Teodor Narbutt

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Teodor Narbutt. Portrait of Maksymilian Fajans .

Teodor Mateusz Narbutt (born November 8, 1784 in Szwary, today: Shaury (Шаўры), near Hrodna ; † November 27, 1864 in Vilnius ) was a Polish-language writer of Lithuanian descent, historian of the Romantic era and military engineer in the service of the Russian Empire . His best-known work is the ten volumes, written in Polish, History of Lithuania from the Early Middle Ages to the Union of Lublin .

Life

Teodor Narbutt was born in 1784 near Hrodna (in what is now Belarus ) in Poland-Lithuania as the child of a well-known Szlachta family that bore the Trąby coat of arms . In his early teens his country between Russia, Austria and Prussia was divided . After graduating from a piarist school in Lyubeshiw , he attended Vilnius University , where he graduated in engineering in 1803 . He then moved to Saint Petersburg , where he joined the Cadet Corps. He served in the Imperial Russian Army , where he became a captain in the field engineer corps. He took part in the Russian campaigns against Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807 and 1812 . In 1809 he planned the Babrujsk fortress (in today's Babrujsk , Belarus) for which he was awarded the Order of St. Anne .

In 1813 he became interested in archeology and began organizing numerous excavations in the area of ​​the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania . His passion for the history, culture and folklore of the former Grand Duchy was evident after 1817 when he began writing historical articles for various newspapers in Vilnius. He also began collecting copies of documents dealing with the ancient history of Lithuania, published in the anthology Pomniki do dziejów litewskich (Monuments of Lithuanian History) in 1846 . One of his best-known primary sources is the 16th century Letopis of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania , also known as the Chronicle of Bychowiec , which is named after its discoverer Aleksander Bychowiec .

Babruysk Fortress 1811

Between 1835 and 1841 he published a monumental ten-volume history of Lithuania covering the periods from prehistoric times to the Union of Lublin. Although it was based on legends and often falsified sources, this book had a great influence both on the historiography of Lithuania and later on Lithuanian national romanticism . Its Lithuanian translation became the first history of Lithuania written from an entirely Lithuanian point of view. The book was highly valued by Russian historians and authorities as it highlighted Lithuania's Ruthenian past. Narbutt received a ruby-set gold ring from Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and was awarded the Order of St. Anne and the Order of St. Vladimir . In 1856, Narbutt published another collection of texts containing genuine primary sources and forgeries he had written himself. One of the most famous of the latter is Kyburg's diary , a falsified report on Lithuania in the 13th century.

Narbutt remained an active member of the Vilnius Archaeological Commission and a noted engineer throughout his life. Between 1847 and 1852 he planned a parish church in Eišiškės , in today's Lithuania. His family supported the January uprising in Poland . His eldest son, Ludwik Narbutt , became the commander of the Polish insurgents in the Lida area , where he died in combat in 1863. His youngest son Bolesław was sentenced to death by the Russian authorities, but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment because of his young age. His wife, Krystyna Narbutt (nee Sadowska) was sentenced to exile to Siberia and was not allowed to return until 1871. Narbutt's only daughter Teodora was forced to flee the country and was sentenced to forced labor in her absence. Narbutt died in Vilnius in 1864.

Publications (selection)

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Narbutt Teodor Mateusz. Encyclopedia PWN
  2. ↑ Narbutt Teodor
  3. ↑ Narbutt Ludwik. Encyclopedia PWN
personal data
SURNAME Narbutt, Teodor
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Narbutt, Teodor Mateusz (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Polish-Lithuanian writer, historian and military engineer
DATE OF BIRTH November 8, 1784
PLACE OF BIRTH Szwary near Hrodna
DATE OF DEATH November 27, 1864
Place of death Vilnius