Stanisław

hrabia The hierarchy of noble titles in Poland was relatively uncommon throughout most of its history. Polish nobility ''szlachta'' enjoyed the principle of political equality of all its members. For this reason the idea of introducing the noble / aristoc ...

Hutten-Czapski, of

Leliwa Leliwa is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by several hundred szlachta families during the existence of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and remains in use today by many of the descendants of these families. The ...

(b. 1779 in Nyasvizh, d. 1844 in

Kėdainiai Kėdainiai () is one of the oldest List of cities in Lithuania, cities in Lithuania. It is located north of Kaunas on the banks of the Nevėžis River. First mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle of Hermann de Wartberge, its population is 23, ...

) was a Polish

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, who later became a decorated

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

during the

Napoleonic wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

. He was the son of

Franciszek Stanisław Hutten-Czapski Franciszek Stanislaw Kostka Hutten-Czapski, Leliwa coat of arms (b. 1725, d. 9 April 1802 in Warsaw) - Count, Polish people, Polish Senator, the last Governor of Chelmno (25 June 1766 – 9 April 1802), Member of the Bar Confederation. Knight of t ...

, the governor of Chełmno and Veronica Radziwill (1754-Unknown), sister of Prince Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł.

Early life

Stanisław and his brother Karol spent their childhood at the

Nesvizh Castle Niasviž Castle or Nesvizh Castle ( be, Нясьвіскі замак, Niasvižski zamak, russian: Несвижский замок, pl, zamek w Nieświeżu, lt, Nesvyžiaus pilis) is a residential castle of the Radziwiłł family in Niasviž, ...

with their uncle Prince Karol Stanisław Radziwiłł, the wealthiest magnate of Poland and Lithuania. They were then educated by

Piarist The Piarists (), officially named the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools ( la, Ordo Clericorum Regularium pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum), abbreviated SchP, is a religious order of clerics regular of the ...

Fathers in a college in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

Napoleonic Wars

Stanisław Hutten-Czapski was in the Polish Legions.

Invasion of Russia of 1812

In July, 1812, Emperor

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

Bonaparte appointed Stanisław as Colonel and commander of the 22nd Lithuanian Infantry Regiment. With it, he partook in the beginning of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, fighting bravely in the battle of Kaidanava, for which he was awarded

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King Stan ...

. During Napoleon's retreat from Russia, Stanisław fought in the battle of Berezina.

German Campaign of 1813

During the German Campaign of 1813, Czapski fought in the

Battle of Dresden The Battle of Dresden (26–27 August 1813) was a major engagement of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle took place around the city of Dresden in modern-day Germany. With the recent addition of Austria, the Sixth Coalition felt emboldened in t ...

with his regiment and was awarded the French

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

for his conduct. He later fought in the Battle of Hanau in October 1813, in which his close friend Prince Dominik Hieronim Radzivil was killed.

Estates

The Tsarist authorities confiscated his Lithuanian Estates, but later Stanisław and his brother Karol were amnestied by

Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...

Alexander I of Russia Alexander I (; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first King of Congress Poland from 1815, and the Grand Duke of Finland from 1809 to his death. He was the eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. The son of ...

, and their properties in Lithuania were returned to them. Stanisław's

Lakhva Lakhva (or Lachva, Lachwa; Belarusian and Russian: Лахва, pl, Łachwa, yi, לאַכװע, Lakhve) is a small town in southern Belarus, with a population of approximately 2,100. Lakhva is considered to have been the location of one of the fi ...

estate was destroyed during the war. He received the

estate in

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

as part of his maternal inheritance from the Radziwills. He established himself in Swojatycze, near

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

, and dedicated himself to agricultural activities, hunting, and purchasing and selling properties. From 1827 to 1844, the count lived in the manor house which he established by the

Dotnuvėlė The Dotnuvėlė is a river of Kėdainiai district municipality and Radviliškis district municipality, Kaunas County, central Lithuania. It flows for 60.9 kilometres and has a basin area of 192.7 km2. It is a right tributary of the Nevėžis r ...

stream near Kėdainiai. Here he took care of

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

and raising

horses The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

. At the end of his life, he found himself in economic difficulties. He died in 1844. After his death, his eldest son Marian inherited the estate.

Personal life

In 1810 Stanisław Czapski married Sophia (1797-1866), the daughter of the

Castellan A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant o ...

of Minsk, Michała Obuchowicza (1760-1818), and had four children: Michalina, Marian, Adolf and Edward. Stanisław's brother Karol married Sophia's sister, Fabianna Obuchowicza (1787-1876).

Decorations

* Polish

3rd class * French

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hutten-Czapski, Stanislaw 1779 births 1844 deaths Polish military officers 18th-century Polish nobility Recipients of the Virtuti Militari Stanisław Polish recipients of the Legion of Honour