published in 1884. It is the first volume of a series known to Poles as the Trilogy, followed by The Deluge and Fire in the Steppe , also translated as Colonel Wolodyjowski...
. He is a man of honour, always faithful to his master, duke Jeremi Wiśniowiecki
Jeremi Wisniowiecki
Jeremi Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki was a notable member of the aristocracy of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Prince at Wiśniowiec, Łubnie and Chorol and a father of future Polish king Michał I...
. He loves Helena Kurcewiczówna
Helena Kurcewiczówna
Helena Kurcewicz is a fictional character appearing in the novel With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz as the main female protagonist. She is also mentioned in The Deluge and in Colonel Wolodyjowski.Helena is a beautiful orphaned princess living with her aunt and cousins in Rozłogi...
, who was kidnapped by the Ukrainian Cossack Bohun
Bohun
-The Anglo-Norman Bohun family:* Eleanor de Bohun elder sister and co-heiress of Mary de Bohun* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford , a Norman-English nobleman...
, who is also in love with her. Skrzetuski is the best friend of Michał Wołodyjowski. Jan Skrzetuski is partly based on a historical character, Mikołaj Skrzetuski, the Polish hero of the Siege of Zbarazh
Siege of Zbarazh
The Siege of Zbarazh was a 1649 battle of the Khmelnytsky Uprising.The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forces held their positions besieged in the Zbarazh Castle until in the aftermath of Battle of Zboriv and the Treaty of Zboriv the hostilities paused and the siege ended. These events were...
.
In the 1999 film With Fire and Sword
With Fire and Sword (film)
With Fire and Sword is the English title of the Polish film Ogniem i Mieczem, a historical drama directed by Jerzy Hoffman, released in 1999...
he is portrayed by Michał Żebrowski.
Story
Jan Skrzetuski (modeled on the historic form of Mikołaj Skrzetuski) was a young PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
nobleman (szlachcic) serving Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki
Jeremi Wisniowiecki
Jeremi Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki was a notable member of the aristocracy of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Prince at Wiśniowiec, Łubnie and Chorol and a father of future Polish king Michał I...
as lieutenant of the hussar regiment. In 1647 he was coming back from Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
where he had been sent as an envoy. On his way he saved Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Zynoviy Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky was a hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . He led an uprising against the Commonwealth and its magnates which resulted in the creation of a Cossack state...
who was attacked by Daniel Czapliński's
Daniel Czapliński
Daniel Czapliński was a deputy starosta of Chigirin and a rotmistrz in the forces of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. He is best known as an enemy of Bohdan Khmelnytsky with whom he got into a dispute over property...
servants. He let Khmelnytsky go and went to Chyhyryn
Chyhyryn
Chyhyryn is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast of central Ukraine. In 1648 to 1669 the city was the capital of Ukraine .- Location :...
. He met there Jan Onufry Zagłoba and Longinus Podbipięta
Longinus Podbipieta
Longinus Podbipięta is a fictional character in the novel With Fire and Sword written by Henryk Sienkiewicz. He is a Lithuanian and his coat of arms is called "Zerwikaptur". He had vowed to remain chaste until he cut off three heads with one blow of his huge sword , like his ancestor did at the...
who became his friends. A few days later he set off to Lubny
Lubny
Lubny is a city in the Poltava Oblast of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Lubensky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
with Podbipięta. They met on their way princess Helena Kurcewicz and her aunt. Skrzetuski and Helena fell in love with each other. The old princess invited soldiers to their house, Rozłogi. During the feast, Skrzetuski learned that Helena had been promised to the Cossack colonel Bohun
Bohun (fictional)
Jur Bohun is the main antagonist in the novel With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz. He is a famous Cossack colonel of unknown origin, and originally a friend of the Kurcewicz family. He falls in love with Helena Kurcewiczówna and wants to marry her...
. Skrzetuski threatened the old princess Kurcewicz and persuaded her to give Helena's hand to him.
Soon Skrzetuski was sent by Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki to Zaporizhian Sich
Zaporizhian Sich
Zaporizhian Sich was socio-political, grassroot, military organization of Ukrainian cossacks placed beyond Dnieper rapids. Sich existed between the 16th and 18th centuries in the region around the today's Kakhovka Reservoir...
as an envoy. During the mission he was wounded and taken captive. He was saved by Khmelnytsky, who was grateful for Skrzetuski's help. Khmelnytsky, however, didn't agree to set him free at once. Skrzetuski as a captive witnessed Polish defeat in Battle of Zhovti Vody
Battle of Zhovti Vody
Battle of Zhovti Vody , was the first significant battle of the Khmelnytsky Uprising. The name of the battle derived from a nearby river.-Scope:...
.
In the meantime Bohun discovered the old princess' betrayal and attacked Rozłogi, intending to kidnap Helena. She managed to escape, but the rest of family was killed and the dwór
Dwór (manor house)
Dwór or dworek refers to a manor house used or owned by Polish nobility.The architectural form of the dwór evolved around the late Polish Renaissance period and continued until the Second World War, which, together with the communist takeover of Poland, spelled the end of the nobility in Poland...
was burnt by peasants. When Skrzetuski regained his freedom, he headed to Rozłogi but found there only ruins. He grieved, thinking that Helena was dead. He was found in Rozłogi by his friends.
Skrzetuski returned to the service of Wiśniowiecki and soon met Zagłoba, who told him that Helena was alive and safe in Bar
Bar, Ukraine
Bar is a city located on the Rov River in the Vinnytsia Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Barskyi Raion , and is part of the historic region of Podolia. The current estimated population is 17,200 .-History:The city was a small trade outpost named Row...
. Skrzetuski planned to go there, but he received the news that the city had been captured by Bohun. Skrzetuski set off to search for Helena but failed to find any trace of her. He only received information that his beloved was murdered in the monastery in Kiev (which was not true). After these news Skrzetuski became ill. He didn't know that Helena was found by Rzędzian
Rzedzian
Rzędzian is a fictional character created by Henryk Sienkiewicz. He appears as the secondary character in With Fire and Sword and in The Deluge. He is a poor Polish nobleman who serves Jan Skrzetuski. He's cunning and greedy but always loyal to his master. He helps to free Helena Kurcewiczówna from...
, Wołodyjowski and Zagłoba.
After recovering, Skrzetuski went to Zbarazh
Zbarazh
Zbarazh is a city in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zbarazh Raion , and is located in the historic region of Galicia....
, where he bravely fought during the siege
Siege of Zbarazh
The Siege of Zbarazh was a 1649 battle of the Khmelnytsky Uprising.The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forces held their positions besieged in the Zbarazh Castle until in the aftermath of Battle of Zboriv and the Treaty of Zboriv the hostilities paused and the siege ended. These events were...
. After Podbipięta's death he decided to sneak through the Cossacks' camp and go to John Casimir to let him know that soldiers in Zbarazh needed reinforcements. He managed to fill his mission - the king went with his army to Zbarazh and soon the treaty
Treaty of Zboriv
The Treaty of Zboriv was signed on August 17, 1649, after the Battle of Zboriv when the Crown forces of about 25,000 led by king John II Casimir of Poland clashed against a combined force of Cossacks and Crimean Tatars, led by hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky and khan İslâm III Giray of Crimea...
was signed.
During recovery Skrzetuski was treated by Rzędzian who told him that Helena was alive. The girl soon arrived and they went to Lviv to get married.
After the Khmelnytsky Uprising
Khmelnytsky Uprising
The Khmelnytsky Uprising, was a Cossack rebellion in the Ukraine between the years 1648–1657 which turned into a Ukrainian war of liberation from Poland...
Skrzetuski lived with Helena and their children in Burzec. They had 12 sons and at least one daughter. Skrzetuski appeared in The Deluge and was mentioned in Fire in the Steppe
Fire in the Steppe
Fire in the Steppe is a historical novel by the Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, published in 1888. It is the third volume in a series known to Poles as "the Trilogy," preceded by With Fire and Sword and The Deluge...
. In 1673 he took part in the Battle of Khotyn
Battle of Khotyn (1673)
Battle of Khotyn on 11 November 1673 was a battle where Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth forces under hetman Jan Sobieski defeated Ottoman Empire forces under Hussain Pasha...
.
Description
Skrzetuski is described as an attractive, dark-haired young man.
He was a very young man, of spare habit of body, dark complexion, very elegant in manner, with a delicately cut countenance and a prominent aquiline nose. In his eyes were visible desperate daring and endurance, but his face had an honest look. His rather thick mustache and a beard, evidently unshaven for a long time, gave him a seriousness beyond his years.