Antoni Tyzenhaus
Encyclopedia
Antoni Tyzenhaus was the noble from the Tyzenhaus
family, son of Benedykt Tyzenhaus. As a personal friend of Stanisław August Poniatowski, the last King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Tyzenhaus became Treasurer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
and administrator of royal estates. He began to implement various agricultural reforms and pioneered industrialization in an effort to increase productivity and economic power of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. At first he was successful and managed to gain considerable political influence; he was considered to be the second man after the King. However, the efforts were based on the old system of serfdom
(forced labor) and failed. Eventually, amidst increasing political rivalry with other nobles and mounting debts, Tyzenhaus was accused of fraud and removed from public offices in 1780.
. As a young man, he served for the powerful Czartoryski
family in their court at Wołczyn. At that time, Tyzenhaus befriended Stanisław August Poniatowski, who was born and educated at Wołczyn, as Czartoryskis were his uncles. After the election of Poniatowski to the throne of Poland–Lithuania (1764), Tyzenhaus became Court Treasurer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Starosta
of Hrodna
, and administrator of royal estates. He was elected to the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1766.
Tyzenhaus was in charge of all matters related to wast land possessions of King of Poland and exercised considerable freedom in their management. This freedom was further strengthened when he became lessee of the estates in 1777. Tyzenhaus energetically but somewhat hastily began numerous endeavors in agriculture, industry, and culture, mostly situated around Hrodna. In Šiauliai
he attempted to create royal folwark
s by taking land from serfs
, demanding two days of corvée
, increasing rent payment in cash, and adding additional duties (such as road building). Such reforms tripled Tyzenhaus' income but caused a violent peasant revolt in 1769. The rebellion was quickly suppressed; the reforms were only slightly modified. Using the additional income, Tyzenhaus rebuilt Šiauliai according to the principles of Classicism
. Similar reconstruction was planned in Joniškis
.
He set up at least 23 factories, that employed around 3000 workers and produced textile, paper, jewelry, tools, furniture, carriages. They used forced labor of the local peasant population. Inspired by the Age of Enlightenment
he also opened schools for midwives, physicians, veterinarians, accountants, engineers, even ballet dancers. He also established a botanical garden, theater, ballet, orchestra, publishing house. He published weekly Gazeta Grodzieńska from 1775 to 1783. In Hrodna, his main residence and center of his economic initiatives, Tyzenhaus built 85 structures and planned an entire borough, named Horodnica (derived from craftsmanship).
Tyzenhaus needed to borrow wast amounts of money to finance all the different enterprises, which were often poorly supervised. He relied on expensive expertise of educated foreign industrialists; efforts to build a local class of workmen were hampered by poor education system and serfdom
. Tyzenhaus' influence on the King and attempts to manipulate the lesser nobility raised political opposition among other nobles. After a few failures of his factories, in 1780 nobles brought charges that Tyzenhaus used treasury money for his private affairs. The case against Tyzenhaus was arranged by Otto Magnus von Stackelberg
, Russian ambassador in Warsaw. Tyzenhaus was released of his duties by Poniatowski; his privileges were revoked and his property was confiscated. Disgraced Tyzenhaus died in 1785.
in Vilnius
(converted into an apartment building by the Soviet authorities) and another residence in Hrodna
. Built by an Italian architect Giuseppe di Sacco, the two palaces remain important historical monuments. Balys Sruoga
wrote drama Apyaušrio dalia about his ballet school and the peasant revolt in 1769. In 1970–1971, Stanisław Kościałkowski published a two-volume study on his life Antoni Tyzenhauz, podskarbi nadworny litewski.
Tyzenhaus
Tyzenhaus was a noble family of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth of German extraction. It was active in the Duchy of Livonia, Duchy of Courland and the northern Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
family, son of Benedykt Tyzenhaus. As a personal friend of Stanisław August Poniatowski, the last King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Tyzenhaus became Treasurer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Podskarbi
Podskarbi in Poland then in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed as "under[King]-treasury" - treasury as an old-fashioned adjective...
and administrator of royal estates. He began to implement various agricultural reforms and pioneered industrialization in an effort to increase productivity and economic power of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. At first he was successful and managed to gain considerable political influence; he was considered to be the second man after the King. However, the efforts were based on the old system of serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
(forced labor) and failed. Eventually, amidst increasing political rivalry with other nobles and mounting debts, Tyzenhaus was accused of fraud and removed from public offices in 1780.
Biography
Tyzenhaus studied at the Jesuit College of VilniusVilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
. As a young man, he served for the powerful Czartoryski
Czartoryski
Czartoryski is the surname of a Polish-Ukrainian-Lithuanian magnate family also known as the Familia. They used the Czartoryski Coat of arms and were the leading noble family of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 18th century.-History:The Czartoryski is a family of a Grand Ducal...
family in their court at Wołczyn. At that time, Tyzenhaus befriended Stanisław August Poniatowski, who was born and educated at Wołczyn, as Czartoryskis were his uncles. After the election of Poniatowski to the throne of Poland–Lithuania (1764), Tyzenhaus became Court Treasurer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Starosta
Starosta
Starost is a title for an official or unofficial position of leadership that has been used in various contexts through most of Slavic history. It can be translated as "elder"...
of Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
, and administrator of royal estates. He was elected to the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1766.
Tyzenhaus was in charge of all matters related to wast land possessions of King of Poland and exercised considerable freedom in their management. This freedom was further strengthened when he became lessee of the estates in 1777. Tyzenhaus energetically but somewhat hastily began numerous endeavors in agriculture, industry, and culture, mostly situated around Hrodna. In Šiauliai
Šiauliai
Šiauliai , is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 133,900. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.-Names:...
he attempted to create royal folwark
Folwark
Folwark is a Polish word for a primarily serfdom-based farm and agricultural enterprise , often very large. Folwarks were operated in the Crown of Poland from the 14th century and in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the 15th century, from the second half of the 16th century in the joint...
s by taking land from serfs
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
, demanding two days of corvée
Corvée
Corvée is unfree labour, often unpaid, that is required of people of lower social standing and imposed on them by the state or a superior . The corvée was the earliest and most widespread form of taxation, which can be traced back to the beginning of civilization...
, increasing rent payment in cash, and adding additional duties (such as road building). Such reforms tripled Tyzenhaus' income but caused a violent peasant revolt in 1769. The rebellion was quickly suppressed; the reforms were only slightly modified. Using the additional income, Tyzenhaus rebuilt Šiauliai according to the principles of Classicism
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
. Similar reconstruction was planned in Joniškis
Joniškis
Joniškis is a city in northern Lithuania with a population of about 11,150. It is located 40 kilometers north of Šiauliai and 14 kilometers south of the Lithuania–Latvia border...
.
He set up at least 23 factories, that employed around 3000 workers and produced textile, paper, jewelry, tools, furniture, carriages. They used forced labor of the local peasant population. Inspired by the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
he also opened schools for midwives, physicians, veterinarians, accountants, engineers, even ballet dancers. He also established a botanical garden, theater, ballet, orchestra, publishing house. He published weekly Gazeta Grodzieńska from 1775 to 1783. In Hrodna, his main residence and center of his economic initiatives, Tyzenhaus built 85 structures and planned an entire borough, named Horodnica (derived from craftsmanship).
Tyzenhaus needed to borrow wast amounts of money to finance all the different enterprises, which were often poorly supervised. He relied on expensive expertise of educated foreign industrialists; efforts to build a local class of workmen were hampered by poor education system and serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
. Tyzenhaus' influence on the King and attempts to manipulate the lesser nobility raised political opposition among other nobles. After a few failures of his factories, in 1780 nobles brought charges that Tyzenhaus used treasury money for his private affairs. The case against Tyzenhaus was arranged by Otto Magnus von Stackelberg
Otto Magnus von Stackelberg (ambassador)
Reichsgraf Otto Magnus von Stackelberg was a diplomat of the Russian Empire, an envoy in Madrid from 1767 to 1771, ambassador in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1772 to 1790 and in Sweden from 1791 to 1793....
, Russian ambassador in Warsaw. Tyzenhaus was released of his duties by Poniatowski; his privileges were revoked and his property was confiscated. Disgraced Tyzenhaus died in 1785.
Legacy
Tyzenhaus built the Tyzenhaus PalaceTyzenhaus Palace
Tyzenhaus Palace is an 18th century mansion located in the city of Vilnius, Lithuania.-History:The historical sources of 1579 mention a International Gothic building in the same place. However, it later fell into disuse and then into ruin...
in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
(converted into an apartment building by the Soviet authorities) and another residence in Hrodna
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
. Built by an Italian architect Giuseppe di Sacco, the two palaces remain important historical monuments. Balys Sruoga
Balys Sruoga
Balys Sruoga was a Lithuanian poet, playwright, critic, and literary theorist.He contributed to cultural journals from his early youth...
wrote drama Apyaušrio dalia about his ballet school and the peasant revolt in 1769. In 1970–1971, Stanisław Kościałkowski published a two-volume study on his life Antoni Tyzenhauz, podskarbi nadworny litewski.