KARNKOWSKI, Stanislaw. - Primate of Poland, b. May 10, 1520, d. June 8, 1603. Bishop of Włocławek (Leslau) in 1567, he became Archbishop of Gnesna in 1581 and promoted the Catholic restoration in Poland. He founded seminaries in Włocławek, Kalisch, and Gnesna, entrusting them to the Jesuits. At his request and with the approval of Gregory XIII, J. Wujek translated the Bible into Polish. He supported the election of rulers favourably disposed toward the Catholic Church (Henry of Valois, Stephen Báthory, and Sigismund III Vasa) and, as primate, headed the regency in 1586.
BIBL.: A. Kakowski, Biskupa Stanisława Karnkowskiego zbiór konstytucji synodalnych, Włocławek 1912. Silvio Furlani