 Duke Christian became sole ruler over the Silesian duchies of Legnica and Brzeg in 1664.After the abdication of King John II Casimir Vasa of Poland in 1668, he even put forward his own candidacy for the Polish throne; in order to win the affection and support of the old nobility, he initially wanted to give his newborn son an old Piast name (like Mieszko or Bolesław); however, the Calvinist clergy of his duchy opposed this, maintaining that the idea could bring the return to paganism over Poland.The duke, however, saw to it that his son spoke Polish and wore Polish clothes.