The Duke of Olyka and the Saint: The Meeting between Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł and Pope Pius V (1566)

Abstract

This article focuses on the meeting between Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł “the Orphan” (1549–1616), powerful magnate from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and Pope Pius V (1504–1572), its inclusion in the pope’s first biography, and its influence on his hagiography. The brief encounter in 1566 left an impression on the young duke, leading to his conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. The event was included in the first biography of Pius V, written by the Italian humanist Girolamo Catena. Following the pope’s beatification (1672) and canonisation (1712), the number of works devoted to Pius V significantly increased. Initially mentioned by only one of his titles, the “Duke of Olyka,” Radziwiłł’s identity was not always recognised by later authors, resulting in the abstraction and allegorisation of the event. The decontextualised mention of the Duke of Olyka appeared in various hagiographies of Pope Pius V as part of the narrative of his saintliness.