Tomasz Wawrzecki
Encyclopedia
Tomasz Wawrzecki was a distinguished Polish
politician and military commander, a general of the Polish Army. During Kościuszko's Uprising in Warsaw
he succeeded Tadeusz Kościuszko
as the commander of the Polish forces. His surrender to Russia
n troops on November 16, 1794 marked the end of the uprising.
Tomasz Wawrzecki was born March 7, 1753 in his family manor in a small village of Widze (modern Vidzy, Vitsebsk Voblast
, Belarus
). Little is known of his early life. He was nominated by King Stanisław August of Poland to the rank of Grand Standard-bearer of Lithuania. A strong supporter of reforms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
and then the Kingdom of Poland, he was a member of the Four-Year Sejm and a partisan of the Society of the Friends of the Constitution.
He took part in the Russo-Polish War of 1792. After the outbreak of Kościuszko's Uprising of 1794, Wawrzecki founded and financed a number of military units to fight in the regions of Samogitia
and Courland
. At the same time he was also a plenipotentiary of the Supreme National Council
, the de facto government of Poland. On October 16, 1794, he was promoted by Kościuszko to the rank of Lieutenant General
. Following Kościuszko's defeat in the battle of Maciejowice
, the Council (on insistence of Hugo Kołłątaj) nominated Wawrzecki as Kościuszko's successor as the commander in chief of the uprising. After the Battle of Praga
he withdrew with the remnants of his forces to Radoszyce
, where he disbanded his troops and surrendered himself to the Russians.
Kept prisoner until 1796, he was set free by Paul I of Russia
and returned to Lithuania. During the existence of the Duchy of Warsaw
he collaborated with the Russians. Afterwards Alexander I of Russia
made him the minister of justice of the Kingdom of Poland
. He died August 5, 1816 in Widze, where he was buried.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
politician and military commander, a general of the Polish Army. During Kościuszko's Uprising in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
he succeeded Tadeusz Kościuszko
Tadeusz Kosciuszko
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus...
as the commander of the Polish forces. His surrender to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n troops on November 16, 1794 marked the end of the uprising.
Tomasz Wawrzecki was born March 7, 1753 in his family manor in a small village of Widze (modern Vidzy, Vitsebsk Voblast
Vitsebsk Voblast
Vitsebsk Voblast or Vitebsk Oblast is a province of Belarus with its administrative center being Vitebsk .As of a 2009 estimate, the voblast has a population of 1,230,800...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
). Little is known of his early life. He was nominated by King Stanisław August of Poland to the rank of Grand Standard-bearer of Lithuania. A strong supporter of reforms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
and then the Kingdom of Poland, he was a member of the Four-Year Sejm and a partisan of the Society of the Friends of the Constitution.
He took part in the Russo-Polish War of 1792. After the outbreak of Kościuszko's Uprising of 1794, Wawrzecki founded and financed a number of military units to fight in the regions of Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
and Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
. At the same time he was also a plenipotentiary of the Supreme National Council
Supreme National Council
Supreme National Council was the central civil government of Poland loyal to the Kościuszko Insurrection. Created by Kościuszko on 10 May 1794 in Połaniec camp, it had 8 councillors and 32 deputies....
, the de facto government of Poland. On October 16, 1794, he was promoted by Kościuszko to the rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. Following Kościuszko's defeat in the battle of Maciejowice
Battle of Maciejowice
The Battle of Maciejowice was fought on October 10, 1794, between Poland and the Russian Empire.The Poles were led by Tadeusz Kościuszko. Kościuszko with 6,200 men planned to prevent the linking of two larger Russian armies, 12,000 under Iwan Fersen and 12,500 under Alexander Suvorov...
, the Council (on insistence of Hugo Kołłątaj) nominated Wawrzecki as Kościuszko's successor as the commander in chief of the uprising. After the Battle of Praga
Battle of Praga
The Battle of Praga or Battle of Warsaw of 1794 was a Russian assault of Praga, the easternmost suburb of Warsaw, during the Kościuszko Uprising in 1794. It was followed by a massacre of the civilian population of Praga.-Eve of the battle:After the Battle of Maciejowice General Tadeusz Kościuszko...
he withdrew with the remnants of his forces to Radoszyce
Radoszyce
Radoszyce village in East Małopolska, the southeastern part of Poland in Bieszczady mountains. Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodship , previously in Krosno Voivodeship and Sanok district, Komańcza subdistrict, located near the towns of Medzilaborce and Palota .It is situated below the main...
, where he disbanded his troops and surrendered himself to the Russians.
Kept prisoner until 1796, he was set free by Paul I of Russia
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
and returned to Lithuania. During the existence of the Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
he collaborated with the Russians. Afterwards Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
made him the minister of justice of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
. He died August 5, 1816 in Widze, where he was buried.
