Paweł Działyński (; born 1560 – died 1609) of

Ogończyk coat of arms Ogończyk is a Polish heraldry, Polish coat of arms. It was used by several szlachta families in the times of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. History Although the coat of arms was ...

, son of Paweł and Krystyna Kostczanka, was a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

courtier, royal secretary, ambassador and starost (governor) of

Bobrowniki Bobrowniki () is a town in Lipno County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Bobrowniki. It lies approximately south-west of Lipno and south-east of Toruń. In ...

and Radzyń. He may have been related to Vice Chancellor

Piotr Tylicki Piotr Tylicki (1543–1616) was a Polish nobleman who was Bishop of Kraków (1607-1616). He was also Bishop of Chełmno, Warmia, and Włocławek, and Vice-Chancellor of the Crown of Poland (1598-1603). Tylicki was born in Kowal to a family tha ...

. In 1597 he was sent by

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 ...

of Poland-Lithuania to Holland and England, both at war with Spain, to protest the seizing of ships transporting goods between Poland and Spain. His style was provocative in both countries, including at a meeting with

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...

where she rebuked him in Latin for his disrespect and what she considered his misunderstanding of the laws of war. As a result of Działyński's appearance in England, George Carew was sent to Poland to resolve the shipping issue, which resulted in some compromises by both sides. Działyński's reputation in Poland was not harmed by his embassy. It was subsequent to the visit that he was promoted to starost of Radzyń, and in 1781 a bronze bust was commissioned by Polish King

Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, and as Stanisław August Poniatowski (), was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuani ...

of him and several other distinguished figures from Polish history; however some confusion at the time of creation makes it unclear whether he or

Paweł Jan Działyński Paweł Jan Działyński (1594–1643) was a Pomeranian Voivodeship (1466–1772), voivode of Pomerania from 1630 to 1643. He succeeded Samuel Konarski, and was himself followed by Gerhard Dönhoff, a member of the Dönhoff, Dönhoff family. Bio ...

is represented. The bust is in the Knights Hall at the

Royal Castle, Warsaw The Royal Castle in Warsaw ( ) is a state museum and a List of Historic Monuments (Poland), national historical monument, which formerly served as the official Castle, royal residence of several List of Polish rulers, Polish monarchs. The person ...

, and i
viewable online
A
anonymous Dutch painting
owned by the Hague Historical Museum and currently displayed at the Polish Embassy, ''De Plaats te Den Haag, gezien naar de Hofvijver'' (1597) shows a group of figures wearing Polish garments, presumably including Działyński, among other figures notable in the political and religious life of the city at the time.

Inspiration

It is possible that the character ''

Polonius Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet''. He is the chief counsellor of the play's ultimate villain, Claudius, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Generally regarded as wrong in every judgment he makes over the cou ...

'' from Shakespeare's ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' was inspired by the Działyński affair, as a play on the name of his home country.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dzialynski, Pawel Polish nobility Ambassadors of Poland to the Kingdom of England 1560 births 1609 deaths Działyński family