# Death of Frédéric Chopin (1849)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1849-death-of-frederic-chopin
Location: Paris

Frédéric Chopin died in Paris at the age of 39. His music became a symbol of Polish identity, and his heart was brought back to Warsaw's Holy Cross Church. Within the broader Partitioned Poland period: Without a state, Poles preserved their nation through uprisings, emigration, Romantic literature, 'organic work' and modern political movements, while facing Russification and Germanisation. At this point in the timeline (17 October 1849), the governing authority was Nicholas I (King of Poland (Tsar of Russia)). Crowned King of Poland in Warsaw in 1829; declared deposed by the Sejm in 1831, he crushed the November Uprising and revoked Polish autonomy. Death of Frédéric Chopin mattered because cultural achievements helped preserve and define Polish identity and influence beyond its borders. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Death of Frédéric Chopin mattered because cultural achievements helped preserve and define Polish identity and influence beyond its borders.

Ruler at the time: [Nicholas I](https://poland-history.com/rulers/nicholas-i)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Frédéric Chopin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Chopin)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Death of Frédéric Chopin](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Death+of+Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric+Chopin)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland (1795–1918) (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_(1795%E2%80%931918))