Seweryn Rzewuski (Polish pronunciation: [sɛˈvɛrɨn ʐɛˈvuskʲi]; 13 March 1743 in Podhorce – 11 December 1811 in Vienna) was a Polish nobleman, writer, poet, general of the Royal Army, Field Hetman of the Crown, Voivode of Podolian Voivodeship and one of the leaders of the Targowica Confederation.
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Biography
Early life and studies
His father was Hetman Wacław Rzewuski, while his mother was Anna Lubomirska. He had nine siblings.
He firstly studied in Warsaw. Starting from 1754, Rzewuski's educator was L. A. Caraccioli, and under his care, all of the children in the family were educated abroad (Rzewuski visited, most notably, Austria, Italy and France).
Political and military career
As voivode, he signed the election of Stanisław II Augustus in 1764, and was later an envoy to the Repnin Sejm. Because of his opposition to the Russian ambassador there, he and his father, Wacław Rzewuski were kidnapped on the night of 13/14 October 1767 by Russian forces under the command of General Iosif Igelström and imprisoned in Kaluga. He returned to Poland in 1773. On 4 September 1775, both received in restitution from the king the Orders of St. Stanislaus and the White Eagle, but this was not enough to reconcile Seweryn, who blamed Poniatowski for his ordeal.