Krzysztof Radziwiłł

For his father of the same name, see Krzysztof Mikołaj "Piorun" Radziwiłł.

Krzysztof Radziwiłł
Born	October 3, 1585(1585-10-03) Biržai
Died	September 19, 1640(1640-09-19) (aged 55) Svėdasai
Religion	Calvinist
Spouse	Anna Kiszka
Children	with Anna Kiszka: Janusz Radziwiłł Katarzyna Radziwiłł
Parents	Krzysztof Mikołaj "the Thunderbolt" Radziwiłł Katarzyna Ostrogska

Prince Krzysztof Radziwiłł (Lithuanian: Kristupas Radvila) (1585, Biržai – 1640) was a Polish-Lithuanian noble (szlachcic), and a notable magnate of his epoch. Sometimes referred to as Krzysztof Radziwiłł II, to distinguish him from his father, Krzysztof Mikołaj 'Piorun' Radziwłł.

Owner of Biržai, he was Field Hetman of Lithuania from 1615, Castellan of Vilnius from 1633, Voivode of Vilnius Voivodeship from 1633, Great Lithuanian Hetman from 1635, starost of Mahilyow, Bystrzyca, Žiežmariai and Seje. In 1632 he served as Marshal of the Sejm.

He took part in the campaign against the Swedes in the Baltic region in 1621–1622 (Polish-Swedish War), where he agreed to a controversial truce (as he had no permission to negotiate it from the king or the Sejm). Important commander of Lithuanian forces during the Smolensk War, where he was instrumental in obtaining the capitulation of the Russian army, also successfully fought in Polish Livonia against Sweden from 1617. He also fought in the Smolensk War against the Muscovy, where he commanded the troops during the siege of Smoleńsk. Afterwards, in 1635, he retired from his military career, concentrating on administering his estates. A Calvinist, he was a great protector of Protestants in Lithuania.

He was an opponent of Catholic king Sigismund III Vasa, but a supporter of his more tolerant son, Władysław IV Waza. An advocate of Władysław's marriage to a Protestant princess, he distanced himself from the king after Władysław declined this marriage proposal. He opposed an alliance between the Commonwealth and the Habsburgs. On his lands in Kėdainiai he founded a major Calvinist cultural and religious centre, which flourished till the 19th century as a center of the Polish Reformed Church. His large horse stables were famous throughout Europe.

Krzysztof Radziwiłł. Painting by Wojciech Gerson

References

• Jędruch, Jacek (1998). Constitutions, Elections and Legislatures of Poland 1493–1993. Hippocrene Books. p. 113. ISBN 0-7818-0637-2.