Krzysztof Arciszewski

Krzysztof Arciszewski ( born December 9, 1592 Rogalin, † April 7, 1656 in Gdansk, Kingdom of Poland ) was a Polish nobleman, military leader, engineer, ethnographer, general of the Polish and Dutch artillery, and in 1637 vice-governor and admiral of the Dutch Brazil.

Life

As a young man Arciszewski was banished from the Kingdom of Poland because of a murder committed. He went to Holland, where he settled in The Hague. With the support of Prince Krzysztof Radziwill he began artillery craft, military engineering and navigation to study at the University of Leiden.

After graduating, he went in 1629 on behalf of the Dutch West Indian Trading Company in Brazil, where he was appointed vice-governor and chief military leader.

He returned in 1646 returned to Poland, where he was General of Artillery and died at Danzig on April 7, 1656.