Jan Zamoyski

Jan Zamoyski (also known as Jan Zamojski, Ioannes de Zamość) 1542–1605, was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman, magnate, 1st duke/"ordynat" of Zamość. Royal Secretary since 1566, Lesser Kanclerz (Chancellor)) of the Crown since 1576, Lord Grand-Chancellor of the Crown since 1578, and Grand Hetman of the Crown since 1581. General Starost of Kraków from 1580 to 1585, Starost of Bełz, Międzyrzecze, Krzeszów, Knyszyn and Derpsk. Important advisor to Kings Sigismund II Augustus and Stephen Báthory, he was one of the major opponents of Bathory's successor, Sigismund III Vasa, and one of the most skilled diplomats, politicians and statesmen of his time, standing as a major figure in the politics of the Commonwealth throughout his life.Fact|date=May 2008

Biography

Early years: the royal supporter

He attended the University of Paris and University of Padua, where he converted from Calvinism to Roman Catholicism. Since his student days he become deeply interested in politics. After he returned to Poland, he was appointed secretary to King Sigismund II. In 1563 he wrote "De senatu Romano", a brochure about Ancient Rome government, in which he sought to apply constitutional principles of republican Rome to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.Fact|date=May 2008After the extinction of the Jagiellon dynasty in 1572 during the election sejm (Polish "sejm elekcyjny") he used his influence to enforce the "victrom election procedure" (meaning all nobles had the right to vote for the king) and the majority voting procedure. During that time he wrote the "Modus electionis" brochure. He was a friend of Mikołaj Sienicki and Hieronim Ossolinski, and he soon become the most important leader of the faction of the lesser and middle nobility (szlachta) in the Commonwealth, whose goal was the reform the country, forming the execution movement (or 'executionist movement', Polish: "egzekucja praw", "egzekucja dóbr", "popularysci", "ruch egzekucyjny") - preserving the unique constitutional and parliamentary government of the Commonwealth with the dominant role of poorer nobility (Golden Freedom). He was so influential that this group was later called 'zamojczycy' (Polish adjective form of his surname - "Zamoyski's people").Fact|date=May 2008

He opposed the magnate faction, which wished to offer the throne to a member of the Habsburg branch. During the 1573 election he was in favour of Henryk II Walezy. During the 1575 election he championed the case of anti-Habsburg Stephen Bathory. At that time he was one of the most powerful people in the country, having obtained both the power of Grand Hetman (commander in chief of the armed forces) and that of chancellor, and soon becoming one of the richest Polish magnates. He supported Batory's politics, which were opposed to both the Habsburgs and Ottomans and supported him in his efforts to strengthen the royal power. He took part in the preparation and war against Muscovy in 1579–1581, when he captured Wielize and Zawoloc.

Later years: in opposition to the throne

After the death of Batory in 1586, Zamoyski helped Sigismund III Vasa to gain the Polish throne, fighting in the brief civil war against the forces supporting Habsburg archduke Maximilian III of Austria, and defeating them in the Battle of Byczyna in 1588, when Maximilian and his magnate supporters tried to seize Kraków, the Polish capital. Maximilian was taken prisoner and had to give up all pretences to the Polish crown. However, from the very beginning of Sigismund III's reign, Zamoyski, who was once a staunch supporter of the Commonwealth kings, joined the opposition against the monarch's intentions of transforming the Commonwealth into an absolute monarchy. Sigismund had quickly allied himself with the Habsburgs and other Counter-Reformation forces, in order to secure their help for regaining the Swedish throne. The new King feared the chancellor's power, but due to Commonwealth laws he was unable to dismiss him from his posts. In turn, Zamoyski treated the King as a pawn and ignorant foreigner. In opposition to the king, Zamoyski advocated religious tolerance, opposed the growing power of the Roman Catholic Church and Jesuits, and warned against forcing the Commonwealth into useless dynasty wars with Sweden, especially with the constant danger from the Ottoman Empire. His politics and actions where responsible for Poland opposing and eventually avoiding the trend toward absolutism that characterized the other states of Europe. Open conflict between king and chancellor broke out during the Sejm (Polish Diet) of 1592, when Zamoyski found out that Sigismund was plotting to cede the Polish crown to the Habsburgs in exchange for their support of his right to the Swedish throne. Zamoyski failed to dethrone Sigismund but won for himself a free hand in the Moldavian campaign where in 1595 he helped hospodar Ieremia Movilă (Jeremi Mohyła) to gain the throne. In 1600 he fought against Michael the Brave (Michal Waleczny, Mihai Viteazul), hospodar of Wallachia and the new Prince of Transylvania, who had conquered Moldavia a few months earlier. He defeated him under Bukova (Bucovu; see Battle of the Teleajăn River) and restored Ieremia to the throne, even helping his brother, Simion Movilă to become brief ruler of Wallachia, thus spreading the influence of the Commonwealth to the Central Danube.Fact|date=May 2008

In 1600 and 1601 he took part in the war against Sweden commanding the Commonwealth forces in Livonia (Inflanty). In 1600 he recaptured some strongholds from the Swedes and year later captured Wolmar and Fellin, and in 1602 Bialy Kamien. The rigours of the campaign, however, placed a strain on his health, and he resigned the command.

Legacy

In 1580 he founded the city of Zamość, built and designed as a Renaissance " _it. citta ideale" or "ideal city" by the Italian architect Bernardo Morando. During his life he gathered much wealth - he owned 11 cities and 200 villages (around 6400 km²) and was a royal caretaker of another 112 cities and 612 villages (around 17500 km²). In 1595 he founded the Akademia Zamojska.Fact|date=May 2008

Jan Zamoyski is one of the characters in the famous paintings by Jan Matejko: "Sermon of Skarga" and "Batory at Pskov".

See also

*Moldavian Magnate Wars