Olesnicki, Zbigniew

OLESNICKI, ZBIGNIEW. - Bishop of Kraków, cardinal and Polish statesman, b. at Sienno in 1389, d. at Sandomierz on 1 April 1455.

After completing his studies at Sandomierz and Kraków, O. became secretary and favourite of King Władysław II Jagiełło, with whose support he became bishop of Kraków (1423) and exercised a decisive influence in affairs of State. O. fought energetically against the political and religious influence of the Hussites in Poland, favoured the alliance with Hungary, and planned a great Crusade against the Turks, to be led by Poland, whose military and political power would thereby have reached the Black Sea. For this reason, in 1440 O. successfully supported the candidacy of King Władysław III for the Hungarian throne, but the King's death at the battle of Varna (1444) frustrated his grandiose plans. Although he had been created cardinal by Eugene IV in 1439, in 1441 O. accepted the cardinal's hat and the title of legatus a latere from the antipope Felix V and sided together with the other Polish bishops with the Council of Basel. Only in 1449 did O. obtain confirmation of his cardinalate from Pope Nicholas V. Under the reign of Casimir, O. lost his predominant position, but he nevertheless always retained a great influence in political life until his death. O. was an ambitious prelate, a bold politician, a cultivated humanist, but little versed in the sacred sciences, though a good administrator of his diocese, where he built numerous churches and promoted works of charity.