Jan Andrzej Morsztyn

Jan Andrzej Morsztyn (born June 24, 1621, near Sandomierz, Poland—died January 8, 1693, Châteauvillain, France) was a Polish poet and diplomat noted for his occasional literature.

A courtier of Polish kings Władysław IV Vasa and John II Casimir Vasa, Morsztyn later became leader of the opposition during John III Sobieski’s reign, an agent of the French king Louis XIV in Poland, and finally, as the comte de Châteauvillain, an émigré in France. His interest in literature led him to translate Italian and French poetry and drama into Polish. Throughout his life he wrote short poems, rhymed letters to friends, and witty epigrams—all gathered in two unpublished collections: Kanikuła albo psia gwiazda (1647; “Sweltering, or Dog Days”) and Lutnia (1661; “Lute”). First published in the 19th century, they secured Morsztyn’s place in Polish literature.