Śmierć matki i bliskich Michała Kazimierza Radziwiłła „Rybeńki” (1702–1762) w świetle jego diariusza

Death of the family members or friends and acquaintances, has always been an extraordinary, notable and memorable event. Death was present in the memoirs and diaries, in which we find many descriptions of death of the relatives and friends as well as the funeral ceremonies. Memoirists expressed in them their feelings when confronted with the death of loved ones and friends. Diaries and correspondence much better than mournful speeches and eulogies show contributors’ attitude to death. Openly and honestly give a convincing evidence of human feelings. This article analysis feeling described in the diary of Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł known as ’Rybeńko‘ (1702–1762), the governor of Vilnius and Lithuanian Grand Hetman. As a reference point for considerations served note of 23rd December 1746, including information on the death of his mother, Anna Katarzyna Radziwiłł, née Sanguszko (1676–1746), wife of the great Lithuanian Chancellor. Radziwiłł reveals in his diary attitudes towards death mainly of relatives. It shows not only how to "feel a death” in the context of everyday life, but also reveals the multi-faceted relations occurring in Nieśwież between the living and the dead. Author describes Radziwiłł’s attitude to death and the afterlife, as well as, the extent to which death ritual had impact on strengthening social and ancestral ties. Analyzing the homogenous source material, which is the diary, the author tried to capture what Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł was thinking about death and dying beyond the message directly written by him.