Stanisław Sołtyk

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Stanisław Sołtyk

Stanisław Sołtyk (b. December 12, 1753-June 4, 1831) was a Polish nobleman (szlachcic), political activist, landowner, father of Roman Sołtyk.

Stanisław was born in Krysko near Plońsk. He became Royal chamberlain in 1780, Great Podstoli of the Crown in 1784. He was a strong supporter of reforms in the Republic. He participated in the Great Sejm in 1788-1792 as representative of the Krakow Voivodship for the second time. He was a member of the "Radziwill Club", which prepared the passing of the Constitution of May 3, 1791 by the Sejm. After the adoption of the Constitution, he became member and co-founder of the "Assembly of Friends of the May 3 Constitution".

He participated in the preparation of the Kosciuszko Uprising, but did not partake in any armed struggles. He was sent with a secret diplomatic mission to the royal court in Vienna, but was arrested by the Austrian authorities. During the partition of Poland, he supported and was involved in conspiratorial activities of the independence movements.

After the fall of the Republic he went into retirement on his estates in Chlewisko near Radom. He became busy with producing agrarian and metallurgical products and soon became one of the major industrialists in Poland. He took part in the cultural life of Warsaw and organized meetings of artists and writers. In 1800 he founded the "Society of Friends of Science". Together with Tadeusz Czacki and others, he founded the "Trade Society" in 1802.

He returned to political life in the Duchy of Warsaw, after Marshal Joachim Murat appointed him as member of the "Supreme Justice Chamber" (Najwyższa Izba Sprawiedliwości) in 1807. From 1811 until 1812 he served as member of the Sejm. In 1811 he was appointed as Sejm Marshal.

During the Polish Congress Kingdom, member of the Sejm and senator-castellan. From 1823 member and one of the authorities of the underground "Patriotic Society" in Russian occupied part Poland. He was arrested in 1826 and convicted of treason against the state. In 1829 after four years in prison, he was acquitted and released.

He supported the November Uprising in 1830 but due to his old age and poor health, he could not take part in the Sejm assembly to put his signature under the act to dethrone Czar Nicolas I, January 25, 1831. He sent a letter to the Sejm submitting his support.

For his patriotic activities, the Sejm raised him to the rank of senator-voivode in May 28, 1831. He died in Warsaw on June 4, 1831.