HISTORIOZOFICZNY ASPEKT „DZIEŁA BOSKIEGO ALBO PIEŚNI WIEDNIA WYBAWIONEGO” WESPAZJANA KOCHOWSKIEGO

The historiosophical aspect of the work The Work of God or Songs of Liberated Vienna by Wespazjan Kochowski is visible already in its title. It is based on a providential interpretation of the history of the nation and the actions of its royal representatives. The victory over Turks at Vienna is perceived as the work of the Providence whose armed force is King John III Sobieski. The latter was made a knight of Christ who has a special mission to save Christian Europe from the Turkish invasion. He is perceived as an incarnation of one of the leaders of the first crusade, Godfrey of Bouillon, which results in recognizing the Polish army and allied forces as crusaders. The history of wars against pagans is revised in the historical reality of the 17th century. Kochowski interprets it in religious and moral terms. The grounds for this reasoning is the Sarmatians’ conviction about Poland being the bulwark of Christendom and its defensive role against the Turkish expansion.