Dominik Dziewanowski (Pà Âonne, 1759âÂÂ1827, Pà Âonne) was a Polish military officer, a general in the Army of the Duchy of Warsaw.
Dominik Dziewanowski was a Polish nobleman who came from a Mazowsze szlachta family of the JastrzÃÂbiec coat of arms. His father was the Castellan of Cheà Âmno, Juliusz Dziewanowski, and his mother was Ludwika, née Pawà Âowska.
Dominik Dziewanowski's family was closely befriended with Fryderyk Chopin's since the years that Fryderyk's father, Mikoà Âaj Chopin, worked as a tutor to the Dziewanowski family's children. Dominik Dziewanowski's father became godfather to Ludwika Chopin, Fryderyk's sister. Dominik become one of young Fryderyk Chopin's closest childhood friends, in a Warsaw boarding school and in the summer vacations of 1825 and 1826, which Fryderyk spent on the Dziewanowski estate, Szafarnia. It was around Dominik Dziewanowski's family estate that Chopin's music was influenced by folk music of the countryside.
Dominik Dziewanowski served in the Prussian Army, then in the Polish Army, where he was adjutant to Prince Stanisà Âaw Poniatowski. In the 1794 Koà Âciuszko Uprising, he fought at Rypin and . After the suppression of the Koà Âciuszko Uprising, he settled on his country estate but nevertheless maintained contact with the Polish Legions and supported them financially.
In 1806, he formed the and joined the Army of the Duchy of Warsaw. At the head of his regiment he fought in Napoleonic campaigns: in 1807, in Pomerania, at Tczew and Gdaà Âsk, and in 1809 at Sandomierz. During the second campaign, he also took Lublin and took part in the capture of Zamoà ÂÃÂ. In 1810, he was promoted brigadier general and appointed military commandant of the à Âomà ¼a Department. He did not assume the à Âomà ¼a Department post, as he went on sick leave, which he spent in Teplitz and Karlsbad. In 1810âÂÂ12, he was military commandant of the Lublin Department; and in 1812, of the Radom Department.
In Napoleon's 1812 Russian Campaign, he commanded the 28th Light Cavalry Brigade of the 4th Cavalry Division (4th Cavalry Reserve Corps) and fought at Mir and Romanov. During the defense of Barysaw in Belarus he was seriously wounded and was taken prisoner by the Russians. In 1814, he settled back in his rural estate, where he spent the rest of his life.
Military historian writes of Dziewanowski:
Dziewanowski translated a number of French military writings into Polish, wrote an interesting memoir, and left a manuscript work on the Polish cavalry.