Stanisław Karnkowski

Who was Stanisław Karnkowski?

Stanisław Karnkowski, from Junosza, was the Great Referendary of the Crown, the Great Secretary of the Crown, bishop of Włocławek, archbishop of Gniezno - Primate of Poland. Interrex in 1586–1587, before the coronation of Sigismund III Vasa.

Karnkowski chaired the sejm commission which prepared so called "Karnkowski's Statutes" approved by sejm in 1570. He was the only bishop on the election sejm to vote for Stefan Batory, who was suspected of being a secret Protestant. He opposed attempts of reforming the way of election made by Jan Zamoyski and proposals of raising up taxes for army.

Stanisław Karnkowski invited Jesuits to Kalisz and Poznań and founded the buildings that had to serve as centres of the struggle against Protestants in Greater Poland. Due to these activity, strongly supported by the king Sigismund III Vasa, the Jesuit complex was erected.

Stanisław Karnkowski is one of the personas on the famous painting by Jan Matejko: the sermons of Piotr Skarga.