Arciszewski, Christopher.
Poet, engineer, general of artillery. Born in 1592 in Poland, left Poland in 1623 traveling through Holland, Italy, England, Scotland, where he studied engineering, fortification, mining, and navigation. In 1629 joined the Holland Company for West Indies -- to retake Brazil from Portugal -- and sailed for Brazil, where he distinguished himself as a leader and commander of the Holland military forces. Captured the fortified forts of Castelle, Reale, Barra, Grande and retook two provinces of Pernambuco and Parahilban, conquering for Holland Empire -- Brazil, but for a short time. For services rendered to Holland was nominated general of artillery and later admiral of the Holland fleet. In 1637 was welcomed triumphantly by Amsterdam and presented with a medal by the American Society for his services to Brazil. A big monument-obelisk was erected in his honor in Pernambuco, Brazil. In 1646 he returned to Poland, where he was nominated general of artillery and called Father of Polish Artillery. Died in 1656.From: "Who's Who in Polish America" by Rev. Francis Bolek, Editor-in-Chief; Harbinger House, New York, 1943
Arciszewski, Krzysztof
Born December 9, 1592 in Rogalin near Poznan; died in April 1656 near Gdansk; general of artillery, Arian [religious denomination]. After finishing schools in Smigiel and Frankfurt on der Oder he participated (during 1621-22) in an expedition against the Inflanty under the command of hetman [field commander] Krzysztof Radziwill. In 1623, for a crime involving property, he was sentenced to banishment and his properties were seized. In that same year he left Poland and settled in Holland where he studied military engineering and artillery. As a volunteer he participated (during 1623-25) in the siege of Breda conducted by prince Maurycy Oranski. In 1629 he took part in capturing the Protestant stronghold at La Rochelle. In that same year he enlisted for a three year stay in the military units of the West India Company. He was part of a Dutch expedition to Brazil where he commanded an army of seven-thousand soldiers and 70 ships. Thanks to his strategy the Dutch occupied the areas of Olinda and Recife. In 1630 he took the island of Itamarika, and advanced to major [?]. In 1633 he returned to Holland where he was given the rank of colonel. Then he took over the position of deputy commander in Brazil, to fight the Spanish and Portuguese. In 1636 he fought his last battle with the Spanish, attaining complete victory. In 1638 he was named general of artillery and admiral of the Dutch fleet in Brazil. In his honor an obelisk was raised Pernambuco, while in Holland a he was given silver medal and a golden chain. In 1646 he returned to Poland and was given the post of general of royal artillery under the protection of King Wladyslaw IV. He was active in organizing the artillery and building many arsenals. He participated in battles in the Ukraine in the defense of Zbaraz, Lwow, and Zborow. In February 1650 he resigned his position, because of military setbacks and ill health. Arciszewski was also interested in literature and published: "De podagra curata" (1643, a medical tract), and some poetry which was included in J. T. Trembecki's "Wyridarz poetycki" (1-2, 1910-11). He also wrote down observations on his stay in Brazil. Fragments of these writings were preserved in the work of Dutch writer Gereard Voss "De theologia gentili et Physiologia Christiana sive de Origine et Progresu Idolatrie" (1642).[Sources] Polski Slownik Biograficzny, vol. 1, Krakow 1935; Wielka Encyklopedia PWN, vol. 2, Warsaw 2001; Polacy w historii i kulturze krajow Europy Zachodniej, Slownik Biograficzny [Poles in the history and culture of Western European countries. Biographical dictionary] edited by K. Kwasniewski, L. Trzeciakowski, Poznan 1981; K. Milewski, Krzysztof Arciszewski, "Biblioteka Warszawska," vol. 4 Warsaw 1842; P. M. Netscher Les Holandais au Brasil, La Heye 1853; A. Kraushar, Dzieje Krzysztofa z Arciszewa Arciszewskiego, vol. 1-2, Petersburg 1992-93; A Danysz, Pamietnik Krzysztofa Arciszewskiego z pobytu w Brazylii [Krzysztof Arciszewski's diary from his stay in Brazil], "Rocznik Towarzystwa Przyjaciol Nauk w Poznaniu," 21 (1895); R. Pombe, Historia de Brasil, Sao Paulo 1914; A. Yarmolinsky, Bibliographical Studies in Early Polish Americana, "The Bulletin of the New York Public Library 1934-36"; J. Kleyntjens, Miscellana Polono-Hollandica III. Christophe Arciszewski , "Rocznik Gdanski," 9/10 (1935/36); P. S. Naber, J. C. M. Warusinck, Christoffel Artichewsky [in] J. De Laet, Jaerlyck varchael von de Verrichtingen der Geoctroyeerde West-Indisch Compagne in derthien boecken, cz. 4, Hage 1937; S. Siercki, Admiral Arciszewski, Warsaw 1953; M. Paradowska, Przyjmij laur zwycieski [Accept the victor's laurel], Katowice [1987].
[Author] Wieslawa Eder
From: "Encyklopedia Polskiej Emigracji i Polonii," Edited by: Kazimierz Dopierala, Vol. I, Oficyna Wydawnicza Kucharski, Torun, Poland, 2003.
Translation by: Peter Obst, Pinkowski Institute, July 26, 2006