DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31076#0060
last Jagiellon also ended the system whereby Polish kings were
elected by representative dignitaries of the nation. Now the
entire nobility—viritim—was able to participate in the election,
which was held in a field near Warsaw, the central city between
Cracow and Vilna. The nobility of every voivodeship stood
mounted under their banner under the leadership of Primate.
Every nobleman could be elected king, but the Polish crown
could also be given to a foreigner. To secure “the golden lib-
erty” before the coronation, the elected candidate had to con-
firm all the privileges that had been granted to the nobility
throughout the ages. He also had to promise to settle various
outstanding matters—for example, to pay soldiers or to meet
the financial obligations of his predecessor. This fairly democ-
ratic system would finally disorder the Polish State and con-
tribute to its fall.
The election of a new monarch in such a large country
always aroused emotions not only among its own citizens, but
also in neighboring countries, who tried to influence the process
to their advantage. Every election was a very important event
for Vienna, Paris, Moscow, and Constantinople. About 40,000
noblemen—all with a large number of attendants with horses,
cars, and tents—participated in the first election of 1573. There
were several foreign candidates: the Swedish King John III,
married to Catherine of the Jagiellons; the Austrian Archduke
Emst, son of Emperor Maximilian II; Prince Henry of Valois,
brother of the King of France Charles IX; and Ivan the Terrible,
the Grand Duke of Moscow who assumed the title of Tsar.
Jean de Monluc, a French envoy, promised everything to any-
body, particularly military aid and gold. Thus he finally prevailed
50
elected by representative dignitaries of the nation. Now the
entire nobility—viritim—was able to participate in the election,
which was held in a field near Warsaw, the central city between
Cracow and Vilna. The nobility of every voivodeship stood
mounted under their banner under the leadership of Primate.
Every nobleman could be elected king, but the Polish crown
could also be given to a foreigner. To secure “the golden lib-
erty” before the coronation, the elected candidate had to con-
firm all the privileges that had been granted to the nobility
throughout the ages. He also had to promise to settle various
outstanding matters—for example, to pay soldiers or to meet
the financial obligations of his predecessor. This fairly democ-
ratic system would finally disorder the Polish State and con-
tribute to its fall.
The election of a new monarch in such a large country
always aroused emotions not only among its own citizens, but
also in neighboring countries, who tried to influence the process
to their advantage. Every election was a very important event
for Vienna, Paris, Moscow, and Constantinople. About 40,000
noblemen—all with a large number of attendants with horses,
cars, and tents—participated in the first election of 1573. There
were several foreign candidates: the Swedish King John III,
married to Catherine of the Jagiellons; the Austrian Archduke
Emst, son of Emperor Maximilian II; Prince Henry of Valois,
brother of the King of France Charles IX; and Ivan the Terrible,
the Grand Duke of Moscow who assumed the title of Tsar.
Jean de Monluc, a French envoy, promised everything to any-
body, particularly military aid and gold. Thus he finally prevailed
50