Michał Kazimierz Ogiński

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Michał Kazimierz Ogiński (1730-1800) of Oginiec was a notable politician and a military commander of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as well as a noted musician and composer.

He started his political career at the age of 18, when he became the field writer of Lithuania, one of the clerks in the administration of the state. In 1764 he was one of Russia's candidates for the Polish throne. When he lost to Stanisław August Poniatowski, he was chosen as the voivode of Vilna instead. He also joined the anti-Russian Bar Confederation. Defeated by the Russian forces under Alexander Suvorov in the Battle of Stołowicze, he was forced into exile. However, by 1768 he returned and was nominated to the rank of the Grand Hetman of Lithuania, thus becoming one of two highest ranking military commanders in the Polish-Lithuanian state. During the Great Sejm of 1788-1791 Ogiński was a member of the Patriotic Party. However, following the defeat in the Polish-Russian War of 1792 he resigned his post and retired to his family manor in Słonim.

Apart from his political and military career, throughout his life Ogiński was a noted engineer and musician. He founded the Pińsk-Volhynia road, the arsenal in Vilna and the Ogiński's canal, joining the watersheds of Neman River and Dnieper (1765-1784). He also founded numerous factories and manufactories in the lands belonging to his family. He was also a famed musician and composer, as well as a benefactor of artists. At his court in Słonim he held two theatre groups (Italian and Polish), a printing house and a grand orchestra. He also modified the design of the harp and wrote several musical works.