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Stanislaw Z贸lkiewski
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Stanislaw Z髄kiewski (1547 – 1620) was a Polish nobleman, magnate and military commander who took part in many campaigns both in Poland and on its southern and eastern border. He held a number of notable posts in the administration of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including the castellan of Lw體 (from 1590), voivod of Kij體 Voivodship and Great Chancellor of the Crown (from 1618). Following 1588 he was also a Field Crown Hetman, in 1613 promoted to Grand Hetman of the Crown.
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Encyclopedia
Stanislaw Z髄kiewski (1547 – 1620) was a Polish nobleman, magnate and military commander who took part in many campaigns both in Poland and on its southern and eastern border. He held a number of notable posts in the administration of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including the castellan of Lw體 (from 1590), voivod of Kij體 Voivodship and Great Chancellor of the Crown (from 1618). Following 1588 he was also a Field Crown Hetman, in 1613 promoted to Grand Hetman of the Crown. During his lifetime he won major military victories against Muscovy, the Ottoman Empire and Tatars. He was first European invader of Russia to seize Moscow and the only one who captured the capital of this country.
Life
Z髄kiewski attended schools in Lw體, was well read and spoke foreign languages. He was secretary to King Stefan Batory. Between 1594 and 1596 he defeated the Cossack uprisng of Severyn Nalivaiko. In 1607 he defeated the Zebrzydowski's Rebellion in the battle of Guz體. In 1610 he achieved yet another brilliant victory in the battle of Kluszyn against Muscovy. As an effect of his successful campaign, Z髄kiewski seized Moscow and has taken the tsar Vasiliy Shuyskiy captive during the Dymitriads. He supported the election of Wladyslaw IV Waza for tsar and the idea of personal union between the Commonwealth and Muscovy.
Since 1612 he was a teacher and tutor of Stanislaw Koniecpolski, future hetman and military commander. Both in 1612 and 1617 he commanded military campaigns to Moldavia (Moldavian Magnate Wars) and Ukraine. Despite his old age (he was over 70), he continued his active service as a military commander until the very end.
Z髄kiewski was killed on 7 October, 1620 during the Polish retreat after the battle of Cecora against the Turks in Moldova near Prut river, during the Moldavian Magnate Wars. After the battle, his body was desecrated, his head cut off and sent to Constantinople as a war trophy. It was later bought by his widow, together with Z髄kiewski's son who was taken captive during the battle. His body was buried in St Lawrence Church in Z髄kiew (now Zhovkva, Ukraine), the town he founded. His death gave rise to a veritable legend about the Christian knight slain by the pagans in defense of the Holy Faith [Mikos, 1996]. Z髄kiewski's assets, including Z髄kiew Castle, eventually passed through inheritance to Jakub Sobieski who son Jan was another great commander in Polish history.
Works
- Poczatek i progres wojny moskiewskiej (On the Beginning and the End of the Muscovite War, also known as Beginning and Progress of the Muscovy War) - memoires describing his campaigns and diplomatic activity, written in the third person, is a concise account of a Polish-Muscovite War (1605-1618).
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