John II Casimir of Poland

Biography

His father Sigismund, grandson of Gustav I of Sweden, had succeded his father to the Swedish throne in 1592 only to be deposed from the by his uncle Charles IX of Sweden in 1599. This lead to a long standing feud where the Polish kings of the house of Vasa claimed the Swedish throne. Effects of this were the Swedish War (1600-1629). Poland and Sweden were also on opposite sides in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), although Poland, for the most part, has avoided taking part in any major military actions in that war.

Related Topics:
Gustav I of Sweden - Swedish - 1592 - Charles IX of Sweden - 1599 - House of Vasa - Swedish War - 1600 - 1629 - Thirty Years' War - 1618 - 1648

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John Casimir for most of his life remained in the shadow of his brother, Wladyslaw IV Waza. He had few friends among the Polish nobility, the szlachta, as he openly sympathised with Austria and showed disregard and conempt for Polish culture. Unfriendly, secretive, dividing his time between lavish parties and religious contemplation, disliking the politics, he didn't have a strong power base nor influence at the Polish court. He did show talent as a mililtary commander and showed his abilities in the Smolensk War against Muscovy in 1633. Between 1632-1635 W?adys?aw attempted to increase his influence and arrange his marriage to Christina of Sweden or some Italian princess, but to no avail. In 1635 John undertakes a diplomatic mission to Vienna, which he discards and joins the army of the Holy Roman Empire and fights against the French forces. After his regiment is defeated in battle, he spends a year living lavishly at the Vienna court. In 1636 he return to the Commonwealth, falls in love and attempts to marry baroness Guldentern but is stopped by W?adys?aw. In return, W?adys?aw attempts to make him the sovereign to Courland, but this is vetoed by Commonwealth parliament, the Sejm. Taking offence in this, Jan leaves the country in 1638 and goes to Spain to became the viceking of Portugal, but is captured by French agents and imprisoned until 1640 under the orders of Cardinal Richelieu. In 1640 he is freed by the diplomatic mission of voivode of Smolensk, Aleksander Gosiewski. In 1641 he decided to became a Jesuit, in 1642 he leaves the Commonweal again, accompanying his sister to Germany, then joins the Society of Jesus in 1643, against vocal opposition from king W?adys?aw, which causes a diplomatic rift between the Commonwealth and the Pope. He receives the title of cardinal, but in December 1646, finding the ecclesiastical life not suiting to his life, he returns to Poland. In Octover 1647 he resigns his cardinal position to stand in elections for the Polish throne. He attempts to gain support of the Habsburgs and marry an Austrian princess.

Related Topics:
Wladyslaw IV Waza - Szlachta - Austria - Polish culture - Politics - Smolensk War - Muscovy - 1633 - Christina of Sweden - Diplomatic mission - Vienna - Holy Roman Empire - Courland - Spain - Viceking - Portugal - 1640 - Cardinal Richelieu - Voivode - Smolensk - Aleksander Gosiewski - Jesuit - Cardinal

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In 1648 John Casimir II succeeded his half brother and cousin on the Polish throne. The reign of the last of Vasas in the Commonwealth would be dominated by the culmination in the war with Sweden (The Deluge), groundwork for which was laid down by the two previous Vasa kings of the Commonwealth. During the Deluge almost entire Polish territory was captured by the Swedes, who, although unable to retain most of their conquests and forced to reateat, had devastated the entire country.

Related Topics:
1648 - The Deluge

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In 1660 John Casimir II was forced to renounce his claims to the Swedish throne and acknowledge Swedish sovereignty over Livonia and city of Riga. John abdicated on September 16, 1668 and returned to France where he joined the Jesuits and became an ordinary monk. He died in 1672.

Related Topics:
1660 - Livonia - Riga - Abdicated - September 16 - 1668 - France - 1672

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His wife Mary Louise of Mantua (Polish: Ludwika Maria) died in 1667. She had been a major support to her husband, who had a tendency of depression.

Related Topics:
Mary Louise of Mantua - 1667

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King John Casimir abdicated his throne in 1668 and moved to France, where he lived his remaining years, as an abbot of a monastery.

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John Casimir (1609-1672) was a Cardinal of Roman Church when succeeded. He was elected King of Poland 1648 and abdicated 1668. AS his father and brother, also he claimed the title King of Sweden, but after warring and Swedish invasion to Poland he was forced to relinquish that title in 1660. After 1668 abdication, he lived as Abbot of St.Martin in Nevers, France, where he died.

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He married his brother's widow Mary Louise of Mantua who died 1667. He did not have surviving children. All his brothers and sisters having died, without surviving issue, before him, he was the last of the line of Bona Sforza. With him, all the legitimate issue of Alfonso II of Naples died out. His heir in Ferrante I of Naples and in Brienne succession was his distant cousin, Henry de La Tremoille Prince of Talmond and Taranto, the heir-general of Federigo di Aragona (second son of Ferrante I and Isabella of Taranto), who also was the heir-general of Federigo's first wife Anne of Savoy.

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