Jan Samuel Chrzanowski

Who was Jan Samuel Chrzanowski?

Jan Samuel Chrzanowski, Polish soldier, lieutenant colonel.

He was a member of the Polish bourgeois, he began his military career in the regiment of Stanisław Koniecpolski. In 1673 he fought at Chocim, that same year he gained the rank of captain. From 1674 he served in the regiment of Aleksander Niezabitowski, from 1675 the regiment came under the ownership of Jan Cetner, the starost of Szczurowice.

During the Polish-Turkish war in 1675, a 30,000 strong Turkish army aided by Tartars led by the Sultan Serder's son in law Ibrahim Szyszman, invaded present day Ukraine. After conquering Zbaraż and Podhajec about 10,000 soldiers of the Turkish army arrived in Trembowla. The town of Trembowla was destroyed, but the castle, which was defended by about 80 soldiers, a handful of nobleman and around 200 peasants, all led by Jan Samuel Chrzanowski, withstood the Turkish armies advances for over two weeks. On October 11, 1675 the Turkish army withdrew its forces upon hearing that Polish forces led by the Polish King Jan III Sobieski were nearing. In a camp near Buczacz King Sobieski gave Chrzanowski the rank of lieutenant colonel.