Background
A.Valovich was born in 1520, in the Hrodna Region into the Orthodox Szlachta (gentry) family of the Valoviches who had been known since the 15th century. His father Bahdan Hrynkavich was the equerry of the GDL.
humanist statesman patron of education
A.Valovich was born in 1520, in the Hrodna Region into the Orthodox Szlachta (gentry) family of the Valoviches who had been known since the 15th century. His father Bahdan Hrynkavich was the equerry of the GDL.
Astaphy got a good home education and it is believed that he graduated from one of the Protestant universities of Germany or University of Padua. He had an outstanding knowledge of literature, history, law and was a great expert in record keeping of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He had a good command of Belarusian and many other languages.
Since 1546, A.Valovich had worked as Clerk of Vilna province; in 1552–1566 he was Clerk of the Grand Duchy, since 1552 – a Court Marshal, in 1561–1566 – padscarbi zemski (a high administrative post) of Lithuania, 1566–1579 – Vice-Chancellor, since October 1579 – Chancellor, since 1569 – Castellan of Troki, since 1579 –Castellan of Vilna. He was active in state, political, diplomatic, administrative, legislative and cultural affairs.
He took part in drafting «Statute for valokas» for the agricultural reform of 1557 and its implementation.
In the 1550–60s, Valovich was considered to be one of the most influential statesmen of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the negotiations with Ivan IV. In 1569, A. Valovich was one of the leaders of the opposition to the conclusion of the Union of Lublin. During the Lublin Seim, he spoke in public against a plan of the union proposed by the Crown (Poland). The program of the union, introduced by A.Valovich, guaranteed, along with certain consolidation of military, political and state relations, the genuine state and legal independence of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland.
Along with other high officials of the Grand Duchy, A. Valovich discussed dynastic problems aggravated by the illness of the king Sigismund Augustus whose death in 1572 ended a 200-year rule of the Jagiellon dynasty in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland.
A.Valovich participated in the Livonian War: in the liberation of Polatsk, the seizure of Velikiye Luky (1580), the campaign against Pskov (1581).
In the late 1570s and the early 1580s, A.Valovich introduced Leu Sapieha into state affairs, an important action for the future of Belarus. In 1581 they both formed the Supreme Tribunal, a supreme appeal court of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
He was one of the initiators of elaborating the Statute of GDL of 1566. In 1559, he financed the translation of a work by the Swiss Calvinist Heinrich Bulinger. In his estates, Sidra and Upita A.Valovich established Calvinist cathedrals (praying houses).
As a patron of arts, he supported humanists – writers, clergy, translators, book-printers, including Vasyl Tsiapinsky, Yakub from Kalinauka and Symon Budny. He gave money to set up the first in Belarus Cyrillic publishing house in Nyasvizh.
He financed the edition of the first books in Belarusian: 'Catechism and On the Justification of a Sinful Person in the Face of God' by S. Budny (Nyasvizh, 1562) who dedicated the second book to A.Valovich. He initiated publishing the Holy Writ in the GDL.
A.Valovich was the principal initiator and editor of the GDL Statute of 1588.
He contributed greatly to the development of education and book-printing.
Being an advocate of religious tolerance, A.Valovich signed the act of the famous Warsaw Confederation of 1573, Europe’s first public law act declaring the principles of tolerance among people of different beliefs. Belonging to an Orthodox family, A. Valovich followed family religious traditions until the mid-1550s. In secret letters sent in 1558 to I.Viskavaty, a secretary of Muscovy Posolsky Pikaz (foreign affairs department) he complained, in a diplomatic manner, about «vile Lutheranism», although he was getting inclined towards Calvinism.
His political views are clearly seen in his career actions. A.Valovich participated actively in agricultural, judicial, administrative, military reforms. In 1569, A. Valovich was one of the leaders of the opposition to the conclusion of the Union of Lublin. After the conclusion of the union, he made big efforts to consolidate the sovereignty of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania within the new federation – Rzezhpospolita, and to change the terms of the Union of Lublin. During the two periods without king (1572–1573, 1574–1576) Valovich participated in secret diplomatic negotiations concerning the election of a new monarch, which would be acceptable to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
A.Valovich was noted for his exceptional administrative and economic talents, his natural wit, his unusual talents and capacity for work. He was interested in ancient and modern Slavonic and European literature, philosophy.
He was married and had only one daughter.
