Count Marcin Kazimierz Kątski of Brochwicz (1636 – 1710) was a Polish nobleman, politician, diplomat, scholar, military commander, General of Artillery of the Crown (1667–1710), the Voivode of Kiev (1684–1702) and Castellan of

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...

(1706–1710). Kątski took part in all campaigns led by King John III Sobieski. Among others, he participated at the Battle of Chocim, Żórawne, Battle of Vienna and Parkany.

Biography

Early life and studies

King

John II Casimir John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...

funded a scholarship for young Kątski, so that in the years 1653–1657 he would become familiar with the latest trends in the art of war by serving in the French army and commanding together with Marshal Prince

Louis de Bourbon Louis de Bourbon may refer to: * Louis I, Duke of Bourbon (1279 – 1342), Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche, and the first Duke of Bourbon * Louis II, Duke of Bourbon, called the Good (1337 – 1410), third Duke of Bourbon * Louis de ...

in the Netherlands. In the years 1663 to 1664 as a lieutenant colonel of infantry, he took part in a military expedition of

to the

Dnieper } The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and ...

river in Ruthenia.

Military career and politics

Kątski became the General of Artillery of the Crown in 1667. He Participated in all of the campaigns of chief captain,

Hetman ( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders. Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...

, and later King

John Sobieski John III Sobieski ( pl, Jan III Sobieski; lt, Jonas III Sobieskis; la, Ioannes III Sobiscius; 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobi ...

, including the siege of Vienna in 1683, when Kątski was only an artillery commander. However all of the armies of the Allies commanded by him managed to get through with 28 guns through the hills of the Viennese Woods. During the reign of

Augustus II the Strong Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as K ...

he defeated the

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...

near

Kamieniec Podolski Kamianets-Podilskyi ( uk, Ка́м'яне́ць-Поді́льський, russian: Каменец-Подольский, Kamenets-Podolskiy, pl, Kamieniec Podolski, ro, Camenița, yi, קאַמענעץ־פּאָדאָלסק / קאַמעניץ, ...

and regained the fortress. During his military career, Kątski received merit for the development of Polish artillery and fortifications. His effort was visible at the confluence of the

Dniester The Dniester, ; rus, Дне́стр, links=1, Dnéstr, ˈdⁿʲestr; ro, Nistru; grc, Τύρᾱς, Tyrās, ; la, Tyrās, la, Danaster, label=none, ) ( ,) is a transboundary river in Eastern Europe. It runs first through Ukraine and th ...

and Zbrucz rivers where a neglected defensive castle developed into the famous fortress and stronghold called ''Okopy Św. Trójcy'' (lit. Trenches of Holy Trinity). In 1669 Kątski killed, in a duel, the

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Krosno Krosno (in full ''The Royal Free City of Krosno'', pl, Królewskie Wolne Miasto Krosno) is a historical town and county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. The estimated population of the town is 47,140 inhabitants as of ...

Jan Karol Fredro. In 1674 he was the elector of King John III Sobieski. After the death of John III, Kątski was even considered as a potential heir to the throne. Following the election of

he was the steward and the governor of

Podolia Podolia or Podilia ( uk, Поділля, Podillia, ; russian: Подолье, Podolye; ro, Podolia; pl, Podole; german: Podolien; be, Падолле, Padollie; lt, Podolė), is a historic region in Eastern Europe, located in the west-central ...

, the governor of Przemyśl, castellan of Lwów, Kiev and provincial governor and castellan of

Marriage and issue

Marcin Kazimierz Kątski married Urszula Denhof, countess Denhof, daughter of

treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury ...

Teodor Denhof, count Denhof and Katharina Francis von Bessen and had three children: * Teresa Kątska (died 1746), married marshal and voivode of Pomorze and

Mazowsze Mazovia or Masovia ( pl, Mazowsze) is a historical region in mid-north-eastern Poland. It spans the North European Plain, roughly between Łódź and Białystok, with Warsaw being the unofficial capital and largest city. Throughout the centurie ...

, starost of Lwów Stefan Potocki h. Piława * Jan Stanisław Kątski (died 1727), general and miecznik of the Crown, married Wiktoria Szczuka h. Grabie, daughter of

Sejm Marshal The Marshal of the Sejm , also known as Sejm Marshal, Chairman of the Sejm or Speaker of the Sejm ( pl, Marszałek Sejmu, ) is the speaker (chair) of the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament. The office traces its origins to the 15th ...

Stanisław Antoni Szczuka h. Grabie * Marianna Kątska (1697–1752), married starost of

Trembowla Terebovlia ( uk, Теребовля, pl, Trembowla, yi, טרעבעוולע, Trembovla) is a small city in Ternopil Raion, Ternopil Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. It is an ancient settlement that traces its roots to the settlement of Tere ...

and Czehryń Michał Franciszek Potocki h. Piława

Bibliography

* Marcin Kątski, Diariusz wyprawy wiedeńskiej króla Jana III w roku 1683, 2003 * Polski Słownik Biograficzny, t. 12, s. 316 * Piotr Salamon, Marcin Kazimierz Kątski 1635–1710 zarys biograficzny, Kraków 2013 * Jan Wimmer: Generał Marcin Kątski, 1954

References

External links

* http://www.wilanow-palac.pl/portret_marcina_katskiego.html * http://www.wilanow-palac.pl/marcin_kazimierz_katski_uczestnik_bitwy_wiedenskiej.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Katski, Marcin Kazimierz 1636 births 1710 deaths Marcin Ruthenian nobility of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Secular senators of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Polish people of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) Castellans of Kraków