Bogusław Radziwiłł

Who was Bogusław Radziwiłł?

Bogusław Radziwiłł was a princely magnate and a member of the Polish-Lithuanian szlachta, or nobility. He was of the Radziwiłł magnate family. By birth he was an Imperial Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. A descendant of the famous knight Zawisza Czarny.

Born of the mightiest and highest resident family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Radziwiłł was the owner of Biržai, Dubingiai, Słuck, and Kopyta, the great Standard-bearer of Lithuania since 1638, the Master of the Stables of Lithuania since 1648, and the Starost barski. Radziwill was Governor of the Duchy of Prussia since 1657.

From 1637 to 1648 Radziwiłł studied abroad, in Germany, Netherlands, England, and France.

For several decades, the interests between the Radziwiłł family and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth had begun to drift apart, as Radziwłł were less satisfied with the magnate status of the family and its immense wealth and began craving more political power.