Hassling-Ketling of Elgin

Hassling-Ketling of Elgin
First appearance The Deluge
Last appearance Fire in the Steppe
Created by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Portrayed by Jan Nowicki (Fire in the Steppe)
Information
Gender Male
Family Unknown
Spouse(s) Krystyna Drohojowska
Religion Christianity
Nationality Scottish

Ketling (Hassling-Ketling of Elgin) was a fictional character in Henryk Sienkiewicz's novel Fire in the Steppe, the third volume of his award-winning The Trilogy. A Scotsman, Ketling moved to Poland where he became a Colonel of Artillery in service of the king of Poland John Casimir. Ketling got married to Krystyna Drohojowska, a former fiancee of his friend, Michał Wołodyjowski.

Ketling was killed in the Siege of Kamieniec Podolski, when he (together with Wołodyjowski) blew himself up in a gunpowder depot.

The historical personality on which the character was loosely based was certain Major Heyking, a mercenary from Courland and the commander of the Kamieniec Fortress during the said war.

In 1969 Jerzy Hoffman's film Ketling is portrayed by Jan Nowicki.

References