Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł
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- For other people with the name of Mikołaj Radziwiłł, see Mikołaj Radziwiłł.
| Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł | ||
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| Noble Family | Radziwiłł | |
| Coat of Arms | Trąby  |
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| Parents | Jan Mikołaj Radziwiłł Hanna Kiszka |
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| Consorts | Elżbieta Szydłowiecka | |
| Children | with Elżbieta Szydłowiecka Mikolaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł Jerzy Radziwiłł Albrycht Radziwiłł Stanisław Pius Radziwiłł Elżbieta Radziwiłł Zofia Agnieszka Radziwiłł Anna Magdalena Radziwiłł Krystyna Radziwiłł Jan Radziwiłł |
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| Date of Birth | January 4, 1515 | |
| Place of Birth | Nieśwież/Nesvyžius | |
| Date of Death | May 28, 1565 | |
| Place of Death | Vilnius | |
Mikolaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł, nicknamed The Black (Lithuanian: Mikalojus Radvila Juodasis also known as Mikołaj Radziwiłł The Fifth, 1515–1565) was a noble (szlachcic) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, voivode of Vilnius, Grand Grand Lithuanian Chancellor and the Grand Hetman of Lithuania.
Mikołaj was able to gain much political influence thanks to the romance between his cousin Barbara Radziwiłł and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Zygmunt II August. This made him one of the most powerful Royal advisers. Mikolaj became Marshal of Lithuania, Grand Chancellor of Lithuania, as well as Palatine of Vilnius, gained immense wealth and became the most powerful magnate in the Commonwealth of that time.
The new status of the Radziwiłł family was further strengthened when, during his diplomatic mission to Charles V and Ferdinand I, a hereditary title of Prince (Reichsfürst (SRI)) was granted to him and his cousin Mikolaj the Red.
He formed an alliance with his cousin Mikołaj "the Red" Radziwiłł against other notable Lithuanian families in the rivalry for the dominant status in the Great Duchy of Lithuania. This alliance marked the formation of a dynastic-like cooperation between Radziwiłłs and showed how family interests could affect magnates' relations with the Commonwealth. Both Radziwiłłs backed the cause of Lithuania's sovereignity.
Coincidentally, despite opposing close ties with Poland, he was the chief negotatiator in the successful negotiation between Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the state controlled by the Livonian Order, which led to the secularisation of Livonia and its union with Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1562.
Mikołaj also greatly furthered the Polonisation of other Lithuanian nobles by adopting Polish culture — its fashion, customs and language.
He was known for his religious beliefs, as he was one of the most prominent converts and advocates of the Protestant faith in Grand Duchy of Lithuania and thus contributed to the Lithuanian branch of the Polish Reformed Church. He provided financial support for the printing of the first complete Polish translation of the Bible in 1563, colporated works written in defense of the Reformed faith, financed a magnificent church and college in Vilnius, supported educated Protestants, and in various other ways fostered the Calvinist faith. He is known to have exchanged letters with John Calvin.
Because Protestants supported usage of local languages, he is also believed to have funded Lithuanian churches and schools.
With the exception of his daughter Anna, all his children converted to Roman Catholicism and became ardent supporters of the Counter Reformation.
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