Ignacy Erazm Działyński (1754–1797) was a Polish nobleman (
szlachcic) of
Ogończyk coat of arms and a military
officer, known for his participation in the
Warsaw Uprising of 1794.
Biography
Born in 1754 in
Konarzewo near
Poznań
Poznań ( ) is a city on the Warta, River Warta in west Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business center and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John's ...
, he was the son of the
Voivode of Kalisz Augustyn Radomiecki and his wife Anna. Orphaned early by his father, he was raised by his father-in-law, Great Lithuanian Marshal
Władysaw Gótowski. Educated in the
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
school in Poznań and the
Collegium Nobilium in
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, in 1784 he married Szczęsna Woroniczówna, daughter of a Spaniard of
Bełsk and owner of much land in
Wołyń.
In 1780 he joined the
Polish Army
The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...
with the rank of
Rotmistrz of
Cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
. On 23 December 1788 he bought from general
Aleksander Mycielski the rank of
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
and the command of
10th Regiment of Foot. That regiment, known as the 'Radzyński Regiment' (of the
Ordynacja Rydzyńska) under his command became known as 'Działyński Regiment'. He was a deputy for the famous
Sejm Wielki, where together with
Jan Kiliński he was one of the leaders of the 'moderate' faction, supporting the King
Stanisław August Poniatowski,
Polish Constitution of 3 May 1791, and advocating strengthening of the army, enfranchisement of the
burghers and alliance with
Revolutionary France. The following year together with his regiment he took part in the ill-fated
War in Defense of the Constitution (
Battle of Swisłocz,
Battle of Zelwa on 4 July,
Battle of Izabelin on 5 July,
Battle of Piaski,
Battle of Granne and
Battle of Krzemień on 24 July).
Together with his unit he took a leading role in the Warsaw Uprising of 1794 during the early stages of the
Kościuszko Uprising (17–19 April). Later he fought in the
Battle of Biała,
Battle of Nowe Miasto on 3 May,
Battle of Chełm on 8 June,
Battle of Kurów,
Battle of Gołków on 9 July,
Battle for Warsaw-Wola on 27 July and 28 August and the
Battle of Maciejowice on 10 October.
He was preparing for the Uprising since 1793, and he continued his opposition to the Russians invasion and
partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partition (politics), partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. They ended the existence of the state, resulting in the eli ...
by organising resistance in Wołyń until he was arrested in 1794 and sentenced to
exile
Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
to
Berezowo in
Siberia.
Freemason
Received
Order of the White Eagle (1791) and
Order of Saint Stanislaus
The Order of Saint Stanislaus (, ), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It remained under the Congress Poland, Kingdom of Pola ...
.
References
Battles of the Polish 10th Regiment on Foot
1754 births
1797 deaths
Polish Army officers
18th-century Polish nobility
Kościuszko insurgents
People of the Polish–Russian War of 1792
Polish exiles in the Russian Empire
Generals of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Ignacy
18th-century Polish military personnel
{{Poland-mil-bio-stub