Piotr Gembicki | |
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| Bishop of Przemyśl Bishop of Kraków | |
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| Installed | 22 September 1636 (Przemyśl) 10 November 1642 (Kraków) |
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| Born | (1585-10-10)10 October 1585 |
| Died | 14 July 1657(1657-07-14) (aged 71) |
Piotr Gembicki (10 October, 1585 – 14 July, 1657), Deputy CrownChancellor andBishop of Przemyśl from 1636, Grand Crown Chancellor from 1638,Bishop of Kraków from 1642 in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.[1]
Piotr Gembicki was born into aPolish noble family ofNałęcz coat of arms inGniezno[1] on 10 October 1585 and began his ecclesiastical career early and attended academies abroad. Later he became the secretary of KingSigismund III Vasa and regent of the Crown's Chancery. AfterSigismund's son,Władysław IV Vasa, succeeded to the Polish throne in 1632, Gembicki led thediplomatic mission toFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1635 he took part in the negotiations withMuscovy following theSmolensk War. In December 1635 he became the Deputy Crown Chancellor and Bishop of Przemyśl. From then, his influence and wealth grew, and in 1638 he became the Great Crown Chancellor.[2]
He was a supporter of theHabsburgs, which earned him a nicknamecovert Spaniard, and an opponent of the pro-French faction. He advocated tightening Polish control over the Commonwealth vassal,Prince-elector of theDuchy of Prussia. Fighting for power and influence withmagnateJerzy Ossoliński, he became an ally ofAdam Kazanowski and opponent of queenCecilia Renata. In 1642 he lost the political battle and retired from court politics to the see of theBishop of Kraków, passing the chancery to Ossoliński. Since then, he focused mostly on religious matters, coming back into politics only in 1646 with his vocal and strong opposition of King Władysław's planned campaign against theOttoman Empire, after which he was accused of being a traitor and exiled to theHoly Roman Empire.
He died inRacibórz on 14 July 1657. His body was brought back toPoland and buried inside theWawel Cathedral inKraków.
Viewed by theszlachta as prideful and greedy, he supported the position of the Commonwealth king over orders from distant Rome when disputes arose between those two powers. He disliked theJesuits and often sent complaints about their actions, destabilising the fragilereligious tolerance in the Commonwealth.
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