BENIOWSKY, bapne-6ff'skl, Moritz Au gust von, Hungarian adventurer: b. Verbova, Hungary, 1741; d. 23 May 1786. The son of an Austnan general, he served as lieutenant in the Seven Years' War and in the Polish war against Russia. In 1769 he fell into the hands of the Russians, who exiled him to Kamchatka. Avail ing himself of a knowledge of navigation, he succeeded in saving from wreck the vessel which was to convey him to Siberia. This feat won for him the sympathy of the governor of Kamchatka, which was still more strengthened by his proficiency in chess, and he appointed him tutor of his children. One of his pupils fell in love with him, and with her father's consent they were married. In 1771 he effected his escape frotn Kamchatka with the assistance of his wife, who, although she had since learned that he had another wife in Hungary, followed him to Formosa and Moscow, at which latter place she died. On his return to Paris he un dertook to found a French colony at car, where he arrived in June 1774, founded his colony, and in 1775 was proclaimed icing by some of the native tribes, while his wife was proclaimed queen. The governor of the Isle of
France refusing to supply him :with men to support his state, Beniowslcy applied directly to the French government, but without success. Disgusted with the French and their colonies.
he now entered the Aestrian service, and was commander in the battle of Habelschwerdt, in 1778 against the Prussians. His subsequent efforts to interest the English government for Madagascar were fruitless, but with the st* port of a wealthy firm of Baltimore, Md., he effected a landing in Madagascar, but was killed soon after in a conflict with troops from the Isle of France. He wrote his autobiog raphy in French; it was translated into German by George Forster, into English by William Nicholson and into various other languages. Kotzebue dramatized his character aad career in his play entitled 'The Conspiracy in Kam chatka.' The 'Memoirs and Travels,' edited by Nkholson and Magelhan, were published in London in 1790. Another edition was prepared by Kubalski (Paris 1863).