[[Image:Herb Jan Karol Chodkiewicz.jpg|right|thumb|190px|[[Coat of arms of Chodkiewicz] ]]
Chodkiewicz (Lithuanian: Chodkevičius, Kadkevičius, Katkevičius, Katkus; Belarusian: Хадкевіч) was one of the most influential noble families of Ruthenian descent in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 15th-17th centuries. Chodko Jurewicz[1], chamberlain to Grand Duke Vytautas was ancestor of whole clan and gaved it name Chodkiewicz, meaning "son of Chodko".
Coat of arms edit
There were more than one Chodkiewicz family, like Chodkiewicz Jastrzębiec coat of arms[2], as well as familyies with similar surnames, like Chodźko, Chodźkiewicz or Chodakiewicz
They bore Chodkiewicz coat of arms, which was blazon of Kościesza and Gryf. Progenitor, Chodko Jurewicz, wore probably Kościesza[1] which was blazed then, by his sucessors. It`s mysterious how typical Polish coat of arms, which Kościesza is, was inherited by orthodox Lithuanian. Chodko didn`t participated in the Union of Horodło, Jan Długosz didn`t noted Kościesza, neither Chodkiewicz, arms amongst the others, Chodko Jurewicz however, used it next to his signature under some treatyies.
History edit
They were orthodox and becouse of thier mecenate were founded many monasteryies, including Supraśl Orthodox Monastery, significant centre of orthodox culture in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, founded by Aleksander Chodkiewicz. Were hireing artists, such as writer Maciej Stryjkowski, who wrote "About beginnings, descent, gallantry, chivalry and home issues of glorious Lithuanian, Samogitian and Ruthenian family...", dedicated to the Chodkiewicz clan[3]. Jan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz and his two sons, becomed catholics in 1572, after brief calvinist period. This made them first polonized generation. They were also first counts in thier clanafter Emperor Charles V granted the title of Count of the Roman Empire to the whole family. [[Image:JKChodkiewicz.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Jan Karol Chodkiewicz]]
Notable family members edit
- Chodko Jurewicz (c.1431 - 1447), founder of Chodkiwicz name.
- Ivan Chodkiewicz (? - 1484) - governor of: Minsk, Lida, Vitebsk,hospodarski marshall, Slutsk starost, Kiev voivod.
- Aleksander Chodkiewicz (1457 - 1549) - voivode of the Nowogródek Voivodeship, Grand Marshal of Lithuania
- Yurii Chodkiewicz (1524 - 1569) - voivode of the Nowogródek Voivodeship.
- Jerzy Jurewicz Chodkiewicz
- Hieronim Chodkiewicz (1500 - 1561) - Grand Lithuanian Podczaszy, Elder of Samogitia, first Count in the family.
- Ivan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz (1537 - 1579) - Livonian hetman, Grand Lithuanian Marshall, castellan of Vilnius.
- Konstanty Chodkiewicz
- Hieronim Ivanowicz Chodkiewicz
- Grzegorz Chodkiewicz (? - 1572) - Grand Hetman of Lithuania
- Andrzej Chodkiewicz
- Jan Karol Chodkiewicz (1560-1621) - Grand Hetman of Lithuania.
- Krzysztof Chodkiewicz (?-1652) - castellan of Vilnius, voivode of Vilnius Voivodship.
- Jan Kazimierz Chodkiewicz (1616-1660) - castellan of Vilnius.
- Anna Eufrozyna Chodkiewicz (c. 1600-c. 1631) - married Prokop Sieniawski in 1623.
- Teresa Chodkiewicz (1645-1672) - married Stanisław Bonifacy Krasiński about 1667.
Further reading edit
See also edit
- Lithuanian nobility
- List of szlachta
- Polish-Lithuanian heraldry
- Grand Duchy of Lithuania
- Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Polish clans
External links edit
[1] Genealogy of Chodkiewicz family.
[2] Family tree of Chodkiewicz.
[3] Site about Chodkiewicz clan.
[4] Full interactive family tree (in Polish).