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Kariera wojskowa Jana Kazimierza Sapiehy

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The article presents the military career of Jan Kazimierz Sapieha – Starost of Babruysk, cavalry captain, deputy hetman and Grand Hetman of Lithuania, as well as Field Marshal in the Russian Army. In 1698, when he was 19–25 year old, he was appointed for the post of cavalry captain of an „Armoured” banner in the Lithuanian Army. In this way he commenced his military service, although his being in command of the troop was greatly titular. His active military service did not begin until in 1704 when he took over the command of cavalry of the national levy in the battle group of Sapiehas’ army, operating in Samogitia. For two years, with varying success, he performed the duties of the Deputy Hetman, in 1705 taking over the command of the whole of the Sapiehas’ army in the absence of his uncle Kazimierz Jan Sapieha. That period of his military career was ended by the defeat which his army suffered near Kalisz on 29 October 1706, which in great part was due to his servicemen fleeing from the battlefield. After a one-and-a-half-year’s break, in March 1708, J. K. Sapieha resumed his military service in the Lithuanian Army, taking the post of a cavalry captain at first and from 14 May 1708 on acting as the Grand Hetman of Lithuania. Within the 15 months of his being in command he reorganized, modernized and greatly raised the combat potential of the Lithuanian Army. As a result it was able to successfully protect the territory of the country until the summer of 1709. In the course of the Volhynia military operation in the spring of that year he fought two battles with the Russian Army near Lachowce and Bia³ogródka (on 11 April) and near Nakvasha (on 24 May). Afterwards, in the summer and autumn, the Hetman lost determination and did not venture to fight against the Russian Army who were enjoying their victory over the Swedes near Poltava. And then, having been granted amnesty by August II the Strong and Tsar Peter I, on 18 November 1709, he stepped down and lost the post of the Grand Hetman. In the subsequent years he endeavoured to regain it, yet his efforts were unsuccessful. In the years 1711–1712, he again stood up to August II, taking part in the failed military attempt to help Stanis³aw Leszczyñski retrieve the Polish throne. The impossibility to make a political or military career in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth caused J. K. Sapieha to offer his services to Peter I in 1719. The Tsar, however, distanced himself from the offer and J. K. Sapieha was not admitted to the Russian Army until the Tsar Peter I’s death. He was awarded two most important Russian orders by the new Empress in March 1726 and the rank of Field Marshal, including a high pay. In November 1727, the succeeding Russian Emperor, Peter II, appointed J. K. Sapieha to the position of General Governor of Petersburg and Ingria and the commander of the military district with 14 army regiments. However, in consequence of the counter-action taken by magnates concentrating around the House of Golitsyn, he never took those posts which belonged to the most important offices in the Russian Army. Having lost his influence at the Tsar’s court, J. K. Sapieha left Russia in the spring of 1728 never to return there. He died in Rawicz in Poland on 22 February 1739. Additionally, the article includes two accounts presenting the battles at Lachowce-Bia³ogródka and Nakvasha, which – undoubtedly – should be regarded as the brightest points in J. K. Sapieha’s military career. The more so as, at the same time, they were the last military triumphs in the history of the Army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.