Polityk dwóch epok. Działalność publiczna Tadeusza Matuszewicza (1765—1819)
A politician of two epochs. Public activity of Tadeusz Matuszewicz (1765—1819)

Author(s): Dominika Rychel-Mantur
Subject(s): History, Local History / Microhistory, Political history, Social history, 19th Century
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: Duchy of Warsaw; biography; 19th century; political elite
Summary/Abstract: "So Poland will rise" - these words, which have passed into the pages of historiography, were uttered by Tadeusz Matuszewicz at the beginning of Napoleon's war with Russia in 1812. Matuszewicz was one of the most prominent Polish ministers of the first half of the 19th century. He began his political career under the protectorate of Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski during the Four Years' Sejm. Both Czartoryski's protection and the times in which he had to live had a huge impact on Matuszewicz’s personal fate and public activity. Ambitious, energetic and hard-working, Matuszewicz was often at the centre of the most important events and acted an important role in them. He reached the apogee of his political influence in 1812 as the Minister of Revenue and Treasury of the Duchy of Warsaw. At that time, on Napoleon’s orders, he organized the Sejm and established the General Confederation of the Kingdom of Poland. He put the finances of the Duchy of Warsaw in order and laid the foundations for the subsequent reforms of Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki. Matuszewicz’s main aim was to rebuild and restore the independence of the Republic of Poland, for which he served, often sacrificing his own interests or good name.

• Details
• Contents