Klemens Janicki - Biography

Biography

Janicki was born in Januszkowo, a village near Żnin, Poland, to a peasant family. He first went to an elementary school in Żnin, then to the Lubrański Academy in Poznań where he studied Greek, Latin and Ancient literature.

In 1536, he became secretary to Gniezno archbishop Andrzej Krzycki, and met such scholars as Jan Dantyszek (Latin: Johannes Dantiscus), Stanisław Hozjusz (Latin: Stanislaus Hosius). At that time he wrote several elegyies such as Ad Andream Cricium, De Cricio Cracovia eunte, and Vitae archaepiscoporum Gnesnensium for his patron. After Archbishop Krzycki died, Janicki worked under patronage of the count Piotr Kmita and wrote Querella Reipublicae Regni Poloniae i Ad Polonos proceras. In 1538 Count Sobieński sponsored his studies in Padua, where he met Piotr Myszkowski, Filip Padniewski and Andrzej Zebrzydowski. 22 July 1540 graduated from philosophy with designation of a doctor. Pope Paul III awarded him with the title of poeta laureatus.

During his travel to Italy he fell ill with hydrops and soon returned to Poland. Not wanting to work for count Kmita, he devoted himself to work as a parson in Gołaczewy near Olkusz. In 1541 he wrote a collection of elegies titled "Tristium liber" in which he foresaw his death, especially Elegy VII De se ipso ad posteritatem (About myself to posterity). Janicki died in January 1543; his last work, Epithalamium Serenissimo Regi Poloniae, Sigismundo Augusto, was found by his heirs Jan Antonin and Augustinus Rotundus who decided to publish it.

Janicki, a humanist and an expert on the classics, mastered his poetic technique at the highest possible level. At the same time, however, he approached the topics originally, which is clearly seen in the fragments dedicated to his native nature, the past and the present of Poland. The personal tone of his poetry was a new element in Polish poetry. He was the first poet to write so much about himself and his relatives, about the dignity and pride of the poet.