Mikolaj Krzysztof Sierotka Radziwill - Definition

The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. The correct title is Mikołaj Krzysztof 'Sierotka' Radziwiłł.

For other people with the name of Mikolaj Radziwiłł, see Mikołaj Radziwiłł.

Prince¹ Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł aka "Sierotka'" (The Orphan) (1549-1616) was a Polish szlachcic.

Ordynat of Nieśwież since 1586. Court Marshal of Lithuania since 1569, Grand Marshal of Lithuania since 1579, castellan of Troki since 1586, voivode of Troki Voivodship since 1590, voivode of Wilno Voivodship since 1604 and Starost szawelski. He held the title of Imperial Prince of the Holy Roman Empire.

He married Halaszka Eufemia Wiśniowiecka on November 24, 1584.

He took part in the campaign against Muscovites. Unlike many other members of Radziwiłł family he tried to stay away from politics, especially from the dynastic clan politics of some of other Radziwiłłs like Janusz Radziwiłł and supported the forces loayl to the king and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Rokosz Zebrzydowskiego, a szlachta's confederatio threatening the king. He is credited with trying to persuade the confederates to surrender their arms.

Like other Radziwiłłs, he looked after the interests of his family. For example, he gained royal pardon for his cousin Janusz, one of the organisers of the Rokosz. However, Mikolaj Krzysztof refused to support Krzysztof 'Piorun' Radziwiłł in the feud with another magnatial family, which threatened to develop into a bloody civil war in Lithuania.

Mikołaj became famous for a vivid account of his eventful pilgrimage to the Holy Land published in 1601, and he converted from Protestantism to Catholicism, as later did his other brothers.

He was also known for his cultural and charity sponsorships. He was a founder of many castles, cloisters, hospitals and churches, of which the most splendid was the Jesuit church in Nieśwież. One of the chapels in this church became the family's mausoleum for the next two hundred and fifty years. For his son, Zygmunt Karol, a Confrere of the Knights Hospitallers, he found a Commanderie in Stwolowicze. In Nieśwież, which became his seat, he built a castle where he established a library and a gallery of the family portraits. Because of these works, he attracted many skillful artisans and tradesmen into his estate.

Note

1. Although titles like prince could not be granted by kings of the Commonwealth to the egalitarian szlachta, Radziwiłł family received the title of a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire and the imperial standing from emperor Maximilian I.