Krzysztof Opaliński

The 17th Century Polish Nobility http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id221.html

Coat of arms Opaliński; Spouse(s) Teresa Czarnkowska; Issue

Piotr Adam Opaliński; Jan Karol Opaliński; Zofia Krystyna Opalińska; Teodora Konstancja Opalińska; Ludwika Maria Opalińska; Franciszka Teodora Opalińska; Noble family Koniecpolski; Father Piotr Opaliński; Mother Zofia Kostka; Born 21 January 1611; Sieraków, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth; Died 6 December 1655 (aged 44); Włoszakowice, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth;

Krzysztof Opaliński (21 January 1611 – 6 December 1655) was a Polish noble (szlachcic), politician, writer and satirist, Voivode of Poznań and starosta kowelski, śremski, osiecki, międzyłęski.

Son of Piotr Opaliński. Married Teresa Czarnkowska on 28 May 1634, had two sons: Piotr Opaliński and Jan Karol Opaliński and four daughters.

Together with brother Łukasz Opaliński studied in the Lubrański Academy in Poznań (1620–1625), and later abroad at Louvain (1626–1629), Orléans (1629) and Padua (1630). After returning to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the position of starosta śremski he became active on the political scene. In February 1632, he was elected a deputy at the election sejm which elected Władysław IV Vasa. In 1637, after his father's death, he became the voivode of Poznań. He opposed most of Władysław military proposals (from increasing the army to the war against Ottomans), although he supported his idea of sea tariffs. In 1645 he led a diplomatic mission to Paris, where he was a proxy of king Władysław during his marriage to Ludwika Maria Gonzaga, whom he escorted back to Poland afterwards.

In 1647 he bought Sieraków from his brother Łukasz and moved there. In 1650 he opened the first modern school in Poland (in Sieraków), using the didactic materials prepared by Jan Amos Komenski (Komenský, Comenius). A Catholic himself, he was critical of the zealotry of the Society of Jesus and supported religious tolerance. He was a patron of writers, scientists and a bibliophile.

Political rival of starost Bogusław Leszczyński in the Wielkopolska province.

When in 1648 Poland elected a new king, the Swede Jan Kazimierz Vasa, Opaliński joined the opposition against Jan Kazimierz. The king had few friends among the Polish szlachta (nobility), as he openly sympathized with Austria and showed disregard and contempt for Polish culture (Sarmatism). Due to this, thinking that Jan II Kazimierz was a weak King, or a Jesuit-King, or for any other reasons, many encouraged King Charles X Gustav of Sweden to claim the Polish Crown. During the Swedish invasion (The Deluge) Krzysztof Opaliński and Bogusław Leszczyński tasked with defence of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska), dissatisfied with policies of Jan Kazimierz, decided to surrender together with their pospolite ruszenie of Great Poland to Charles Gustav at Ujście on 25 July 1655. Many other voivodes of other voivodships followed their suit, especially Janusz Radziwiłł in Lithuania (although Krzysztof brother, Łukasz Opaliński, remained loyal to the Polish king). Almost the entire country was overrun by the Swedes, before the Jasna Góra resistance and the Tyszowce Confederation which turned the tide against the Swedes.

Died in 1655 at Włoszakowice at the age of 44. Buried next to his father in the catacombs at church at Sieraków.

Works[edit] The author of a popular work, often reprinted in this century called Satyry, albo Przestrogi do naprawy rządu i obyczajów w Polszcze należące (Satires, or Warnings Related to the Reform of Government and Customs in Poland) published in 1650, in the aftermath of the Chmielnicki Uprising that spelled the end of the Golden Age of the Commonwealth. The satires, modelled on the Satires of Juvenal, written in unrhymed syllabic verse, are his most famous work. In them he denounced the oppression of peasants (increasing serfdom) and corruption of Golden Freedoms, visible in the increasing anarchy which was to be found in political life. He also wrote on witchcraft in one the satires, one of the few contemporary voices to correctly identify some of the motives behind the witchcraft persecution and to denounce them. He wrote comedies and tragedies for his school, however they have not survived. His letters to his brother Łukasz are collected in Listy Kszysztofa Opalińskiego do brata Łukasza 1641–1653 (first edition in 1957).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krzysztof_Opali%C5%84ski

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krzysztof_Opali%C5%84ski

Krzysztof Opaliński (ur. 21 stycznia 1611, zm. 7 grudnia 1655[1]%29 – poeta, rzymski katolik, od 1637 wojewoda poznański, marszałek Trybunału Głównego Koronnego w 1641 roku[2], jeden z przywódców opozycji magnackiej przeciw Władysławowi IV i Janowi Kazimierzowi.

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krzysztof_Opali%C5%84ski

Kristupas Opalinskis (lenk. Krzysztof Opaliński; 1611 m. sausio 21 d., Serakuvas – 1655 m. gruodžio 6 d., Vlošakovice) – Lenkijos poetas, Poznanės vaivada (nuo 1637), magnatų opozicijos prieš Vladislovą IV ir Joną II Kazimierą vienas iš lyderių

https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristupas_Opalinskis