22 PARENTS OF MYKOLAS KLEOPAS OGINSKIS31 Mother of M. K. Oginskis was the Countess Pau- politician Andrius Oginskis (1740–1787). Their mar- la32 Szembek (1737–1798), father – the Grand Chan- riage was registered in the Church of Miedniewice cellor of Lithuania, the Voivode of Trakai and Cas- Reformed. They had two children – daughter Juzefa So- tellan Count Andrius Ignas Joachimas Juozapotas fija Oginskytë (1761/1764–1847)35 and son Mykolas Oginskis (1740–1787). They married on 21st of Ju- Kleopas Oginskis (1765–1833). On the backside of Paula ly 1763 in Guzow (near Warsaw, Lodz Voivodeship, Szembek's portrait (which until this day is kept by the Poland). Paula Szembek's parents were the counts Krasicki family in Poland), the unknown author left a Jadwiga Rudnicka and the elder of Brest, Adjutant note which ends with the words "Pauline from Szembek General Marek Szembek. family [...] is a Lady in Lithuania, Russia and Poland". Mykolas Kleopas in his memoirs states: COUNTESS PAULA SZEMBEK "My mother Pauline, maiden name Countess Szem- (1737–1798) bek, first married Lubenski, who lived for a very short ti- Paula was born in Brest (Poland). She married three me. The second time she married Potocki, who about a times. Her first husband was a Count Celestin Lu- year later left her a widow. Finally, she married my fat- banski33. In this marriage, Paula had a son Feliks Va- her Oginskis. [...] As my mother had a son with every lezjusza Wladyslaw Lubenski. C. Lubenksi died on husband, in the public eye she was often called the mot- 16th of January 1759. After the first marriage, her of the three provinces. My mother was one of the most P. Szembek married Jan Prosper Potocki34 the son of beautiful Polish ladies, her behaviour was impeccable, Belza Voivode and Guzow elder Antonio Michala Po- and she could have been the best example of a dutiful tocki (1702–1766) and Liudvika Marija Sapiegaitë wife and the most kind of mothers."36 (1682–1736). On 27th of November 1760, the King Paula Szembek died on 20th of January 1798. She Augustus III signed an agreement transferring Gu- was buried in Franciscan Monastery of the Miednie- zow ward for Jan Prosper Potocki and his wife Paula wice, next to her second and third husbands. until their death. Paula and Jan's son Antonio Prota- zo (Proto) Jach Potocki was born on the 2nd of Sep- ANDRIUS BOBOLA JOACHIMAS tember 1761. His father suddenly died on the 23rd JUOZAPATAS ADOMAS OGINSKIS of January 1762 in Kosovo and was buried in the (1740–1787) Miedniewice Monastery. On the 21st of July 1763, The Duke Andrius Oginskis was a son of the po- P. Szembek married for the third time the renowned litician of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Tadas 31 An information about Andrius Oginskis, used during the preparation of the text, was presented in a book Valdovø kelias: Rûdninkø gatvë ("Rulers Path: Street Rudininkai"), Vilnius: Charibdë, 2001, written by Antanas Rimvydas Èaplinskis, Vilnius: Charibdë, 2001). 32 In written and literary sources, she is often called Polina or Paulina. 33 Count Celestin Lubanski – a high officer of King's manor. 34 Jan Prosper Potocki (1734–1761) – son of the Voivode of Belz and the Elder of Guzow – Antoni Michaù Potocki, Polish war figure, Polish lieutenant-general. On 2nd of September 1761, while living with him in marriage Paula (Paulina) Szembek gave birth to a son Antoni Prot (Protazy) Jacek Potocki (1761–1801), who became a banker, factory owner and a voivode of Kiev. Jan Prosper Potocki died on 23rd of January 1762. Buried in a cellar of Miedniewice monastery (Poland). 35 Juzefa Sofija Oginskytë – sister of Mykolas Kleopas Oginskis. She was born in 1761 or on 15th of July 1764 in Vienna, died in 1847. As well as her mother, she has been married for three times. Her husbands were Ignas Oginskis, Ignas Ðiðka and Jonas Nikodemas Lopacinskis. 36 M. K. Oginskis, Atsiminimai, p. 7. On the left: fragment of the Guzow manor. 2006. Photo by Danutë Mukienë 23 Pranciðkus Oginskis (1712–1783) and Izabelë Kot- the special envoy for a mission in Vienna. By this, the ryna Radvilaitë (?–1761). King S. A. Poniatowski was hoping to reach the Andrius Oginskis was born on 13th of April 1740 Austrian diplomatic support and help to unite the in Taduline (Vitebsk Voivodeship37). In 1755, at Bar confederates and the throne. A. Oginskis left the age of 15, he received the rank of a colonel, which for Vienna from Warsaw on January 1772 and rea- was ceded by the relative from the father’s side Ig- ched the destination on mid-February. In Vienna, nas Oginskis38. In spring 1757, his father signed A. Oginskis began the negotiations with the Bar away Andrius Oginskis to Aðmena Eldership; and confederates led by M. J. Pacas, however discussions on 4th November 1757, Andrius became the su- were unproductive. During a farewell audience pervising officer of the Seimelis of Aðmena. In Oc- (A. Oginskis left Vienna on December 1772) en- tober 1758, A. Oginskis was a representative from voys of Austrian emperor confirmed that the parti- the Duchy of Livonia in the Seimas; in 1760, as a tion of Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth between representative of Kaunas, Andrius Oginskis got the Austria, Prussia and Russia is inevitable and the King stick of the Tribunal of Lithuania. In addition, on Augustus resistance could only deteriorate the situ- 8th of October 1762 in Warsaw, as representative ation. Therefore, the mission failed. On 27th of Ap- of the Duchy of Livonia, A. Oginskis was ranked as ril 1773, A. Oginskis became the Great Chancel- the Great Armourer of Lithuania. With this, he was lor of Lithuania. In June 1773, he took part in sec- rewarded for signing the Brulow rights manifesto of ret confederations and as the King’s attorney dis- Polish szlachta. cussed the structure of the government, the neces- A. Oginskis married Paula Szembek on 21st of sary actions that had to be made after the partition July 1763 in Guzow. In 1764, he became the go- of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Once vernor of Guzow. The main residence of A. and P. again, now the Seimas delegated A. Oginskis to Vien- Oginskiai became the Guzow manor. There Andrius na. In September 1774, he was involved into diplo- Oginskis mostly focused on economic development matic activities with the exception that this time he and with that, in 1783, he implemented land divi- was rewarded with success. After his return, the Sei- sion, preservation and reclamation reforms. mas appointed A. Oginskis as the governor of Gu- Being married, Andrius Oginskis continued to zow, Kadaria, Mockai and Plateliai (Trakai Provin- participate in political arena. In May 1764 (when ce) elderships. there was no actual ruling power in the country), In 1774, A. Oginskis was the envoy and worked he signed the Czartoryski Confederation Act in War- as an authorized minister in St. Petersburg. In July saw; and when the King of the Polish-Lithuanian 1775, in Seimas he became the Trakai Voivodeship Commonwealth was crowned in Seimas, A. Ogins- deputy in Seimas. In the same year, childless Aunt kis swore to S. A. Poniatowski. In 1766, he was a Elena Oginskienë39 bequeathed upon him the lands member of the Treasury Commission of Lithuania in Podlachia and folwark in Samogitia, which was a (Finance Committee). In 1769, the Senate obliged part of Plungë eldership. him to be the special envoy to St. Petersburg. A. In 1778, A. Oginskis became the Castellan of Tra- Oginskis stayed in St. Petersburg for a short range kai and in the same year on 13th of May – the mem- of time (from 30th of September to 6th of Octo- ber of the Senate. In that year, he also was the Grand ber), because he did not know the decision of Em- Marshal of Lithuania. In 1780, A. Oginskis was a press Catherine II not to accept any delegations. Un- senator, the elder of Aðmena, the Voivode of Brest fortunately, because of this trip the Bar confedera- and from December 1783, the Voivode of Trakai. tes declared A. Oginskis an enemy and abolished In November 1783, Andrius Oginskis received his holdings; whereas the King S. A. Poniatowski the legacy of his father Tadas Pranciðkus Oginskis – acted contrary and awarded A. Oginskis with the Izabelin lands in Aðmena Powiat. White Eagle and St. Stanislaw Orders. Moreover, In 1786, A. Oginskis completed the release and pub- on 21st of November 1771 S. A. Poniatowski en- lication of the "Brief Instructions for People Who Run trusted A. Oginskis for the rapporteur of Lithuania the Service at the Farm [...]". A. Oginskis was one of the (envoy) position. founders of the Masonic Lodge "Temple of Wisdom" – 24 In December 1771, A. Oginskis was obliged to be a lodge reorganized from "St. Charles Knights" Lodge. Luis Philippe Alphonse Bichebois (1801–1850), Kanutas Ruseckas (1800–1860). "The surroundings of Vilnius. Antakalnis". 1848. Lithuanian Art Museum, LDM G-12827 Andrius Oginskis died on 12th of September Paula continued to live in Guzow with the eldest son 1787 in Guzow and was buried in Miedniewice Fran- Feliks Valezjusza Wladislaw and the teacher of My- ciscan Monastery. After A. Oginskis death, his wife kolas Kleopas Jean Rolay40. 37 Vitebsk Voivodeship – administrative territorial units of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1503 and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonweatlh (1569–1793). From the year of 1772, it was existing nominally. Capital – Vitebsk. 38 Ignas (Ignotas) Oginskis – war and political figure of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, marshal of the Lithuanian Chief Tribunal, one of the first Lithuanian masons.