Andrzej Wolan was born around 1531 in
Greater Poland, in the
Kingdom of Poland, into a noble family originating from
Silesia. In 1544, he began his studies at the
University of Frankfurt (Oder). After returning to Poland, he lived with his relative Baltazar Strzeźmiński, a land judge, where he gained knowledge of legal practice and civic responsibility. He then traveled to
Lithuania to the court of his uncle Hieronim Kwilecki, who recommended him to
Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Red. Around 1550, he became Radziwiłł's secretary. However, he soon left for
Königsberg, where he studied at the local academy for three years. He later took the position of honorary secretary to King
Sigismund Augustus and began his philosophical and literary work. He was active in writing against what he felt was unfair criticism of
Queen Elizabeth of England's persecution of Catholics, for example exaggerating, "There were days under
Mary when more victims were burnt than during the 24 years of Elizabeth’s reign." His debut was the poem
Do Polaków i Litwy (), while his most important work was the political treatise
De libertate politica sive civili libellus lectu non indignus (), published by
Maciej Wirzbięta's printing house in
Kraków. Wolan was married three times and left behind numerous offspring. He died in 1610 on his estate called Wolanów,
Ashmyany. ==Works==