Adam Kazanowski

Who was Adam Kazanowski?

Adam Kazanowski was a noble of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1633. Greater Crown Stolnik from 1634, Court Chamberlain and castellan of Sandomierz from 1637, Court Marshall from 1643, żupnik of Wieliczka from 1642, starosta barcicki, borysowski, kozienicki, rumieński, solecki, nowotarski, warecki, bielski. Friend of king Władysław IV Waza. In 1634 married Elżbieta Słuszczanka, but he never had children.

Together with his brother, Stanisław Kazanowski, Adam was raised with crown prince Władysław. He accompanied him during his attempt to become a Russian Tzar, in the Chocim war of 1621 and the 1620s European voyage. In 1631 he is the starost if Barcko. When Władysław became king in 1634, he was showered with gifts and new official titles. In 1634 he became the starost of Borysowo, and gained the rank of podstoli and soon after that, stolnik.

Kazanowski was viewed by many as a greedy, arrogant magnate and a 'bad influence' on the king, but he always remained close to Władysław. When Władysław's royal treasury ran dry once, Adam Kazanowski loaned him his money and mortgaged many of his goods, saying My liege, I cannot become poor when I am near to you, but I will not be rich without you. This friendship gave him enough political leverage to remain an important player in the Commonwealth's politics. Privy to the king's thoughts and secrets, and organiser of many lavish parties and festivities, he was not interested in the 'great politics', but he was a powerful player in the smaller court intrigues. He knew many secrets of the royal court, and could influence Władysław to be friendly or not towards various newcomers, envoys and other visitors to the court.