Michał Kazimierz Pac
| Michał Kazimierz Pac | |
|---|---|
.jpg)  |
|
| Father | Stefan Pac |
| Born | 1624 |
| Died | 4 April 1682 Wace near Vilnius, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth |
Michał Kazimierz Pac (Lithuanian: Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas; 1624 – 4 April 1682 in Wace near Vilnius) of the Gozdawa Coat of Arms, was a Polish magnate and nobleman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and a member of the Pac family. He was a son of Stefan Pac and a brother of Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac, the Chancellor of Lithuania.[1]
Biography
Michał Kazimierz Pac joined the army as a young man and steadily rose through its ranks. In 1663, during the Second Northern War (Deluge), when the territory of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was occupied by Russian and Swedish soldiers, Pac was appointed as the Field Hetman of Lithuania and voivode of Smolensk. He was further promoted to Great Hetman in 1667 and voivode of Vilna in 1669.[2] Pac opposed election of Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki (ruled 1669–1673) to the throne of the Commonwealth. In 1673, Pac fought in the Battle of Chocim against the Turks. After the death of Wiśniowiecki, he opposed election of John III Sobieski (ruled 1674–1696). When it was discovered that Pac plotted with Austria and Brandenburg against Sobieski, he fell from public favor.[2]
Michał Kazimierz Pac funded the construction of St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Vilnius, considered to be one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Lithuania. Following his wishes, he was interred in the church vestibule and his grave was marked with a Latin inscription Hic iacet pecator (English: Here lies a sinner).[2]
