Polish nineteenth century propaganda at work

This is how Matejko presented King Jan Kazimierz.

This is basically in keeping with the Sienkiewicz image of the saintly wimp who helplessly flees his enemies and can at most manage a few whispers about the tormented motherland. The fact that he abdicated the throne helped to cement the loser picture. It also depends much on the King's image in French clothing: he is westernized, therefore spoiled, effeminate and over-gentle.

But this is how Jan Kazimierz liked to present himself:



Manly, brave, Turkish rather than French; the hero of the Thirty Years' War (in which he fought as a mercenary) and of the battle of Beresteczko where he personally led the charge.

In fact, there was altogether too much of fearless man of action about Jan Kazimierz. His military idea of virtue as attacking the enemy frontally and never yielding an inch did not lend itself well to management of a constitutional parliamentary monarchy. Unable to compromise, the king occasioned a series of constitutional crisis; until, in the end, the only way out of the last one was -- abdication.

He was defeated, yes. But he was not a wimp.