Mycielski

Mycielski (feminine form MYCIELSKA, plural MYCIELSCY/MYCIELSKIE) - a noble Polish family of the Dołęga clan. The first record of a Mycielski is from 1437 when brothers Florian and Mikołaj were in a dispute with vicar Jan of Kościelec (The Diplomatic Code of Greater Poland vol V nr 605 by F. Piekosiński).

The hereditary title of Count was bestowed on Józef Mycielski (1794-1867) in Prussia, by King Frederick Wilhelm III on the 20th June 1822 LP 30th July 1822, recognised in Austria on the 16th April 1896 (almanachdegotha.org/id304html, Nobility of the World, Volume VIII Poland, The History and Register of the Nobility of Poland Part II, The Index of Polish Counts).

Some notable Mycielskis:

  • Florian Tworzyjan Mycielski (died 1470), a courtier with a seat in the Senate, Counsellor to King Kazimiersz Jagiełło, Castellan of Biechów. Mikołaj (died after 1686): High Court Judge, Member of the Sejm, Wojski of Kalisz, Starosta for Konin, Secretary to King Jan Kazimierz.
  • Maciej Mycielski (1690-1747), Cup bearer of Kalisz, Castellan of Poznań, Order of the White Eagle. Great peacekeeper during very turbulent times. With his wife née Konarzewska, completed the Basilica and monastery of Św Góra (Holy Hill) in Gostyń.
  • Józef Mycielski (1733-1789), Starosta of Konin, Palatine of Inowrocław, Member of the Sejm, Knight of the Order of St Stanislas and of the Order of the White Eagle, Adjutant in the Lithuanian army, Major General and Colonel of the Infantry (Gt Lithuanian Army 1759), Lieutenant General 1762.
  • Maciej Mycielski (1760-1815), Starosta of Konin, Order of St Stanisław, Order of the White Eagle (1792).
  • Stanisław Mycielski (1768-1813) with his wife Anna (1767-1840), one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s most passionate supporters. Adjutant to Napoleon’s General Masséna. He fought with Napoleon in the 1806-1807 campaign. He and his wife Anna were fierce anti Prussian activists and their home Kobylopole was a hotbed of it. There are Prussian references to the dangers of “fanatical women” mentioning, in particular that “as long as women like Chłapowska from Dąbrówka and Mycielska from Kobylopole are allowed to live in Southern Prussia, there will be no peace there. These women bring up their children on hatred against Prussians” (K.Schhott Müller: Del Polenaufstand 1806-1807 Veröffenlichungen der Hist Gesellschaft die Prov Posen J4 1907, pg 37 passim).
  • Franciszek Mycielski (1794-1831), son of Stanisław (1768-1813) and Anna (1767-1840), Aide de Camp to General Dąbrowski. Fought in the Napoleonic war, in the 1813-1814 campaign. Légion d’Honneur and Virtuti Militari.
  • Ludwik Mycielski (1796-1831), son of Stanisław (1768-1813) and Anna (1767-1840). 1st Lieutenant in the Light Cavalry at the age of 16 under General Konopka. After Napoleon’s fall, he was Second Lieutenant in the 4th Infantry Regiment under Colonel Ignacy Mycielski and, still a teenager, soon became aide de Camp to General Toliński. At the age of 34 the time of the November Uprising of 1830 he was one of the first to volunteer. His old colonel told him they had enough officers and needed more soldiers in the ranks. Thus, having been an officer and an aide decamp, this veteran from the Great Army came to fight in the Uprising of 1830 as a simple soldier. There are many accounts of Ludwik’s heroic death at the age of 35 at Grochów, now a district in Warsaw, where there is a street bearing his name.
  • Michał Mycielski (1796-1849) twin of Ludwik, son of Stanisław (1768-1813) and Anna (1767-1840). Joined the army at the age of 16 and within a month (June 1812) was second lieutenant in the regiment of the French General Grouchy. By September he was General Kosiński’s second adjutant by whose side he had a baptism of fire at the Battle of Bug. For the Campaign of 1812 he was awarded the Virtuti Militari, the highest Polish decoration for outstanding combat merit. On a par with the Victoria Cross, the Virtuti Military is the oldest military order in the world. Michał fought at Denewitz and Leipzig, and was shot in the left leg on the last day of this “Battle of Nations” (19 October 1813) Continued following Napoleon and fought at Hanau. There was little left by then of the Polish and Lithuanian armies and the reorganization of the army of the Duchy of Warsaw took place in Sedan in January 1814. Michał Mycielski, still only 18, joined the 2 regiment of the Ulans under General Siemiątkowski and took part in the entire bloody campaign of 1814 fighting in all the most important battles. He was at Berry au Bac, Laon, Longers, Soissons, Reims, Arcis-sur-Aube, Chateaux Thierry, Saint Dizier. When Paris nevertheless capitulated Michał found himself in the post-Napoleon army as a cavalry marksman and lieutenant and then in the household cavalry as a captain in December 1818. He was 22. In September 1824 Michał Mycielski became adjutant to the Commander of the Polish Army Grand Duke Constantin Romanov who had been installed as the Viceroy of Poland. He resigned from the position on the 16th September 1829 due to ill health. He was at the terrible battle of Grochów (1831) where his twin brother Ludwik died his heroic death. After that battle, Michał led the 2 regiment of Uhlans and later as Lieutenant Colonel to General Ludwik Kicki, he distinguished himself in further charges against the Russians. At the battle of Iganie he and his men saw off 3 regiments of Russian hussars and on the 12 th April 1831 General Skrzyniecki promoted him to Colonel. When General Kicki was killed Michał stepped into his shoes and in August 1831 became Brigadier General. Due to TB he was unable to join in the last battle in defence of Warsaw. He died in “Trois Moulins” near Melun on the 23rd September 1849. In “Biographies of Distinguished Poles from XVIII and XIX centuries” by Janusz Staszewski (published in 1930 by Poznań University) there is a very detailed account of the military achievements of the Mycielskis during the Uprising. And the part played by the Mycielski brothers was immortalized in a large painting by the renowned Polish painter Kossak (painted 1887-1888). It represents the battle of Grochów.It depicts three Mycielski brothers, and the death of Ludwik from a Russian bullet. Thousands of prints were produced but the painting was destroyed in 1914. In the 1920s Kossak painted a smaller replica of it.

See also
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