Election Sejm of 1632

Election Sejm of 1632

The Election Sejm of 1632 (September 27 – November 8, 1632, extended to November 13, 1632) was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's election sejm that elected Władysław IV Waza to the Polish throne. Władysław had won the support of most of the political factions; and as there were no other serious contenders, he was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.

Prelude

Every Polish-Lithuanian election sejm was preceded by a convocation sejm. In this case, as law dictated, the convocation sejm was summoned by the Primate of Poland, Jan Wężyk, acting as "Interrex", for June 22, 1632, and went on through August 17. Selected as Marshal of the Sejm was Krzysztof Radziwiłł.

At the convocation sejm, non-Catholics led by Marshal Radziwiłł and the magnate Bogusław Leszczyński demanded increased rights for non-Catholics. They were opposed by Voivode Tomasz Zamoyski and the future Bishop Aleksander Trzebiński, but managed to gather enough support that this question would dominate the ensuing election sejm.pl icon [http://www.poczet.com/wladyslawiv.htm WŁADYSŁAW IV WAZA] at poczet.com. Retrieved on 3 August, 2007] pl icon [http://kamunikat.net.iig.pl/www/knizki/historia/mironowicz/czetwertynski/02.htm Kościół prawosławny w XVII wieku] , КАМУНІКАТУ. Retrieved on 3 August, 2007]

Election

Some of the Commonwealth's magnates and Catholic clergy favored Władysław's brother, Jan Kazimierz, but the latter had less support than Władysław and his candidacy was never officially put forward.Czapliński, p.64-71] Jan Kazimierz was also disadvantaged by being the younger royal son, and King Zygmunt III Waza had before his death (April 30, 1632) blessed Władysław as his successor.Czapliński, p.54]

The indecisiveness of the Catholic faction allowed Władysław to campaign for increased rights for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians, and thus he obtained their support. At the same time, his evident religious tolerance did not lose him the support of his Catholic backers. Similarly, Władysław's breaking custom and coming to Warsaw during the election (which was being held at nearby Wola) generated little disapproval.

Foreign courts did not avail themselves of the opportunity to promote their own candidates for the Polish throne. Austria's Habsburgs were friendly disposed toward the Polish Vasas and did not put forward a contender. Fears that King Gustavus II Adolphus, of the Swedish Vasas, would put forward his own candidacy proved unfounded, though his envoy Steno Belke did argue that Władysław should renounce his claim to the Swedish throne. (Władysław declined.) Foreign envoys such as Papal Nuncio Honorat Visconti and the Holy Roman Emperor's envoy Count Julius Mosberg declared their support for Władysław. The Duke of Prussia asked to be permitted to participate in the election sejm but was turned down.Jan Albertrandy, "Dzieje krolewstwa polskiego krotko lat porzadkiem opisane przez Jana Albertrandego", 1846K. Jabloński, [http://books.google.com/books?id=MxULAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA164&dq=sejm+1632&as_brr=3 Google Print, full text - p.164+] ] The Russian Empire was just then preparing for war with the Commonwealth and did not put forward a candidate.Mirosław Nagielski, "Diariusz kampanii smoleńskiej Władysława IV 1633-1634", DiG, 2006, ISBN 8371814100. P.5-7]

The Election Sejm of 1632 was convened at the traditional site for that purpose at Wola near Warsaw, with Marshal of the Sejm Jakub Sobieski presiding. In addition to electing Władysław as King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it also adopted some items of legislation. A commission headed by Władysław drafted "Measures for the Appeasement of the Ruthenian People of the Greek Faith that Live in the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania," by which Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Orthodox metropolies were granted legal jurisdiction. [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages/W/K/WK5adysK5awIVVasa.htm Władysław IV Vasa] . Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Retrieved on 3 August, 2007] Władysław, lobbied by Peter Mogila, also granted the Orthodox Church the right to its own hierarchs, subject to the candidates' confirmation by the government. [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages/M/O/MohylaPetro.htm Mohyla, Petroa] . Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Retrieved on 3 August, 2007] Many differences regarding the Orthodox Church and the Union of Brest were thus settled. The religious freedoms that had been established in 1573 by the Warsaw Confederation were reaffirmed, and a new tax was adopted, the "kwarta", which sent 40% of "starostwo"s' incomes to the Royal Treasury.Kate Wilson, "The jewel of liberty stolen?: The Rokosz of Sandomierz and Polish Dissent", paper at GRADUATE CONFERENCE IN CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES, The Contours of Legitimacy in Central Europe, Oxford, [http://users.ox.ac.uk/~oaces/conference/papers/Kate_Wilson.pdf PDF] . Retrieved on 3 August, 2007] It was decided to fortify Puck and to create there a port for the Commonwealth Navy. [http://www.polishroots.org/slownik/puck.htm Slownik Geograficzny: Puck] . Retrieved on 3 August, 2007] The Cossack delegation's proposal for increased funding and a Cossack register was turned down; similarly, requests from the Royal Army were rejected.Albrecht Stanisław Radziwiłł, Pamiętnik o dziejach w Polsce, t. I, PIW, 1980] Some of the Sejm's proposals were vetoed by the Senate. [http://www.senat.gov.pl/k5eng/historia/noty/nota11a.htm History of the Polish Senate] , senat.gov.pl. Retrieved on 3 August, 2007]

The decision on who would be the Commonwealth's next king was reached on November 8, but as the "pacta conventa" were not yet ready, the official announcement was delayed until November 13. In the "pacta conventa", Władysław pledged himself to fund a military school and equipment; to find a way to fund a naval fleet; to maintain current alliances; not to raise armies, give offices or military ranks to foreigners, negotiate peace treaties or declare war without the Sejm's approval; not to take a wife without the Senate's approval; to convince his brothers to take an oath to the Commonwealth; and to transfer the profits from the Royal Mint to the Royal Treasury rather than to a private treasury.

When the election result had been announced by the Crown Grand Marshal, Łukasz Opaliński, the nobility ("szlachta") who had taken part in the election began festivities in honor of the new king, which lasted three hours.

The election sejm had been the third sejm of 1632. It had been preceded by an ordinary general sejm (March 11 – April 2, 1632) and by the convocation sejm (June - August 1632) .

Aftermath

The next day, November 14, 1632, Władysław signed his "pacta conventa" and the Henrician Articles that had been required of new Polish kings since the 1573 election of France's Henri de Valois to the Polish throne.

Władysław was crowned king on February 5, 1633, the proceedings continuing into the next day.Czapliński, p.84]

The coronation sejm, presided over by Marshal of the Sejm Mikołaj Ostroróg, took place from February 8 to March 17, 1633. It confirmed the Orthodox rights that had been pledged by Władysław, but did not support Władysław's proposal to create a "Kawaleria", an honorary brotherhood for his supporters. This would be one of many setbacks that Władysław would suffer at the hands of the Sejm.

The 1633 Sejm would also take more direct control of the royal mint, deepen the sway of serfdom, and accept the petition of Polish Jews to forbid the printing of antisemitic literature, its importation from Western Europe, and its distribution in the Commonwealth.pl iconIwo Cyprian Pogonowski, [http://www.pogonowski.com/publications/Ilustrowana_Historia_Polski/Ilustrowana_Historia_Polski-II.php Ilustrowana Historia Polski] . Retrieved on 3 August, 2007 ] The Sejm also declared war on Muscovy, which had invaded the Commonwealth the previous fall.

References

Further reading

* Władysław Czapliński, "Na Dworze Króla Władysława IV" (At the Court of King Władysław IV), 1959.
* Walerian Koronowicz, "Słowo dziejów polskich", 1858, W. Gerhard, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Jy8LAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA319&dq Google Print, full text]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sejm (disambiguation) — Sejm (: Audio IPA|Sejm.ogg| [sɛjm] ) is a generic Polish word meaning a gathering or diet (assembly) . More specifically, it may refer to:* Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej ), the lower chamber of the parliament of… …   Wikipedia

  • Élection présidentielle polonaise de 2005 — 2000 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Polish parliamentary election, 2011 — 2007 ← 9 October 2011 → Next …   Wikipedia

  • Free election — (Polish: wolna elekcja ) was the election of individual kings, rather than of dynasties, to the Polish throne between 1572 and 1791, when free election was abolished by the Constitution of May 3, 1791.Actually the first documented election of a… …   Wikipedia

  • Contract Sejm — Poland This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Poland …   Wikipedia

  • Władysław IV Vasa — Portrait by Rubens …   Wikipedia

  • Royal elections in Poland — The first Polish royal election, of Henryk Walezy in 1573. Painting by Jan Matejko. Free election (Polish: wolna elekcja) was the election of individual kings, rather than of dynasties, to the Polish throne between 1572 and 1791, when free… …   Wikipedia

  • Łukasz Opaliński (1612–1666) — Łukasz de Bnin Opaliński of Clan Łodzia (1612 ndash;16661) was a Polish nobleman and writer.He was Lord Starost Pobiedziński since 1631, Podkomorzy of Kalisz 1638 1640, Podkomorzy of Poznań since 1640, Court Marshal of the Crown since 1650. He… …   Wikipedia

  • Sebastian Miczyński — Sebastian Miczynski was a 16th/17th century Polish academic. Professor of philosophy at Kraków Jagellonian University.In 1618 Sebastian Miczynski he published antisemitic pamphlet Zwierciadlo Korony Polskej (The Mirror of the Polish Crown), which …   Wikipedia

  • Timeline of Polish history — Dates and most important events in Polish history from prehistoric times up to the present day.Before the 10th century; 5500 BC : Arrival of the first farmers; 740 BC : Biskupin fortified settlement built; 450 500 AD : First Slavic settlements;… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”