Mikołaj Potocki

Who was Mikołaj Potocki?

Mikołaj "Niedźwiedzia Łapa" Potocki was a Polish nobleman, magnate and Field Crown Hetman of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1637 to 1646, Grand Hetman of the Crown from 1646 to 1651, voivode of Bracław Voivodeship from 1636, from 1646 Castellan of Kraków.

Potocki had two wives, Zofia Firlej and Elżbieta Kazanowska. He had six children with Firlej: Piotr Potocki, Stefan Potocki, Mikołaj Potocki, Marianna Potocka, Wiktoria Potocka and Henryk Potocki. He had three children with Kazanowska: Jakub Potocki, Joanna Potocka and Dominik Potocki.

He was captured during the battle of Cecora by the Turks. In 1633 during the battle of Paniowce, along with Prince Jeremi Wiśniowiecki and Stanisław Koniecpolski he defeated the Turk forces under Abaza pasza.

In the 1637 Pawluk Uprising he defeated rebellious Cossacks under Pavel Mikhnovych at the battle of Kumejki. In the 1638 Ostrzanin Uprising he forced Dmytro Hunia to surrender. After those victories over the Cossacks he received large estates in Ukraine.