Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł (1 July 1593 – 12 November 1656) was a Polish

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

, a Reichfürst and a politician from the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

, who served as the Lithuanian Vice-chancellor from 1619, the Lithuanian Grand Chancellor and starosta of

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

from 1623. He was a member of the powerful Radziwiłł family, last of the Ołyka line, fourth to bear the name of Albrycht. During his life he was an influential

magnate The term magnate, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

and diplomat in the country. Radziwiłł was a vigorous

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

and staunch supporter of

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...

, but also the arch enemy of the

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

community.

Biography

He was born on 1 July 1593 in his family manor in

Ołyka Olyka (, ; ; ) is a city in Lutsk Raion, Volyn Oblast, western Ukraine. It is located east of Lutsk on the Putylivka Rriver. Its population is History The village of Olyka was founded in the early Middle Ages as one of the villages belonging ...

to Stanisław Pius Radziwiłł and Marianna née Myszka. During his life Albrycht held several important posts in the

, some of them hereditary. Apart from directing his family estate in Ołyka at

Volhynia Volhynia or Volynia ( ; see #Names and etymology, below) is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between southeastern Poland, southwestern Belarus, and northwestern Ukraine. The borders of the region are not clearly defined, but in ...

(''ordynacja ołycka''), he was in charge of foreign policies and internal affairs of the

Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...

, as he held the posts Lithuanian Vice-chancellor (since 1619), Grand Chancellor of Lithuania and starosta of

(since 1623), as well as governor of

Kowel Kovel (, ; ; ) is a city in Volyn Oblast, northwestern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kovel Raion within the oblast. Population: Kovel gives its name to one of the oldest runic inscriptions which were lost during World War II ...

Tuchola Tuchola (; ) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland. The Pomeranian town, which is the seat of Tuchola County, had a population of 13,418 . Geographical location Tuchola lies about north of Bydgoszcz, close to th ...

, Gniew,

Pinsk Pinsk (; , ; ; ; ) is a city in Brest Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Pinsk District, though it is administratively separated from the district. It is located in the historical region of Polesia, at the confluence of t ...

as, Wieluń, Daugpilis,

Kobryn Kobryn or Kobrin is a town in Brest Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Kobryn District. It is located in the southwestern corner of Belarus, where the Mukhavets river and Dnieper–Bug Canal meet. The town lies about east ...

as and

Šiauliai Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...

. Supporter of

King of Poland Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Royal elections in Poland, free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electab ...

and Grand Duke of Lithuania

Sigismund III Vasa Sigismund III Vasa (, ; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Re ...

, he often stood in opposition to his son and successor,

Władysław IV Vasa Władysław IV Vasa or Ladislaus IV (9 June 1595 – 20 May 1648) was King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and claimant of the thrones of Monarchy of Sweden, Sweden and List of Russian monarchs, Russia. Born into the House of Vasa as a prince ...

on the matters of religion. Władysław was lenient towards Protestants and encouraged

religious tolerance Religious tolerance or religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, ...

, while Albrycht was an outspoken opponent of all non-Catholics, sometimes even refusing to stamp documents with his Chancellor's seal granting them rights and privileges. He was also a patriot of Grand Duchy: he always strived to ensure that there is no discrimination towards his compatriots and they have equal representation in the Commonwealth federal political structure, just as he tried to ensure that non-Catholics had as little of it as possible. In his opposition to

heretic Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...

s he was supported by Chancellor Jerzy Ossoliński. He sympathized with the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

faction and supported Queen Cecilia Renata of Austria, the Habsburg wife of King Władysław IV. Just like the other Radziwiłł family members, he was famous for the support given to his relatives: he did not fail to watch over the interests of his

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

cousins, despite being renowned for his opposition to the heretics. Despite being one of the most powerful

s in the

, both of his marriages (with Regina von Eisenreich in 1619, court lady of Queen Constance and after her death in 1637 with Anna Krystyna Działyńska-Lubomirska in 1638) were childless. During later stages of his life, Radziwiłł wrote a

diary A diary is a written or audiovisual memorable record, with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digita ...

''Memoriale rerum gestarum in Polonia'' (''Memoir'' or ''Diary of the history of Poland'') covering the 1632–1656 period. This book is perhaps his most famous legacy. He died childless on 12 November 1656. His estates were inherited by Ordynat of Nesvyžius line of Radziwiłł family.

References

External links

Albrycht Stanislaw Radziwill at Dynastic Genealogy
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Radziwill, Albrycht Stanislaw Secular senators of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1595 births 1656 deaths 17th-century writers in Latin Polish Princes of the Holy Roman Empire Albrycht Stanislaw Radziwill Grand chancellors of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Grand Marshals of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Court Marshals of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania