Grand Hetman of Lithuania

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The Grand Hetman of Lithuania ( Polish Hetman wielki litewski ) was the commander-in-chief of the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the personal union of Poland-Lithuania between the 15th and 18th centuries in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania .

After the establishment of the personal union, the post of field hetman and grand hetman was created in both Lithuania and Poland. The authority of the Grand Hetman ended at the border of the Grand Duchy. These command posts were separated from each other and could not be accompanied by one and the same person.

In contrast to the field hetman, the grand hetman stayed at the court of the grand duke during peacetime. He was responsible for recruiting, supplying and funding the Lithuanian army. The Grand Hetman also had judicial power over all members of the Lithuanian army.

In the event of war, he took command from the field hetman and led the Lithuanian army into battle. The Polish army was also led by a grand hetman . In most cases, the king appointed the Grand Hetman, who was in his opinion better, as commander-in-chief of the united army. Nevertheless, he had no direct authority over the other army. The second Grand Hetman was always his deputy.

During the defense of the city of Chocim by the army of the Ottoman Empire in 1621, after the death of the Grand Hetman of the Polish Crown Stanisław Żółkiewski , the supreme command of the armed forces was transferred to his deputy, the Grand Hetman of Poland-Lithuania, Jan Karol Chodkiewicz . He also died defending the city.

Since 1579 the title of Grand Hetman was bestowed for life, unless the holder of the office withdrew from military service.

Prince Konstantin Ostroschski, first Grand Hetman of Lithuania, holding the hetman's staff in his right hand (painting from the 16th century)
Imperial Prince and Grand Hetman of Lithuania, Janusz Radziwiłł, holding the hetman's staff in his left hand
Szymon Marcin Kossakowski, last major hetman
List of the Grand Hetmans of Lithuania
appointment Abdication / death Surname
1497 1500 Konstantin Iwanowitsch Ostroschski
1500 1501 Semen Holszański
1501 1502 Stanisław Janowicz Kieżgajło
1503/1504 1507 Stanislaw Kiszka
1507 1530 Konstanty Ostrogski
1530 1531 vacant
1531 1541 Jerzy Radziwiłł
1541 1553 vacant
1553 1566 Mikołaj Radziwiłł Rudy
1566 1572 Grzegorz Chodkiewicz
1572 1576 vacant
March 6, 1576 April 27, 1584 Mikołaj Radziwiłł Rudy
1584 1589 vacant
April 15, 1589 November 20, 1603 Krzysztof Mikołaj Radziwiłł
1603 1605 vacant
1605 September 24, 1621 Jan Karol Chodkiewicz
1621 1625 vacant
1625 July 7, 1633 Lev Sapieha
1633 1635 vacant
January 1, 1635 1640 Krzysztof Radziwiłł
1640 1646 vacant
April 17, 1646 1654 Janusz Kiszka
June 17, 1654 December 31, 1655 Janusz Radziwiłł
1656 1665 Paweł Jan Sapieha
1665 1667 vacant
1667 April 4, 1682 Michał Kazimierz Pac
1682 1703 Kazimierz Jan Sapieha
1703 1707 Michał Serwacy Wiśniowiecki
1707 1708 Kazimierz Jan Sapieha
1708 1709 Jan Kazimierz Sapieha
1709 1709 Grzegorz Antoni Ogiński
October 28, 1709 January 30, 1730 Ludwik Konstanty Pociej
1730 1735 vacant
November 9, 1735 September 18, 1744 Michał Serwacy Wiśniowiecki
October 5, 1744 May 22, 1762 Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł
October 8, 1762 January 20, 1768 Michał Józef Massalski
February 29, 1768 July 6, 1793 Michał Kazimierz Ogiński
July 1793 April 25, 1794 Szymon Marcin Kossakowski

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Maciej Franz, pp. 29-30
  2. ↑ Polskie tradycje wojskowe, p. 187

literature