Adam Jerzy Czartoryski was a Polish patriot and statesman - the overriding goal of his life was the happiness of his homeland. So what if his brother-in-law favored Prussia and Russia, and his nephew fought in the November Uprising ... in the tsarist army. Where did these black sheep come from in a noble Polish family?
The traitors turned out to be the husband of Adam Jerzy's older sister, Princess Maria Wirtemberska (nee Czartoryska), and her son Adam. Perhaps the most painful thing for the Czartoryski family - known simply as Familia - was the fact that during the November Uprising their beloved Puławy had to surrender to the unit led by Adam Wirtemberski.
Future son-in-law with connections
This story began in 1784, when Duchess Izabela Czartoryska was looking for a well-connected husband for her 16-year-old daughter Maria. And here appeared a candidate who exceeded all expectations of Izabela - Prince Ludwik of Württemberg, whose brother ruled in Württemberg, a small German principality. One of Ludwik's sisters was the wife of the Austrian heir to the throne, the other - Maria - the wife of Grand Duke Paul, future Tsar Paul I (son of Catherine II the Great). His uncle was the King of Prussia Frederick II.
Gabriella Pauszer-Klonowska, biographer of Izabela Czartoryska, wrote about Prince Ludwik:" An adventurer and a brawler, completely devoid of culture and education (...) he was not looking for a wife, but for a dowry ". As Familia was famous for its wealth, Prince Württemberg visited the Czartoryski family on his way to St. Petersburg and during this visit he began to talk with Izabela about his marriage plans towards Maria. Duchess Czartoryska knew that her German guest was a scoundrel and drunk who gambled his fortune. Nevertheless, she gave him her daughter's hand, because he was a dream son-in-law with great connections.
When Maria found out about her mother's plans, she fell into despair.
When Maria found out about her mother's plans, she fell into despair. She had love (though platonically) with another man - a poet and her teacher, Franciszek Dionizy Kniaźnin. Apparently, she even wrote a letter to Ludwik, in which she admitted that their marriage did not make sense, because she had no feelings for him. The fiancé ignored Miss Czartoryska's appeal. Maria had to submit to the will of her imperious mother.
Wedding and marriage
On October 28, 1784, Maria and Ludwik were married. Soon the couple, accompanied by Princess Isabella, left for Berlin at the invitation of the King of Prussia, Frederick II. The monarch did not hide his admiration for his nephew's young wife and said to Duchess Czartoryska:" You gave us an angel "And then added," She is an angel, but he .... "
Maria Wirtemberska quickly gained popularity at European courts ("Our Marynia is valued" - wrote Izabela to her son Adam in 1787). Unfortunately, she was liked by everyone but not by her husband.
Maria no longer had a husband, but also a son, because the court ruled that little Adam was to be raised by his father.
The spouses lived in the castle in Trzebiatów, 600 kilometers from Puławy. Maria waited longingly for letters from home, which irritated Ludwik, who limited his wife's contacts with the outside world. He abused her mentally and physically. Natalia Kicka wrote in her memoirs that the Prince of Württemberg:" gave her old ducats to wash for fun ". When the Duchess was in childbirth after giving birth to her son Adam, Ludwik almost killed her in a fit of rage.
Only after a few years, Maria confided her troubles to her parents, who began to "save" her daughter's marriage, incl. paying for the renovation of the palace in Trzebiatów and regulating the gambling debts of his son-in-law. But the remedy for the failed relationship was to bring Ludwik to Poland and help in his military career.
Polish-Russian war
Adam Kazimierz, Maria's father, "enjoyed" Ludwik the title of general and commander of the Lesser Poland Division. When the Polish-Russian war broke out, Duke of Württemberg had the opportunity to prove himself, but he delayed going out into the field against the Russians. His shameful behavior was no secret to the Warsaw society. Here is what Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz wrote about it:
Everyone was surprised and scandalized by Württemberg's reluctance to leave Warsaw; he left at the end, but instead of going to the place he drove to Wołczyn, his father-in-law's estate, and from there, instead of gathering Lithuanian troops, he sent orders to the regiments, sending them far from one another.
But before the news of such an extraordinary act came to Warsaw, a letter from the prince of Württemberg to one of the ministers of the Prussian king was taken over, in which he reported that - faithful to his promise - the army Lithuanian forces scattered that easily any corps were captured by the Muscovites, perhaps.
Disgraced Maria immediately filed for divorce and locked herself in a convent with the sacraments. Desperate Izabela wrote to her husband:“It's my fault. I accuse myself pushed my daughter into a relationship with a man she hated ". The divorce was granted. Maria no longer had a husband, but also a son, because the court ruled that little Adam was to be raised by his father. The young mother pleaded in vain to the Prussian king for intercession for her son and the child left Puławy for Württemberg.
November Uprising
Raised by Ludwik, Adam felt only hatred towards his mother and Poland. The only dream of the young prince of Württemberg was a military career, and the best way to succeed in this field was to join the tsarist army. In St. Petersburg, Adam served in one of the most prestigious Russian units - Lejb-Guardian Hussars Regiment - and did not maintain contact with the mother's family.
The old duchess, her daughters and servants left Puławy and took refuge in their Galician estate.
After the outbreak of the November Uprising, Prince Württemberg entered the Kingdom of Poland with his unit. At the beginning of March 1831 he approached Puławy and began shelling it. At the time, 85-year-old Izabela and her daughters Maria and Zofia were on the Czartoryski estate. Soon someone brought them information about the name of the commander who had issued the firing order. “My poor sister suffered terribly; her son was wicked and barbaric "- wrote Zofia in a letter to her husband.
The old duchess, her daughters and servants left Puławy and took refuge in their Galician estate. Meanwhile, Adam Wirtemberski seized his grandmother's property and took away over 30,000. volumes of books.