Marian Langiewicz, full name Marian Antoni Melchior Langiewicz (; 5 August 1827,

Krotoszyn Krotoszyn (german: Krotoschin, yi, קראטאשין ''Krotoshin'') is a town in west-central Poland with 30,010 inhabitants . It has been part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; it was within Kalisz Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998. ...

– 11 May 1887,

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

), was a Polish patriot notable as a military leader of the January Uprising in 1863.

Biography

He was born in the province of Posen, his father being the local doctor. Langiewicz was educated at Posen, Breslau and

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...

, and was compelled to earn his daily bread by giving lectures. He subsequently entered the Prussian

Landwehr ''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortificatio ...

and served for a year in the royal guard. In 1860 he migrated to Paris and was for a time professor in the high school founded there by Ludwik Adam Mieroslawski. The same year he took part in Giuseppe Garibaldi's Neapolitan campaign, and was then a professor in the military school at

Cuneo Cuneo (; pms, Coni ; oc, Coni/Couni ; french: Coni ) is a city and ''comune'' in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the fourth largest of Italy’s provinces by area. It is located at 550 metres (1,804 ft) in ...

till the establishment was closed. In 1862 he entered into communication with the central Polish committee at

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

, and on the outbreak of the insurrection, 22 January 1863, he took the command of the armed bands. He defeated the Russians at Wąchock and Słupia (February), capturing 1000 muskets and 8 cannon. This victory drew hundreds of young recruits to his standard, till at last he had 12,000 men at his disposal. On 23 February he again defeated the Russians, at Małogoszcz, and captured 500 muskets and 2 cannons. On 10 March he proclaimed himself

Dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in tim ...

and attempted to form a regular government; but either he had insufficient organizing talent, or had not time enough to carry out his plans, and after a fresh series of engagements at the battle of Chrobrze on 17 March and battle of Grochowiska on 18 March he took refuge in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n territory and was interned at

Tarnów Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarn� ...

. He was subsequently transferred to the fortress of Josephstadt, from which he was released in 1865. He then lived at

Solothurn Solothurn ( , ; french: Soleure ; it, Soletta ; rm, ) is a town, a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. It is located in the north-west of Switzerland on the banks of the Aare and on the foot of the Weissens ...

as a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and subsequently entered the Turkish service as Langie Bey. He died in

on 10 May 1887 and is buried at the Haidar Pasha Cemetery with his English wife Suzanne (2 February 1837 - 24 November 1906).

Sources and references

* * See Boleslaw Limanowski, ''The National Insurrection of 1863-64'' (Pol.) (Lemberg, 1900); Paulo Mazzolcni, ''I Bergamaschi in Polonia net 1863'' (Bergamo, 1893); W. H. Bavink, ''De Poolsche opstand 1863, &c.'' (Haarlein, 1864). {{DEFAULTSORT:Langiewicz, Marian 1827 births 1887 deaths People from Krotoszyn 19th-century Ottoman military personnel Generals of the January Uprising Burials at Haydarpaşa Cemetery