{{Short description|Mayor of Old Warsaw}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{About|the a mayor|the writer|Alexander Chalmers}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | alt = | caption = | name = Alexander Chalmers | office1 = [[List of city mayors of Warsaw|Mayor]] of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] | term_start1 = 1702 | term_end1 = 1703

| term_start2 = 1696 | term_end2 = 1696

| term_start3 = 1694 | term_end3 = 1694

| term_start4 = 22 February 1691 | term_end4 = 1692

| office5 = Member of [[Warsaw City Council|Old Warsaw Town Council]] | term_start5 = 1697 | term_end5 = 1701

| term_start6 = 1692 | term_end6 = 1694

| term_start7 = 1688 | term_end7 = 1690

| office8 = [[Advocatus|Advocate]] of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] | term_start8 = 1701 | term_end8 = 1701 | predecessor8 = | successor8 = | office9 = [[Deputy mayor]] of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] | term_start9 = 1697 | term_end9 = 1697 | office10 = Member of the [[1697 Polish–Lithuanian royal election|Election Sejm]] | term_start10 = 1697 | term_end10 = 1697 | constituency10 = [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] | office11 = Member of the Board of Twenty of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] | term_start11 = 14 January 1681 | term_end11 = 1682 | birth_name = | birth_date = 1645 | birth_place = [[Dyce]], [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]] | death_date = 9 March 1703 | death_place = [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]], [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] (now [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]]) | resting_place = | party = | parents = | spouse = | children = | occupation = {{flatlist| * Merchant * jurist * city clerk}} | education = | signature = | signature_alt = | nickname = }} '''Alexander Chalmers''' (1645 – 9 March 1703; [[Polish language|Polish]]: ''Aleksander Czamer'' {{IPA|pl|ˈt͡ʂa.mɛr||}}) was a [[Scotland|Scottish]]-born merchant, [[jurist]], and city mayor and councilor active in [[Poland]]. He was the [[List of city mayors of Warsaw|mayor]] of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] (now part of [[Warsaw]]) from 1691 to 1692, from 1694, 1696, and from 1702 to 1703, and the member of the [[Warsaw City Council|Old Warsaw Town Council]] from 1688 to 1690, from 1692 to 1694, and from 1697 to 1701.

== Biography == Alexander Chalmers was born in 1645, in [[Dyce]], [[Kingdom of Scotland]] (now part of the [[United Kingdom]]). At some point he converted to [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]].<ref name=standrews>{{cite web|url=https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/ssne/item.php?id=5345|title=CZAMER, ALEXANDER [SSNE 5345]|website=st-andrews.ac.uk}}</ref>

He emigrated to the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] in 1659, at the age of 14. He eventually settled in the city of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]] (now part of [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]]). There he married Krystyne Legowna and they both engaged in the textile trade. They both became citizens of the city in 1672. Some sources list the name of his spouse as Christina Lang instead. He also began using [[Polish language|Polonised]] version of his name, which was ''Aleksander Czamer''. In 1676, King [[John III Sobieski]] confirmed the rights of the eight Scottish merchants who served his court, including Chalmers. He was also a leader of the Scottish community in Old Warsaw.<ref name=standrews/><ref name=pw/>

He became involved in municipal activities in 1679. From 14 January 1681 to 1682, he was a member of the Board of Twenty of Old Warsaw, and from 1688 to 1690, from 1692, 1694, and from 1697 to 1701, he was a member of the [[Warsaw City Council|Old Warsaw Town Council]]. From 1687, he was also the [[treasurer]] of Old Warsaw. On 22 February 1691, he was elected as the [[List of city mayors of Warsaw|mayor]] of [[Old Town, Warsaw|Old Warsaw]], and served his first term until 1692. He served three more terms; in 1694, in 1696, and from 1702 to 1703. He was also the [[Advocatus|advocate]] of Old Warsaw in 1701.<ref name=pw/>

Additionally, in 1697, he served as the [[deputy mayor]] of Old Warsaw. He was also the member of [[Royal elections in Poland|Election Sejm]] during the [[1697 Polish–Lithuanian royal election]], representing Old Warsaw.<ref name=standrews/><ref name=pw>B. Petrozolin-Skowrońska (editor): ''Encyklopedia Warszawy''. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 1994, p. 119. (in Polish)</ref> While deputy mayor, he went into conflict with the [[Dominican Order]], which organized congregation in the city without paying fees. It led to the riot in November 1767, near the [[St. Hyacinth's Church, Warsaw|St. Hyacinth's Church]]. One person died during the riot, and the aftermath led to long-lasting disagreement between the city and the [[Catholic Church]]. The court organized after the riot, decided in favour of Dominican Order, and removed Chalmers from his position, and barred him from holding public offices for the following three years.<ref name=pw/>

In addition to these roles, he was also the [[Assessor (law)|assessor]] from 1683 to 1687, and a [[lay judge]] in 1703.<ref name=standrews/><ref name=pw/> He was also a [[Vicar general|provisor]] of the [[Hospital of the Holy Spirit (Elektoralna Street)|Hospital of the Holy Spirit]] from 16 June 1695 to 28 February 1699.<ref> Aleksander Weinert: ''Starożytności warszawski'', vol. 2. Warsaw, 1848, p. 258. (in Polish).</ref>

He owned the [[Falkiewicz Tenement]] building located at 28 [[Old Town Market Place, Warsaw|Old Town Market Place]], and the [[Shoemakers Tenement]], located at 10 [[Wąski Dunaj Street, Warsaw|Wąski Dunaj Street]]. In 1690, the city authorities decided to grant Alexander and his wife, Christina Lang, a piece of land in perpetuity for an annual fee of 20 [[florin]]s.<ref name=standrews/><ref name=pw/>

He died on 9 March 1703, at the age of 58, and was buried in [[Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist (Warsaw)|Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist]].<ref name=pw/>

He had a son, Wilhelm Czamer, who also served as the mayor of Old Warsaw in 1722.<ref>Marian Gajewski: ''Urządzenia komunalne Warszawy. Zarys historyczny''. Warsaw: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy. 1979, p. 434. ISBN 9788306000894.</ref>

== Legacy == [[File:Tablica Alexander Chalmers Wąski Dunaj 10.JPG|thumb|A plaque commemorating Alexander Chalmers, placed on the elevation of the building in [[Warsaw]], located at 10 [[Wąski Dunaj Street, Warsaw|Wąski Dunaj Street]].]] A plaque commemorating Alexander Chalmers is placed on the elevation of the [[Shoemakers Tenement]] building in [[Warsaw]], located at 10 [[Wąski Dunaj Street, Warsaw|Wąski Dunaj Street]], at the corner with [[Szeroki Dunaj Street, Warsaw|Szeroki Dunaj Street]]. The building used to be owned by Chalmers. The plaque was unveiled on 16 November 2008, by [[Linda Fabiani]], [[Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy|Minister for Europe, External Affairs, and Culture]] of the [[Scottish Parliament]]. Around thirty people attended the ceremony.<ref name=ll>{{cite web|url=https://www.local-life.com/warsaw/news/1228-warsaws-scottish-mayor-remembered|website=local-life.com|title=Warsaw's Scottish Mayor Remembered}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalmers, Alexander}} [[Category:Emigrants from the Kingdom of Scotland]] [[Category:1645 births]] [[Category:1703 deaths]] [[Category:Mayors of Warsaw]] [[Category:Lawyers from Warsaw]] [[Category:Politicians from Warsaw]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Warsaw]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Aberdeen]] [[Category:Politicians from Aberdeen]] [[Category:17th-century Scottish merchants]] [[Category:17th-century Scottish politicians]] [[Category:17th-century Scottish lawyers]] [[Category:17th-century Scottish judges]] [[Category:17th-century Polish businesspeople]] [[Category:17th-century Polish lawyers]] [[Category:17th-century Polish judges]] [[Category:17th-century Polish politicians]] [[Category:Immigrants to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] [[Category:Councillors in Warsaw]] [[Category:Deputy mayors]] [[Category:Members of the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] [[Category:Burials at St. John's Archcathedral, Warsaw]] [[Category:Merchants from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] [[Category:Mayors of places in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] [[Category:Scottish emigrants to Poland]]