Jan Szczepan Kurdwanowski

Jan Stefan Ligenza Kurdwanowski (also Jan Szczepan Kurdwanowski; 1680–1780) was a Polish physicist, member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences and military officer. A contributor to Encyclopédie, he served as a courtier to king Stanisław Leszczyński and his wife.

Biography Kurdwanowski was born 26 December 1680 in his family's manor in Radzanów, to a Polish gentry family. His father held the title of łowczy at the Polish court.

He was also an elected member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences since 28 June 1753. He was one of two Polish contributors to that encyclopaedia, the other being prince Michał Kazimierz Ogiński who wrote the article on Lyre. His wife was Zofia Salomea née Miłkowska.

Later in his life he joined the French Royal Army in the rank of captain and commander of a battalion of infantry. With time he rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He died 21 June 1780 in Lunéville, aged 99.