Endowed with all the traits of an outstanding monarch and creator of his state, King Kazimierz III (also known as the Great) appears one of the greatest figures in the history of Poland. It was him who laid out the legal and political foundation of the modern state. He initiated legislative, administrative, economic, military and cultural reforms which became the source of the power of the Jagiellonian dynasty. However, apart from the above mentioned virtues, Kazimierz Wielki had a number of (...) vices and weaknesses. He tended to be irritable and bad-tempered. He overly appreciated jewels and luxury. What is more, he was promiscuous and overindulged in drinking and eating. (shrink)

Those who have written on Paweł Brzostowski have lacked to pay much attention to his patriotism and his activities as a priest. Some have disapproved the fact that in hard times he left his peasants and sought peace abroad. It is obvious that he lacked the courage of priest Stanisław Brzóska or one of priest Ignacy Skorupka to take the leadership of his own army of peasants to defend Poland. Yet he showed through his life much commitment to strengthen Poland (...) in order to avoid its defeat. He never stooped to the role of tsar’s confidant like other magnates and priests. His peasant army participated in the Kościuszko Insurrection and the November Insurrection. In 1798, after Napoleon’s army had entered Italy, he returned to Poland and gave away 3 000 Zlotys aid to peasants. He also made sure that the fund for the teacher, the doctor and the chemist’s always served the local community. J. Bartyś states that Paweł Brzostowski was a priest by choice: “he always strived to put into practice the Church’s teaching on neighbour-love, honesty and equality of all people regardless their social status”. (shrink)

From a very young age till the last days of his life, Stanisław Staszic was occupied by the question of the relationship between God and Nature. In particular, the Polish thinker was interested in the vision of the world in which human life and Nature were seen in unison, in accordance with laws of reason and the outcomes of scientific investigations. His deliberations on Nature validated his monistic worldview, encompassed within a deistic general framework. Staszic pointed out many times that (...) natural order is the creation of God, however, earthly issues are in the hands of humans. In the last years of his life he withdrew from God. He did not accept the Church’s hierarchy, while his approach to the Creator was ambivalent. (shrink)