Janusz Radziwiłł (1612–1655)
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Prince Janusz Radziwiłł, also known as Janusz the Second or Janusz the Younger ( lt, Jonušas Radvila, 2 December 1612 – 31 December 1655) was a
noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Great B ...
and magnate in the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
. Throughout his life he occupied a number of posts in the state administration, including that of Court Chamberlain of Lithuania (from 1633),
Field Hetman of Lithuania Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...
(from 1646) and
Grand Hetman of Lithuania Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and c ...
(from 1654). He was also a
voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...
of Vilna Voivodeship (from 1653), as well as a
starost The starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', german: link=no, Starost, Hauptmann) is a term of Slavic origin denoting a community elder whose role was to administer the assets of a clan or family estates. Th ...
of
Samogitia Samogitia or Žemaitija ( Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five cultural regions of Lithuania and formerly one of the two core administrative divisions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
, Kamieniec,
Kazimierz Kazimierz (; la, Casimiria; yi, קוזמיר, Kuzimyr) is a historical district of Kraków and Kraków Old Town, Poland. From its inception in the 14th century to the early 19th century, Kazimierz was an independent city, a royal city of the ...
and
Sejwy Sejwy , ( lt, Seivai), is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Puńsk, within Sejny County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, close to the border with Lithuania. References
Villages in Sejny County, Sejwy {{ ...
. He was a protector of the Protestant religion in Lithuania and sponsor of many Protestant schools and churches. For several decades, the interests between the Radziwłł family and the state (
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
) had begun to drift apart, as the Radziwiłłs increased their magnate status and wealth. Their attempts to acquire more political power in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
culminated in the doings of Janusz Radziwiłł, who is remembered in
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
historiography as one of the Grand Duchy nobles responsible for the end of the Golden Age of the Commonwealth. In his times he was one of the most powerful people in the Commonwealth, often described as a ''de facto'' ruler of the entire
Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
. During the "Deluge", the Swedish invasion of Poland-Lithuania during the
Second Northern War The Second Northern War (1655–60), (also First or Little Northern War) was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1655–60), the Tsardom of Russia (Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658), 1656–58), Brande ...
, he sided with the Swedish king signing the
Treaty of Kėdainiai The Treaty of Kėdainiai or Kiejdany, signed on 17 August 1655, was a Swedish– Lithuanian agreement during the Second Northern War. After the Polish forces had been decisively defeated in the Battle of Ujście in which the Poznań and Kalisz ...
and the
Union of Kėdainiai The Union of Kėdainiai (or Agreement of Kėdainiai, Lithuanian: ''Kėdainių unija'', Polish: ''Umowa Kiejdańska'') was an agreement between several magnate The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ...
. This move however antagonised him with most of other nobles, including members of his own family. His forces were eventually defeated in battle and he himself died in a besieged castle at
Tykocin Tykocin is a small town in north-eastern Poland, with 2,010 inhabitants (2012), located on the Narew river, in Białystok County in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is one of the oldest towns in the region, with its historic center designated a His ...
.


Early life

He was born on 2 December 1612 in
Popiel Prince Popiel ІІ (or Duke Popiel) was a legendary 9th-century ruler of two proto-Polish tribes, the Goplans and West Polans. He was the last member of the Popielids, a mythical dynasty before the Piasts. According to the chroniclers Gallus A ...
.Wisner (2000), p. 8 He was heir to one of the most powerful of princely Polish–Lithuanian families, the
Radziwiłł family The House of Radziwiłł (; lt, Radvila; be, Радзівіл, Radzivił; german: link=no, Radziwill) is a powerful magnate family originating from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later also prominent in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. ...
. In September 1628 he departed for a four-year-long voyage, primarily in Germany and the Netherlands, returning to the Commonwealth's capital of Warsaw by autumn 1632.Wisner (2000), pp. 26–35 Soon afterward the new king of the Commonwealth,
Władysław IV Waza Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to: Famous people Mononym * W ...
, sent him with a diplomatic mission to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.Wisner (2000), pp. 35–36 As a reward, he received his first governmental office, becoming the podkomorzy (Court Chamberlain) of Lithuania in early 1633.Wisner (2000), p. 37 He took part in the
Smolensk War The Smolensk War (1632–1634) was a conflict fought between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia. Hostilities began in October 1632 when Russian forces tried to capture the city of Smolensk. Small military engagements produced mix ...
in 1634, through he primarily accompanied the king, and did not participate actively in major combats.Wisner (2000), pp. 42–43 He became a regular part of Władysław IV Waza's company, spending much time at the royal court over the next five years. In 1635 he became the
starost The starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', german: link=no, Starost, Hauptmann) is a term of Slavic origin denoting a community elder whose role was to administer the assets of a clan or family estates. Th ...
of Kamieniec, and in 1638,
Kazimierz Dolny Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
(near Lublin).Wisner (2000), p. 51 Since 1636 he administrated his family's estates, through not very efficiently, which he admitted himself. He also attended most of the
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of t ...
(Commonwealth's parliament) sessions.Wisner (2000), p. 57 He married a Katarzyna Potocka on 2 February 1638. He was a Calvinist, and his wife, Catholic, though this did not cause significant difficulties.Wisner (2000), p. 54 They had three children, though only their daughter Anna Maria, born in 1640, survived to adulthood.Wisner (2000), p. 55 Katarzyna died on 21 November 1642.Wisner (2000), p. 56 In 1645 he married
Maria Lupu Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...
, daughter of a
Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...
n voivod
Vasile Lupu Lupu Coci, known as Vasile Lupu (; 1595–1661), was a List of Moldavian rulers, Voivode of Moldavia of Albanians, Albanian origin between 1634 and 1653. Lupu had secured the Moldavian throne in 1634 after a series of complicated intrigues and man ...
.Wisner (2000), p. 75


Rise to power

The death of his father in 1641 made him one of the wealthiest magnates in the entire Commonwealth.Wisner (2000), p. 67 In 1646 he became a member of the
senate of Poland The Senate ( pl, Senat) is the upper house of the Parliament of Poland, Polish parliament, the lower house being the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Sejm. The history of the Polish Senate stretches back over 500 years; it was one of the first co ...
, as he an important office that granted him this privilege: in April that year, he became the
Field Hetman of Lithuania Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...
. Later, in November, he also received another prestigious title, that of a
starost The starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', german: link=no, Starost, Hauptmann) is a term of Slavic origin denoting a community elder whose role was to administer the assets of a clan or family estates. Th ...
of
Samogitia Samogitia or Žemaitija ( Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five cultural regions of Lithuania and formerly one of the two core administrative divisions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
.Wisner (2000), p. 71 In 1648 he was elected to the
Lithuanian Tribunal The Lithuanian Tribunal (; pl, Trybunał Główny Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego) was the highest appellate court for the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was established by King Stephen Báthory in 1581 as the counterpart to the Cr ...
.Wisner (2000), p. 87 Later that year, the Commonwealth suffered two drastic events: death of king Władysław (succeeded by
Jan Kazimierz Waza John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...
), and the beginning of the
Chmielnicki Uprising The Khmelnytsky Uprising,; in Ukraine known as Khmelʹnychchyna or uk, повстання Богдана Хмельницького; lt, Chmelnickio sukilimas; Belarusian: Паўстанне Багдана Хмяльніцкага; russian: ...
. In February 1649 he commanded the Commonwealth forces in the victorious
Battle of Mazyr Battle of Mazyr ( be, Мазыр, pl, Mozyrz, uk, Мозир) (February 8-February 9, 1649), was a battle of the Khmelnytsky Uprising. Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth forces under the command of Janusz Radziwiłł (1612–1655), Janusz Radziw ...
,Wisner (2000), pp. 112–113 and in July, at Battle of Loyew.Wisner (2000), pp. 121–123 Fighting resumed in 1651, and Radziwiłł was once again victorious, commanding the Lithuanian forces at the Second Battle of Loyew in July,Wisner (2000), pp. 142–143 capture of
Kiev Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
on 4 August,Wisner (2000), p. 145 and the Battle of Bila Tserkva in September.Wisner (2000), p. 150 In 1652 a liberum veto was invoked in the
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of t ...
by
Władysław Siciński Władysław Wiktoryn Siciński ( lt, Čičinskas; –1672) was a member of the Polish–Lithuanian nobility and dignitary of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Lord Master-of-the-Table (since 1655) and Lord Vice-Justice (since 1666) of Upy ...
, forcing it to disband. Some historians have speculated that Siciński might have acted on orders from Janusz Radziwiłł, through Wisner observed there is no evidence to support this theory.Wisner (2000), p. 153 In 1653 the Cossacks allied themselves with Russia, and in turn, Russian forces invaded the Commonwealth from the east. In March that year Janusz received the office of voivode of Wilno.Wisner (2000), pp. 157–158 On 17 June 1654 Janusz was elevated from the Field Hetman position to the
Grand Hetman of Lithuania Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and c ...
.Wisner (2000), p. 162 Despite the nominations, relations between him and the king have been worsening. In late August 1654 Janusz Radziwiłł defeated invading Russians at the Battle of Szkłów, but this was his last victory.Wisner (2000), pp. 169–170 Days later he was defeated by the Russians at the
Battle of Szepielewicze The Battle of Shepeleviche (Szepielewicze) or Battle of Ciecierzyn on 24 August 1654 was one of the first battles of the Russo-Polish War (1654–67). It ended with a Russian Tsardom, Russian victory. Battle A small Polish–Lithuanian Commonwea ...
.Wisner (2000), pp. 171–172 The following winter Lithuanian counter-offensive proved unsuccessful; with the inconclusive Siege of Mahylyow.Wisner (2000), pp. 180–183


Union with Sweden

Janusz Radziwiłł trust in the
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
was damaged during the Battle of Vilnius in 1655 when he, being the
Great Hetman Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...
of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
, had to defend the Grand Duchy's capital
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 ...
from the approaching
Tsardom of Russia The Tsardom of Russia or Tsardom of Rus' also externally referenced as the Tsardom of Muscovy, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of Tsar by Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter I i ...
forces. When a large Russian army approached Vilnius (at least 41,000 men), Janusz Radziwiłł could muster just 5,000 to 7,000 men. The morale was further damaged by the order of king
John II Casimir Vasa John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...
to royal troops (about 5,000 men) to retreat to Marienburg. City residents began hasty evacuations. Most valued treasures, including the coffin of
Saint Casimir Casimir Jagiellon ( la, Casimirus; lt, Kazimieras; pl, Kazimierz; 3 October 1458 – 4 March 1484) was a prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Second son of King Casimir IV Jagiellon, he was tutored by Johannes ...
, main books of
Lithuanian Metrica The Lithuanian Metrica or the Metrica of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( la, Acta Magni Ducatus Lithuaniae, lt, Lietuvos Metrika, pl, Metryka Litewska, or ''Metryka Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego''; be, Літоўская Метрыка, uk, ...
, and valuables from
Vilnius Cathedral The Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius ( lt, Vilniaus Šv. Stanislovo ir Šv. Vladislovo arkikatedra bazilika; pl, Bazylika archikatedralna św. Stanisława Biskupa i św. Władysława, historical: ''Kościół Kated ...
, were transported outside the city. Janusz Radziwiłł took up defensive position on the northern shore of the
Neris The river Neris () or Viliya ( be, Ві́лія, pl, Wilia ) rises in northern Belarus. It flows westward, passing through Vilnius (Lithuania's capital) and in the south-centre of that country it flows into the Nemunas (Neman), at Kaunas, as ...
river near the present-day Green Bridge to cover the evacuations. The battle started around 6 a.m. on 8 August 1655 and lasted the whole day. The Lithuanians managed to capture three Russian flags. At night, the Lithuanian army split into two groups that retreated to
Vilkaviškis Vilkaviškis () is a city in southwestern Lithuania, the administrative center of the Vilkaviškis District Municipality. It is located northwest from Marijampolė, at the confluence of of and rivers. The city got its name from the Vilka ...
and to
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, ...
. The
garrison A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
of the
Vilnius Castle Complex The Vilnius Castle Complex ( lt, Vilniaus pilių kompleksas or ) is a group of cultural, and historic structures on the left bank of the Neris River, near its confluence with the Vilnia River, in Vilnius, Lithuania. The buildings, which evolved b ...
surrendered two days later. The invading forces plundered the city and murdered its inhabitants for several days. A fire consumed part of the city. Tsar
Alexis of Russia Aleksey Mikhaylovich ( rus, Алексе́й Миха́йлович, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ; – ) was the Tsar of Russia from 1645 until his death in 1676. While finding success in foreign affairs, his reign saw several wars ...
arrived to the city on 14 August. The city was so badly devastated that he could not find suitable accommodations in the city and instead built a large tent in . With the war against Russia still ongoing, the Commonwealth suddenly had to face a new enemy. In June 1655 Swedish forces started to advance across the northern territories of the Commonwealth.Wisner (2000), pp. 190–191 The Swedish invasion of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, part of the
Second Northern War The Second Northern War (1655–60), (also First or Little Northern War) was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1655–60), the Tsardom of Russia (Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658), 1656–58), Brande ...
, is known in the Polish history as
The Deluge The Genesis flood narrative (chapters 6–9 of the Book of Genesis) is the Hebrew version of the universal flood myth. It tells of God's decision to return the universe to its pre- creation state of watery chaos and remake it through the microc ...
. Together with his cousin
Bogusław Radziwiłł Bogusław Radziwiłł ( lt, Boguslavas Radvila; 3 May 1620 – 31 December 1669) was a Poles, Polish princely magnate and a member of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Polish-Lithuanian ''szlachta'', or nobility. He was of the Radziwił ...
, Janusz began talks with Swedish king
Charles X Gustav of Sweden Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav ( sv, Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. Afte ...
, discussing how to reverse the
Union of Lublin The Union of Lublin ( pl, Unia lubelska; lt, Liublino unija) was signed on 1 July 1569 in Lublin, Poland, and created a single state, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest countries in Europe at the time. It replaced the pe ...
which created the Commonwealth. Janusz first declared the
Grand Duchy A grand duchy is a sovereign state, country or territory whose official head of state or ruler is a monarch bearing the title of grand duke or grand duchess. Relatively rare until the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the term was oft ...
a Swedish protectorate in the
Treaty of Kėdainiai The Treaty of Kėdainiai or Kiejdany, signed on 17 August 1655, was a Swedish– Lithuanian agreement during the Second Northern War. After the Polish forces had been decisively defeated in the Battle of Ujście in which the Poznań and Kalisz ...
on 17 August 1655, then the brothers signed another treaty on 20 October according to which the Swedish–Lithuanian union was founded, and in which Radziwiłł's were to rule a part of the Grand Duchy.Peter Paul Baje
Short history of the Radziwill Family
Janusz was not alone in abandoning the Polish side; many Polish nobles, such as
Deputy Chancellor of the Crown Chancellor of Poland ( pl, Kanclerz - , from la, cancellarius) was one of the highest officials in the historic Poland. This office functioned from the early Polish kingdom of the 12th century until the end of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwea ...
Hieronim Radziejowski Hieronim Radziejowski (1612—August 8, 1667) was a Polish noble, politician, diplomat, scholar and a military commander. He was the governor of Sochaczew since 1643 and Deputy Chancellor of the Crown between 1650 and 1652. He also served as Mar ...
and
Grand Treasurer of the Crown Podskarbi in Poland then in Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal st ...
Bogusław Leszczyński Bogusław Leszczyński, count of Leszno (1614–1659) from the Leszczyński Family of Holy Roman Empire counts, was a Polish noble (''szlachcic'') and politician from Wielkopolska region. Biography Traveled abroad from 1632-1636 with his tu ...
, believing that John II Casimir was a weak king or a
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
-king, encouraged Charles Gustav to claim the Polish crown. John II Casimir had few friends among the Polish szlachta, as he openly sympathized with
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and showed disregard and contempt for the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
. Poznań Voivode
Krzysztof Opaliński Krzysztof Opaliński (21 January 1611 – 6 December 1655) was a Polish szlachta (nobleman), politician, writer, satirist, and Voivode (Governor) of Poznań. A notable figure during the Swedish Deluge, Opaliński was a skilled diplomat who oppo ...
surrendered
Great Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city ...
to Charles Gustav, and soon other voivodes followed. Although much of the Commonwealth, including
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
,
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
, and the western portions of the Grand Duchy, were taken by the Swedes, King John II Casimir and his allies were able to regain power after a few years starting with the Jasna Góra resistance and the
Tyszowce Confederation The Tyszowce Confederation (Poland), Confederation (in Polish language, Polish ''Konfederacja tyszowiecka'') was set up by the Polish army under the command of Great Crown Hetman Stanisław Rewera Potocki and Field Crown Hetman Stanisław Lanckor ...
. The Swedish defeat and eventual retreat from the territories of the Commonwealth spelled an abrupt end for the plans of Janusz and Bogusław. Janusz died in
Tykocin Tykocin is a small town in north-eastern Poland, with 2,010 inhabitants (2012), located on the Narew river, in Białystok County in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is one of the oldest towns in the region, with its historic center designated a His ...
, besieged by loyal Commonwealth forces (desperate Swedish defenders later blew themselves up).


Legacy

Janusz Radziwiłł is ill-remembered in Polish popular culture, particularly due to the negative portrayal of his supposed treason and alliance with Swedes during the Deluge by Polish 19th century
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
winner,
Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish writer, novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize laureate. He is best remembered for his historical novels, especi ...
. Sienkiewicz, in his
Trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...
, wrote about Radziwiłł's death: ''"Earthly ruin, a fallen soul, darkness, nothingness-that is all he managed to attain as a reward for service to himself"''. In Lithuania Janusz Radziwiłł (Jonušas Radvila) is remembered favourably as prominent patron of Lithuanian press and defender of the interest of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Janusz Radziwiłł (1612–1655) is portrayed prominently as
Hetman ( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders. Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
by
Władysław Hańcza Władysław Hańcza (1905–1977) was a Polish actor and theatre director. During World War II he joined an underground theater. After the war he was a lecturer at the State Theatre Academy in Warsaw. Selected filmography * '' Popioły'' (1965) ...
, in the movie-epic ''
The Deluge The Genesis flood narrative (chapters 6–9 of the Book of Genesis) is the Hebrew version of the universal flood myth. It tells of God's decision to return the universe to its pre- creation state of watery chaos and remake it through the microc ...
'' by
Jerzy Hoffman Jerzy Julian Hoffman (; born 15 March 1932) is a Polish director, screenwriter, and producer. He received the Polish Academy Life Achievement Award in February 2006. Hoffman is best known for his works in ''The Deluge'' (1974) and ''With Fire and ...
.


References

;In-line: ;Bibliography: * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Radziwill, Janusz 1612-1655 1612 births 1655 deaths People from Panevėžys County Secular senators of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Polish people of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) Polish Calvinist and Reformed Christians Field Hetmans of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Great Hetmans of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Lithuanian Calvinist and Reformed Christians Janusz 1612 17th-century Lithuanian people Polish military personnel of the Khmelnytsky Uprising Voivode of Vilnius