Zygmunt Kazanowski
Zygmunt Kazanowski of the Grzymała coat of arms was a noble in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, He was a courtier to kings Stephen Báthory and Sigismund III Vasa, and a tutor, advisor and to Prince and later King Władysław Vasa.
Biography
Family
He was born around 1563. He was the son of the starost and Katarzyna Tarło.Around 1590, he married Zofia Warszewicka, with whom he had children: Zofia Kazanowska, Helena, Katarzyna, Aleksandra,, and Adam. Before 1615, he married Elżbieta Humnicka.
Zygmunt Kazanowski died on 13 August 1634 and was buried in St. John’s Collegiate Church in Warsaw, where his sons erected a monument to him.
Military career
From an early age he was trained in the art of war, initially serving as a companion in a hussar banner, later becoming its commander and receiving the rank of royal colonel. He participated in the wars of Stephen Báthory, including the Moldavian campaign of 1600, the Siege of Biały Kamień of 1602, and the Battle of Kircholm.He supported the royal court during the Zebrzydowski Rebellion; during this period, a panegyric entitled Korona Polska bardzo smutna prośby serdeczne czyni was dedicated to him.
During the Russian campaign of 1617, he supported his relative Marcin Kazanowski against Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, which historian assessed negatively as intrigue-driven factiousness.
He participated in the Chocim campaign, which was his last military expedition.
Political career
He served as a courtier at the courts of Stephen Báthory, Sigismund III Vasa, and Władysław IV Vasa. He educated court youth and Prince Władysław Vasa in military arts, becoming an influential royal adviser when Władysław ascended the throne. At Władysław’s court, from 1633 he held the rank of praefectus cubiculi, was a member of the war council, and played a significant role in the king’s campaigns.From 1588, together with his brother, he inherited from his father the starosty of Fellin. From 1607 he was starost of Kokenhusen; from 1613, starost of Krosno; from 1617 starost of Barcice, and from 1633 starost of Mukarów, Solec, and Kłobuck.
Before 1607, he participated in a diplomatic mission to Hungarian territories. He took part in the royal election of 1632 as a member of the delegation presenting the king-elect, and personally served as an elector of Władysław IV Vasa from the Sandomierz Voivodeship. He signed the king’s pacta conventa.
During the funerals of King Sigismund III and Queen Constance, he carried the royal insignia.