Robert Mileszczyk

(Re)shaping the city – Architectural and Historical Identity of Istanbul in the Eyes of Early XVII Century Humanist

This presentation examines Przeważna legacja (The Grand Embassy), an epic poem by Samuel Twardowski. The work recounts the 1622 diplomatic mission of Prince Krzysztof Zbaraski to Istanbul, undertaken as part of peace negotiations between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire.

Twardowski’s poem is a multi-layered text, building rich strata of meaning atop its core narrative of diplomatic activity. Among its most significant features are the elements of cultural memory embedded in the text, as well as the literary techniques and narrative strategies the poet employs to shape them. Twardowski skillfully uses amplification, omission, misattribution, meaningful silences, and contrasts to achieve his ideological ends. He is also a master of infusing meaning into the style, tone, and character of his descriptions of spaces and buildings.

A closer analysis of the text and its internal relationships reveals a deliberate effort to preserve the images and ideals of collective memory as developed by early modern humanism. Simultaneously, this effort reflects a perceived threat to the narratives of identity in which the author himself participates—and whose survival he seeks to secure through symbolic violence against forces that he deems disruptive or threatening to them.

The presentation aims to explore how Twardowski deliberately reshapes his narration of Istanbul, both in its historical and architectural dimensions, to align with the perceived framework of humanistic ideals and worldview, while also advancing his own ideological and personal agendas.