Krzysztof "Piorun" Radziwiłł
{{Expand Lithuanian|topic=bio|otherarticle=Kristupas Radvila Perkūnas|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Krzysztof "Piorun" Radziwiłł
|image = Krzysztof Mikołaj "the Thunderbolt" Radziwiłł 1.PNG
|image_size = 180px
|birth_date = 1547
|birth_place = Vilnius, Grand Duchy of Lithuania
|death_date = 20 November 1603
|death_place = Łosośna, Kingdom of Poland
|boards = Calvinist{{huh|date=February 2024}}
|spouse = Katarzyna Sobek z Sulejówka h. Brochwicz
Katarzyna Ostrogska
Katarzyna Tęczyńska
Elżbieta Ostrogska
|children = with Katarzyna Ostrogska:
Janusz Radziwiłł
with Katarzyna Tęczyńska:
Krzysztof Radziwiłł
Halaszka Radziwiłł
|parents = Mikołaj "the Red" Radziwiłł
Katarzyna Tomicka-Iwińska
}}
Prince Krzysztof Radziwiłł, epithet "Piorun" ("Lightning") ({{langx|lt|Kristupas Radvila „Perkūnas“}}, 1547–1603) was a Reichsfürst of the Holy Roman Empire and a member of the nobility of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.{{cite web |title=Kristupas Radvila Perkūnas |url=https://www.vle.lt/Straipsnis/Kristupas-Radvila-Perkunas-77813 |website=vle.lt |access-date=16 November 2019}}
He was cup-bearer of Lithuania from 1569; Field Hetman of Lithuania from 1572; Castellan of Trakai, Deputy Chancellor of Lithuania from 1579; Voivode of Vilnius Voivodeship from 1584; Lithuanian Grand Hetman from 1589; and Starost.
Life
Image:POL COA Radziwiłł Książę Ia.svg: Trąby]]
Radziwiłł was one of the most talented commanders in the service of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the wars against Muscovy and Sweden, and won the Battle of Kokenhausen. He received the epithet "Piorun" (translated as "Lightning" or "Thunderbolt") for his deadly and very successful cavalry raids against Ivan the Terrible's forces in Russian Tsardom territory during the Livonian War, forcing it to capitulate.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
His achievements, combined with his powerful Radziwiłł family backing, helped him rise to his various voivode and starost offices and further increased his family's wealth.
Like his father, brother, and nephew, he was an ardent Calvinist and adherent of the Polish Reformed Church, and defended it against the rise of the Counter-Reformation.
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References
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{{commonscat|Krzysztof Mikołaj Radziwiłł}}
{{Great Hetmans of Lithuania}}
{{Field Hetmans of Lithuania}}
{{Deputy Chancellors of Lithuania}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Radziwill, Krzysztof Mikolaj}}
Category:Secular senators of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Category:Military personnel from Vilnius
Category:Polish Calvinist and Reformed Christians
Category:Polish Princes of the Holy Roman Empire
Category:Polish people of the Livonian campaign of Stephen Báthory
Category:Field Hetmans of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Category:Lithuanian vice-chancellors
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