The southernmost territories of the Commonwealth were inhabited by a large population of Zaporozhian Cossacks — a free folk whose legal status was partly regulated. In danger of being invaded by Crimean Tatars, they lived in constant military readiness, which made them excellent soldiers. The entire 16th century and the first half of the 17th… Continue reading Treaty of Hadiach
From 1385 onwards, Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania functioned as two separate states ruled by a single monarch. Initially, only Poland favoured the idea to deepen the union. In time, however, the Lithuanian szlachta (gentry/nobility), seeking to acquire political rights similar to those of the Polish szlachta, came to support the concept. Lest… Continue reading Union of Lublin
By means of this statement, submitted at the sitting of the Sejm in 1564, King Zygmunt II August (Sigismund II Augustus) ceded to the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland the hereditary right of the Jagiellons to govern the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Since Zygmunt had no male successor to the throne, this move was… Continue reading Declaration of King Zygmunt August (Sigismund Augustus) regarding Polish-Lithuanian union
