- Adam Stanisław Krasiński
:"This in an article about the 18th century bishop. For the 19th century bishop, see
Adam Stanisław Krasiński (1810-1891) ."Adam Stanisław Krasiński (1714-1800) was a Polish noble ofŚlepowron coat of arms ,bishop of Kamieniec (1757-1798),Great Crown Secretary (from 1752), president of theCrown Tribunal in 1759 and one of the leaders ofBar Confederation (1768-1772).Biography
He was born on 4 April 1714, as son of
Jan Krasiński and Elżbieta Teresa Sołtyk, brother ofMichał Hieronim Krasiński . In his early years he was a supporter of kingStanisław Leszczyński during theWar of the Polish Succession which begun in 1733. A year later he joined theDzików Confederation and acted as its diplomatic emissary toParis . He attended universities in Paris, and later, in 1737, inRome . In 1747 he matriculated from theJagiellonian University . With support ofAndrzej Stanisław Załuski he became canon ofPłock and joined thechancellery of kingAugustus III of Poland . In 1751 he was Płock's delegate to theCrown Tribunal . Next year, in 1752, with support ofJerzy August Mniszech he became theGreat Crown Secretary . In 1753 he became the canon ofGniezno . In 1757 he became theprelate scholasticus of Gniezno and received theOrder of the White Eagle . In 1758 he was the president of the Crown Tribunal and became thebishop of Kamieniec (nowKamianets-Podilskyi ).Opponent of
Familia 's reforms in 1763; supporter of thehetman 's faction andHouse of Wettin . In 1764 his actions interrupted thesejmik inGrudziądz . Political opponent of Familia's KingStanisław August Poniatowski . Joined theRadom Confederation in 1767 and for a short time supportedGabriel Podoski andNicholas Repnin 's plans against Poniatowski.From 1768 to 1772 one of the leaders of the
Bar Confederation , considered by some to be the firstPolish uprising [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1425918387&id=3C8JR8Gv3AkC&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=Bar+confederation+uprising&sig=KjRrR8Z4mEGbDY6YF-AgRlGvjXA] . It was formed by Polish nobility who opposed Russian intervention into Polish internal politics; Krasiński also criticized theHoly See for its silence on the matter of arrest of several Polish nobles during that time, including two bishops (Kajetan Ignaty Sołtyk andJózef Andrzej Załuski , by the Russians. In the Bar Confederation he became their most important diplomat, responsible for many negotiations and their relations with foreign powers. In October 1768 he went to Paris where he was received byLouis XV of France who promised support for the confederates. In 1769 he advocated theassassination of King Poniatowski, later that year he became the head of the confederate's government in Biała. In 1770 he went toDresden to gain support from theHoly Roman Empire ; later that year he metJoseph II, Holy Roman Emperor and received an offer of help from him. Also he did not support the declaration that King Poniatowski is not the legitimate king of Poland, he nonetheless supportedFrederick Augustus I of Saxony as a counter-candidate. He was likely one of the supporters or even the ring-leader of the plan to kidnap Poniatowski, eventually carried byKazimierz Pułaski in 1771. That plan nonetheless backfired, as Poniatowski not only escaped but this action caused much controversy in Europe and resulted in loss of much international support for the confederates. Eventually in 1772 he begun negotiations with the King about surrender of the confederates; later that year he himself was kidnapped by theCossack s and temporarily imprisoned inWarsaw . He was nonetheless set free after he pledged loyalty to the king and regained his posts in thePolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth .After 1772, he distanced himself from political life until the reforms of the late 1780s. In 1780, 1782, 1784 and 1786 he was the president of the
Sejm court . In 1787 ordered the reconstruction of fortress in Kamieniec. During theGreat Sejm , he was one of the most active supporter of theConstitution of May 3, 1791 , publishing projects and papers supporting it, and eventually taking part in the semi-coup that resulted in its declaration. Notably, he commented on behaviour of one of the constitution opponents, Jan Sucharzewski (who threatened to kill himself and his young son to 'spare them the fate of living under this restrictive law') saying 'shave his head and send him to the asylum'. Vocal opponent ofTargowica Confederation , which after its victory punished him by abolishing hisdiocese . Supporter ofKościuszko Uprising ; he collected funds for the uprising. After its defeat, he left political life again, eventually moving to thePrussia n partition. He died in October 1800 inKrasne .He was also known for his support of
religious tolerance .He has been a controversial figure for historians: unwielding supporter of
Golden Liberty in the age where it was impossible to uphold this principle; supporter of the conservative and treacherous hetman's faction in the early 1760s, two decades later, leader of the Bar Confederation - seen the first of Poland's national uprisings - and finally one of the supporters of the May's Constitution.References
*Polish|Adam Stanisław Krasiński|1 April 2007
*pl icon [http://www.krasne.pl/135-44a5220692af0.htm Short biography]
*pl icon [http://encyklopedia.interia.pl/haslo?hid=80471 Short entry at Interia Encyklopedia]
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