Career
He was sent on diplomatic missions to the Grand Duchy of Moscow and Kingdom of Poland. Shortly before his death, Kiszka also became Grand Marshal of Lithuania. Kiszka started his political career as a stolnik (royal pantler) and starosta of Lida in 1488.
In 1492, Alexander Jagiellon became the Grand Duke of Lithuania.
During his first years, Alexander appointed 11 Grand Duke"s marshals which signified his desire to build an inner circle. Kiszka became marshal in 1492.
During the reign of Alexander, Kiszka served as a diplomatic envoy to the Grand Duchy of Moscow and Kingdom of Poland. The first of Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars ended in 1494 and resulted in substantial territorial losses for Lithuania.
Alexander"s marriage to Helena of Moscow, daughter of Ivan III of Russia, gave Moscow further pretexts to interfere in Lithuanian affairs
Kiszka was also sent to diplomatic missions to Poland in 1492, 1495, 1496 where Alexander"s brother John I Albert was elected as King. In 1499, he became regent of Smolensk and ordered improvements to Smolensk Kremlin. When the war with Moscow resumed in 1500, Kiszka joined the military effort.
The war and particularly the defeat in the Battle of Vedrosha pushed Kiszka to support the proposed Union of Mielnik that would have united Poland and Lithuania and provided Polish military support against Russia.
Kiszka successfully commanded defense of Smolensk in 1502. Six-year truce with Moscow was concluded in early 1503 and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania lost about a third of its territory.
Kiszka became entangled in a political conflict with royal favorite Michael Glinski and was temporarily removed from the Lithuanian Council of Lords in 1505. Kiszka, as Great Hetman, was supposed to command Lithuanian troops in the Battle of Kletsk against the Crimean Khanate but was unable due to poor health.
Nevertheless, Kiszka helped to subdue Gliski"s rebellion that grew into the Third Muscovite–Lithuanian War (1507-1508).
He became starosta of Hrodna in 1508 and Grand Marshal of Lithuania in 1512. Kiszka was a son of Piotr Strumiłło, starosta of Drohiczyn and Lida, whose ancestors hailed from Mazovia. The marriage to the last heiress of the influential Mantigirdai family provided a career boost and increased Kiszka"s wealth.
Kiszka had three known children:
Piotr Kiszka (died in 1534) who became Voivode of Polotsk and Elder of Samogitia
Barbara Kiszka who married Jerzy Radziwiłł
Anna Kiszka who married Stanislovas Kęsgaila and January Radziwiłł.
