Joachim Chreptowicz was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman, writer, poet, politician of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, marshal of the Lithuanian Tribunal and the last Grand Chancellor of Lithuania.
Background
Joachim Chreptowicz was born on January 4, 1729 in the estate of Yasyanets of the Navahrudak Province (now in the Baranavichy district). He was a descendant of a old magnate family of Litavor-Hraptovichs with its roots in the 15th century. The name Litavor is thought to originate from crusaders as his ancestor was called after his homeland Lithuania (Litauer in German).
Members of the dynasty played an important role in the development of education and culture in Belarus, they held important posts in the bodies of supreme power and of local government. Joachim Chreptowicz was a representative of the dynasty’s eleventh generation.
Education
Joachim Chreptowicz received his primary education at home, at his father’s ancestral estate Shchorsy. He studied at the Vilna Academy (for two years), at various educational institutions of Brunsberg, West Prussia( for three years), of Nyasvizh (for 1 year) and then again of Vilna (for 1 year).
Career
After receiving a higher education and a short period of military service, Joachim Chreptowicz held the post of Stolnik (Steward) of Navahrudak (1752), a deputy to the Supreme Tribunal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the Hrodna district (1753), the representative of Navahrudak and other districts at the Seyms of Rzeczpospolita (1754, 1756, 1758, 1764, 1766), the marshalak (marshal of the nobility) of Navahrudak province (1764). In 1764 he was appointed the Grand Secretary of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. From 1765 he was the marshalakof the Supreme Tribunal of the Duchy. In 1773 Joachim Chreptowicz was appointed Deputy Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
In 1791 Joachim Chreptowicz became Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was appointed to the post of Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, his last high position, in 1793 by the Confederation of Targowica. Thus he became the last chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Achievements
Views
Joachim Chreptowicz proved himself to be an outstanding propagator of physiocratic ideas. He affirmed that human beings with their needs, interests, rights and responsibilities should be at the centre of everything. He treated the society as a body constituting a part of nature and including human beings and their moral principles. Human beings when they lose normal interconnections with nature (being deprived of freedom, security or property) become outcasts, useless for themselves and for the society.
According to Joachim Chreptowicz the moral order depends on the physical order of nature. Moral laws correspond entirely to what is useful and necessary for human beings in their lives. He considered human beings and their abilities (primarily intellectual capabilities) to be the main element of production. He believed that with a proper organization of public life in conformity with requirements of «natural law» there emerge the possibility of continuously increasing material security and education for all.
Connections
Joachim Chreptowicz was married and had 4 sons and a daughter.