Jan Prosper Witkiewicz
Jan Prosper Witkiewicz (Lithuanian: Jonas Prosperas Vitkevičius; Russian: Ян Вѝкторович Виткѐвич) (June 24, 1808–May 8, 1839) was a Lithuanian orientalist, explorer and diplomat in Russian service. He was a Russian agent in Kabul just before the First Anglo-Afghan War.
Jan Prosper Witkiewicz | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 June 1808 Pašiaušė, Lithuania-Vilnius Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | 8 May 1839 (aged 30) Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Occupation(s) | Orientalist, explorer and diplomat |
Surviving family accounts (supported by Polish literature) suggest that, most probably, he was a double agent who tried to provoke a major conflict between British and Russian Empire in Central Asia to weaken the latter decisively and thus give his native Lithuania a chance to regain sovereignty. He was also the paternal uncle of Stanisław Witkiewicz.
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