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RadziwiƂƂ family
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RadziwiƂƂ family

Polish family
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History

RadziwiƂƂ family, an important Polish–Lithuanian princely family that played a significant role in Polish–Lithuanian history.

Prince MikoƂaj I (d. 1509) started a long line of RadziwiƂƂ palatines of Wilno (Vilnius) when he was named to that post in 1492; he was chancellor of Lithuania at the same time. His son MikoƂaj II (1470–1522) succeeded him in both offices; an advocate of closer ties between Lithuania and Poland, he was made a prince of the Holy Roman Empire by Maximilian I, who hoped to make him change his policy. Of MikoƂaj II’s three brothers, Jerzy (1480–1541) became hetman of Lithuania in 1531, Jan MikoƂaj (d. 1522) was castellan of Troki, and Wojciech (1478–1519) was bishop of Wilno. Jerzy’s daughter Barbara (1520–51) became mistress and then queen to King Sigismund II Augustus of Poland, thus greatly enhancing the family’s position in Lithuania.

MikoƂaj the Black (1515–65), son of Jan MikoƂaj, was marshal of Lithuania from 1544, chancellor of Lithuania from 1550, and palatine of Wilno from 1551. An opponent of political union with Poland, he became the first of several RadziwiƂƂ Calvinists to promote the Reformation in Poland and Lithuania, others being MikoƂaj the Red (1512–84), who was Barbara’s brother; MikoƂaj the Red’s sons; two of his grandsons; and their sons Janusz (1612–55) and BogusƂaw (1620–69), the last of the RadziwiƂƂ Calvinists, who sought to realign Lithuania with Protestant Sweden. The descendants of MikoƂaj the Black returned to Roman Catholicism and supported Poland’s Counter-Reformation policies.

In the 18th century, RadziwiƂƂ palatines, chancellors, and hetmany consistently supported the Saxon dynasty in its battles to keep or regain the Polish throne. RadziwiƂƂs continued to play important roles in Polish history into the 20th century. One of the best known was Janusz RadziwiƂƂ (1880–1967), politician and chief of the Polish aristocracy.