MICHA£ SERWACY WI¦NIOWIECKI, of his own coat of arms (1680-1744)


Marshal of the extraordinary Seym in Lublin 11 VI-19 VIII 1703


Field Hetman of Lithuania in 1702-1703 and in 1707-1735, Castellan of Vilna from 1703, Grand Hetman of Lithuania in 1703-1707 and from 1735, Palatine of Vilna in 1706-1707 and from 1735, Grand Chancellor of Lithuania from 1720.


Initially a supporter of August II, the leader of anti-Sapieha coalition in Lithuania, he fought at Olkienniki 1700. In 1707 he came over to Leszczyński's camp. Having been released from Russian captivity he went on to live outside the country. Back home again he reconciled with August II decisively and after his death in 1733, with the Russian help, he conducted the election of August III, whom he loyally supported. He was the last one of the ducal family; his funeral at Wi¶nicz was considered to be the most magnificent one in the 18th-century Poland. Wi¶niowiecki's diary was published by Aleksander Prze¼dziecki in a 'Podolia, Volhynia and Ukraine ' (vol.I, Vilna 1841)

Portrait of Micha³ Serwacy Wi¶niowiecki

painted by Francois de la Croix
oil canvas; 143cm x 112cm
The National Museum in Warsaw (cat. no MNW MP 2435)