Jan Stefan Ligenza Kurdwanowski (also Jan Szczepan Kurdwanowski; 1680–1780) was a Polish physicist, member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences and military officer. A contributor to Encyclopédie, he served as a courtier to king Stanisław Leszczyński and his wife.
Kurdwanowski was born 26 December 1680 in his family's manor in Radzanów, to a Polish gentry family. [1] His father held the title of łowczy at the Polish court. [1] Kurdwanowski himself was also attached to the King of Poland Stanislas Leszczyński, and held the title of gentleman of the bedchamber. [2] [3] [4]
He was also an elected member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences since 28 June 1753. [1] [2] [3] While not a member of the Société des gens de lettres, Kurdwanowski contributed an article on Piles (heaps of objects) to the Encyclopédie. [2] [3] His article explained a simple method of counting round, piled objects such as cannonballs. [1] His article was then further expanded by Louis de Jaucourt and Guillaume Le Blond. [5] He was one of two Polish contributors to that encyclopaedia, the other being prince Michał Kazimierz Ogiński who wrote the article on Lyre. [2]
When king Stanislas assumed the throne of Lorraine and Bar, Kurdwanowski followed him to France and remained his courtier there and later of his wife, queen Catherine Opalińska. [1] [6] His wife was Zofia Salomea née Miłkowska. [6]
Later in his life he joined the French Royal Army in the rank of captain and commander of a battalion of infantry. [1] With time he rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. [1] He died 21 June 1780 in Lunéville, aged 99. [1]
Jan Stefan Ligenza Kurdwanowski (also Jan Szczepan Kurdwanowski; 1680–1780) was a Polish physicist, member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences and military officer. A contributor to Encyclopédie, he served as a courtier to king Stanisław Leszczyński and his wife.
Kurdwanowski was born 26 December 1680 in his family's manor in Radzanów, to a Polish gentry family. [1] His father held the title of łowczy at the Polish court. [1] Kurdwanowski himself was also attached to the King of Poland Stanislas Leszczyński, and held the title of gentleman of the bedchamber. [2] [3] [4]
He was also an elected member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences since 28 June 1753. [1] [2] [3] While not a member of the Société des gens de lettres, Kurdwanowski contributed an article on Piles (heaps of objects) to the Encyclopédie. [2] [3] His article explained a simple method of counting round, piled objects such as cannonballs. [1] His article was then further expanded by Louis de Jaucourt and Guillaume Le Blond. [5] He was one of two Polish contributors to that encyclopaedia, the other being prince Michał Kazimierz Ogiński who wrote the article on Lyre. [2]
When king Stanislas assumed the throne of Lorraine and Bar, Kurdwanowski followed him to France and remained his courtier there and later of his wife, queen Catherine Opalińska. [1] [6] His wife was Zofia Salomea née Miłkowska. [6]
Later in his life he joined the French Royal Army in the rank of captain and commander of a battalion of infantry. [1] With time he rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. [1] He died 21 June 1780 in Lunéville, aged 99. [1]