Wespazjan Kochowski, who had fought against the…

Wespazjan Kochowski, who had fought against the Cossacks and the Swedes, later became court historian for Sobieski and had been present at his victory over the Turks at Vienna in 1683.

Kochowski has developed a deep sense of patriotism, which he best expresses in his epic Psalmodia polska (1695; “Polish Psalmody”), written in celebration of Sobieski's victory.

The major theme of the thirty-six psalms of the Psalmodia is Poland's messianic role in the salvation of the world.

Although of minor artistic merit, the psalms will inspire the Romantic nationalism dominant in nineteenth-century Polish literature.