Stanisław Leszczyński

January 20, 1677 (age 89)

Lviv, Ukraine

The following year, Stanisław was selected by Charles XII of Sweden after a successful Swedish invasion of Poland, to supersede Augustus II, who was hostile towards the Swedes. Leszczyński was a young man of blameless antecedents, respectable talents, and came from an ancient family, but certainly without sufficient force of character or political influence to sustain himself on so unstable a throne. Nevertheless, with the assistance of a bribing fund and an army corps, the Swedes succeeded in procuring his election by a scratch assembly of half a dozen castellans and a few score of gentlemen on 12 July 1704. A few months later, Stanisław was forced by a sudden inroad of August to seek refuge in the Swedish camp, but finally on 24 September 1705, he was crowned king with great splendor. Charles himself supplied his nominee with a new crown and scepter in lieu of the ancient Polish regalia, which had been carried off to Saxony by August. During this time the King of Sweden sent Peter Estenberg to King Stanislaw to act as an ambassador and correspondence secretary. The Polish king's first act was to cement an alliance with Charles XII whereby the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth engaged to assist Sweden against the Russian tsar. Stanisław did what he could to assist his patron. Thus, he induced Ivan Mazepa, the Cossack hetman, to desert Peter the Great at the most critical period of the Great Northern War between Russia and Sweden, and Stanisław placed a small army corps at the disposal of the Swedes. But Stanisław depended so entirely on the success of Charles' arms that after the Battle of Poltava (1709) Stanisław's authority vanished as a dream at the first touch of reality. During this period Stanisław resided in the town of Rydzyna. The vast majority of the Poles hastened to repudiate him and make their peace with Augustus, and Leszczynski, henceforth a mere pensioner of Charles XII, accompanied Krassau's army corps in its retreat to Swedish Pomerania. On the restoration of Augustus, Stanislaus resigned the Polish Crown (though he retained the royal title) in exchange for the little principality of Zweibriicken. In 1716 he was saved from assassination at the hands of a Saxon officer, Lacroix, by Stanislaus Poniatowski, the father of the future king. He now resided at Weissenburg in Lorraine, and in 1725 had the satisfaction of seeing his daughter Mary become the consort of Louis XV and queen of France. From 1725 to 1733, Stanisław lived at the Château de Chambord. Stanislaw's son-in-law Louis XV supported his claims to the Polish throne after the death of August II the Strong in 1733, which led to the War of the Polish Succession. In September 1733, Stanisław himself arrived at Warsaw, having traveled night and day through central Europe disguised as a coachman. On the following day, despite many protests, Stanisław was duly elected King of Poland for the second time. But Russia, opposed to any nominee of France and Sweden, at once protested against his election; declared in favour of the new elector of Saxony, as being the candidate of her Austrian ally; and on the 30 June 1734, a Russian army of 20, 000 under Peter Lacy, after proclaiming August III the Saxon at Warsaw, proceeded to besiege Stanisław at Danzig, where he was entrenched with his partisans (including the Primate and the French and Swedish ministers) to await the relief that had been promised by France. The siege began in October 1734. On 17 March 1735, Marshal Münnich superseded Peter Lacy, and on 20 May 1735 the long-expected French fleet appeared and disembarked 2, 400 men on Westerplatte. A week later, this little army gallantly attempted to force the Russian entrenchments, but was finally compelled to surrender. This was the first time that France and Russia had met as foes in the field. On 30 June 1735, Danzig capitulated unconditionally, after sustaining a siege of 135 days which cost the Russians 8, 000 men. Disguised as a peasant, Stanisław had contrived to escape two days before. He reappeared at Königsberg (where he briefly met the future King Frederick the Great of Prussia), whence he issued a manifesto to his partisans which resulted in the formation of a confederation on his behalf, and the despatch of a Polish envoy to Paris to urge France to invade Saxony with at least 40, 000 men. In Ukraine too, Count Nicholas Potocki kept on foot to support Stanisław a motley host of 50, 000 men, which was ultimately scattered by the Russians. On 26 January 1736, Stanisław again abdicated the throne, but received in compensation the Duchy of Lorraine and of Bar, which was to revert to France on his death. In 1738, he sold his estates of Rydzyna and Leszno to Count (later Prince) Alexander Joseph Sułkowski. He settled at Lunéville, founded there in 1750 both the Académie de Stanislas and Bibliothèque municipale de Nancy, and devoted himself for the rest of his life to science and philanthropy, engaging most notably in controversy with Rousseau. He also published Głos wolny wolność ubezpieczaj� cy, one of the most important political treatises of the Polish Enlightenment.

Stanisław Leszczyński

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also known as Stanisław I Leszczyński

statesman

Background

Born in Lwów in 1677, he was the son of Rafał Leszczyński, voivode of Poznań Voivodeship, and Anna Katarzyna Jabłonowska.

Career

The following year, Stanisław was selected by Charles XII of Sweden after a successful Swedish invasion of Poland, to supersede Augustus II, who was hostile towards the Swedes. Leszczyński was a young man of blameless antecedents, respectable talents, and came from an ancient family, but certainly without sufficient force of character or political influence to sustain himself on so unstable a throne.

Nevertheless, with the assistance of a bribing fund and an army corps, the Swedes succeeded in procuring his election by a scratch assembly of half a dozen castellans and a few score of gentlemen on 12 July 1704. A few months later, Stanisław was forced by a sudden inroad of August to seek refuge in the Swedish camp, but finally on 24 September 1705, he was crowned king with great splendor. Charles himself supplied his nominee with a new crown and scepter in lieu of the ancient Polish regalia, which had been carried off to Saxony by August. During this time the King of Sweden sent Peter Estenberg to King Stanislaw to act as an ambassador and correspondence secretary. The Polish king's first act was to cement an alliance with Charles XII whereby the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth engaged to assist Sweden against the Russian tsar. Stanisław did what he could to assist his patron. Thus, he induced Ivan Mazepa, the Cossack hetman, to desert Peter the Great at the most critical period of the Great Northern War between Russia and Sweden, and Stanisław placed a small army corps at the disposal of the Swedes. But Stanisław depended so entirely on the success of Charles' arms that after the Battle of Poltava (1709) Stanisław's authority vanished as a dream at the first touch of reality. During this period Stanisław resided in the town of Rydzyna.

The vast majority of the Poles hastened to repudiate him and make their peace with Augustus, and Leszczynski, henceforth a mere pensioner of Charles XII, accompanied Krassau's army corps in its retreat to Swedish Pomerania. On the restoration of Augustus, Stanislaus resigned the Polish Crown (though he retained the royal title) in exchange for the little principality of Zweibriicken. In 1716 he was saved from assassination at the hands of a Saxon officer, Lacroix, by Stanislaus Poniatowski, the father of the future king. He now resided at Weissenburg in Lorraine, and in 1725 had the satisfaction of seeing his daughter Mary become the consort of Louis XV and queen of France. From 1725 to 1733, Stanisław lived at the Château de Chambord.

Stanislaw's son-in-law Louis XV supported his claims to the Polish throne after the death of August II the Strong in 1733, which led to the War of the Polish Succession. In September 1733, Stanisław himself arrived at Warsaw, having traveled night and day through central Europe disguised as a coachman. On the following day, despite many protests, Stanisław was duly elected King of Poland for the second time. But Russia, opposed to any nominee of France and Sweden, at once protested against his election; declared in favour of the new elector of Saxony, as being the candidate of her Austrian ally; and on the 30 June 1734, a Russian army of 20, 000 under Peter Lacy, after proclaiming August III the Saxon at Warsaw, proceeded to besiege Stanisław at Danzig, where he was entrenched with his partisans (including the Primate and the French and Swedish ministers) to await the relief that had been promised by France.

The siege began in October 1734. On 17 March 1735, Marshal Münnich superseded Peter Lacy, and on 20 May 1735 the long-expected French fleet appeared and disembarked 2, 400 men on Westerplatte. A week later, this little army gallantly attempted to force the Russian entrenchments, but was finally compelled to surrender. This was the first time that France and Russia had met as foes in the field. On 30 June 1735, Danzig capitulated unconditionally, after sustaining a siege of 135 days which cost the Russians 8, 000 men.

Disguised as a peasant, Stanisław had contrived to escape two days before. He reappeared at Königsberg (where he briefly met the future King Frederick the Great of Prussia), whence he issued a manifesto to his partisans which resulted in the formation of a confederation on his behalf, and the despatch of a Polish envoy to Paris to urge France to invade Saxony with at least 40, 000 men. In Ukraine too, Count Nicholas Potocki kept on foot to support Stanisław a motley host of 50, 000 men, which was ultimately scattered by the Russians.

On 26 January 1736, Stanisław again abdicated the throne, but received in compensation the Duchy of Lorraine and of Bar, which was to revert to France on his death. In 1738, he sold his estates of Rydzyna and Leszno to Count (later Prince) Alexander Joseph Sułkowski. He settled at Lunéville, founded there in 1750 both the Académie de Stanislas and Bibliothèque municipale de Nancy, and devoted himself for the rest of his life to science and philanthropy, engaging most notably in controversy with Rousseau. He also published Głos wolny wolność ubezpieczaj�

cy, one of the most important political treatises of the Polish Enlightenment.

Achievements

In Nancy, Place Stanislas (Stanisław Square) was named in his honour.

Works

Oeuvres Choisies Destanislas: Roi De Pologne, Duc De Lorraine, De Bar, Etc (French Edition) Oeuvres Choisies Destanislas: Roi De Pologne, Duc De Lorraine, De Bar, Etc (French Edition)

G?os wolny, wolno?? ubezpieczaj?cy (Vol-1) (Polish Edition) G?os wolny, wolno?? ubezpieczaj?cy (Vol-1) (Polish Edition)

$Maximes Et R\u00E9flexionspolitiques: Morales Et Religieuses, D\'un Administrateur Couronn\u00E9 : ... Hommage Au Monarque \u00C9clair\u00E9 Qui S\'en Rapproche Le Plus Par Les Liens Du Sang... Maximes Et R\u00E9flexionspolitiques: Morales Et Religieuses, D\'un Administrateur Couronn\u00E9 : ... Hommage Au Monarque \u00C9clair\u00E9 Qui S\'en Rapproche Le Plus Par Les Liens Du Sang...$

book
- G?os wolny, wolno?? ubezpieczaj?cy (Vol-1) (Polish Edition)
  (This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)
- Oeuvres Choisies Destanislas: Roi De Pologne, Duc De Lorraine, De Bar, Etc (French Edition)
  (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
- Maximes Et Réflexionspolitiques: Morales Et Religieuses, D'un Administrateur Couronné : ... Hommage Au Monarque Éclairé Qui S'en Rapproche Le Plus Par Les Liens Du Sang...
  ( This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923....)

Views

Quotations: "Have the courage to face a difficulty lest it kick you harder than you bargain for. "

"Some like to understand what they believe in. Others like to believe in what they understand. "

"Misers are very kind people: they amass wealth for those who wish their death. "

"Can princes born in palaces be sensible of the misery of those who dwell in cottages?"

"I believe, indeed, that it is more laudable to suffer great misfortunes than to do great things. "

"We are usually mistaken in esteeming men too much; rarely in esteeming them too little. "

"Esteem has more engaging charms than friendship, or even love. It captivates hearts better, and never makes ings. "

"Genius speaks only to genius. "

"To believe with certainty, we must begin with doubting. "

"How many persons fancy they have experience simply because they have grown old!"

Connections

He married Katarzyna Opalińska, by whom he had a daughter, Maria, who became Queen of France as wife of Louis XV.

Stanisław was still alive when his great-great-granddaughter, Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, was born in 1762.

Father:: Rafał Leszczyński
Mother:: Anna Leszczyńska
Spouse:: Catherine Opalińska
Daughter:: Anna Leszczyńska
Daughter:: Marie Leszczyńska
Great-great-granddaughter:: Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria
Friend:: Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny

Main Photo