Adam Kazanowski

Adam Kazanowski, (1599–1649), was a noble (szlachcic) of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1633. Greater Crown Stolnik from 1634, Court Chamberlain (podkomorzy koronny) and castellan of Sandomierz from 1637, Court Marshall from 1643, ?upnik of Wieliczka from 1642, starosta barcicki, borysowski, kozienicki, rumie?ski, solecki, nowotarski, warecki, bielski. Friend of king Wladyslaw IV Waza. In 1634 married El?bieta S?uszczanka, later Hieronimowa Radziejowska, but he never had children.

Related Topics:
1599 - 1649 - Noble - Szlachcic - Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - 1633 - Stolnik - Castellan - Sandomierz - Wieliczka - Starosta - Wladyslaw IV Waza - El?bieta S?uszczanka - Hieronimowa Radziejowska

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Together with his brother, Stanis?aw Kazanowski (starost of Krosno, Jaworów and Przedbor), Adam was raised with crown prince Wladyslaw. He accompanied him during his attempt to become a Russian Tzar, in the Chocim war of 1621 and the 1620s European voyage. In 1631 he is the starost if Barcko. When Wladyslaw became king in 1634, he was showered with gifts and new official titles. In 1634 he becames the starost of Borysowo, and gains the rank of podstoli and soon after that, stolnik.

Related Topics:
Stanis?aw Kazanowski - Crown prince - Russia - Tzar - Chocim - Barcko - Borysowo

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Kazanowski was viewed by many as a greedy, arrogant mangante and a 'bad influence' on the king, but he always remained close to W?adys?aw. When Wladyslaw royal treasury run dry once, Adam Kazanowski borrowed him his money and mortaged many of his goods, saying My liege, I cannot become poor when I am near to you, but I will not be rich without you. This friendship gave him enough political levarage to remain an important player in the Commonwalth politics. Privy to king's thoughts and secrets, organiser of many lavish parties and festivities, he was not interested in the 'great (foreign) politics', but he was a powerful player in the smaller court intrigues. He knew many secrets of the royal court, and could influence W?adys?aw to be friendly or not towards various newcomers, envoys and other visitors to the court.

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As a sign of frienship, W?adys?aw bestowed many favours, positions and gifts to Kazanowski, who soon had his own palace in Warsaw, rivaling those of other magnates, and owned close to half of Praga district in the capital. A contemporary writer, after his death, wrote: Never has Poland seen so much wealth in a private hand of a single man. Those many favours, especially coupled with both Kazanowski and Wladyslaw lavish spending, raised many protests from the Commonwealth parliament, the Sejm. They had, however, little effect on both Kazanowski and W?adys?aw.

Related Topics:
Praga - Sejm

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His influence did diminshed after 1637, when W?adys?aw married Habsburg princess Cecylia Renata. Since then, Kazanowski became and enemy of the queen and other Habsburg supporters, like Jerzy Ossoli?ski, and allied himself with Piotr Gembicki (chancellor until 1642).

Related Topics:
1637 - Habsburg - Cecylia Renata - Jerzy Ossoli?ski - Piotr Gembicki

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Died in 1649. Buried in St.John Chapel in Warsaw.

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