Xavier Branicki (1816–1879)

Xavier Branicki
Franciszek Ksawery Branicki
Portrait of Ksawery Branicki by Leon Kapliński
Born	Franciszek Ksawery Branicki (1816-10-26)26 October 1816 Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
Died	20 November 1879(1879-11-20) (aged 63) Assiut, Khedivate of Egypt
Resting place	Montrésor
Occupations	Financier, Political writer
Era	19th century
Known for	Crédit Foncier de France, Philanthropy, Montrésor
Spouse	Pelagia Zamoyska
Children	Augustin Branicki, illegitimate but acknowledged
Parent(s)	Wladyslaw Grzegorz Branicki, Róża Potocka
Awards	Chevalier of the Legion of Honor

Count Xavier Branicki (in Polish: Franciszek Ksawery Branicki, in French: François Xavier Branicki; 26 October 1816 – 20 November 1879) was a Polish nobleman, political exile, and landowner who took French nationality.

Biography

He became a political writer, financier, art collector, and philanthropist. He was the owner and restorer of the Château de Montrésor and estate in France. He was descended from a powerful magnate family with immense land holdings in the Duchy of Lithuania and in Ukraine, partly as a result, it is said, of a family connection with Catherine the Great. He was a member of the close circle of Napoleon III. He was a co-founder of the Crédit Foncier de France, a bank that continues to this day.

Publications

Branicki was the author of the following works:

• Libération de la France par un impôt sur le capital. Paris: E. Dentu. 1871. p. 31..
• L'impôt sur le capital, libérateur de la contribution de guerre – Moyens pratiques de l'appliquer. Paris: E. Dentu. 1871. p. 32..
• La politique du passé et la politique de l'avenir, esquisse d'une constitution. Paris: E. Dentu. 1876. p. 130..
• Les nationalités slaves : lettres au R. P. Gagarin. Paris: E. Dentu. 1879. p. 408. Slav..

Interior of the Château de Montrésor, Branicki's decades-long restoration project

See also

• List of Poles
• Louis Wolowski

External links

• Chateau de Montresor