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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Humanitarian Series

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POLITICAL STANDPOINTS OF THE PRE-CONVOCATION SEJMIKS IN THE GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA IN 1733

Abstract

The article investigates the position of pre-convocation povet sejmiks in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania regarding the selection of the king in 1733. The aim of the article is to establish the position of pre-convocation sejmiks in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania on major political issues and first of all on the candidature of the future monarch. It became possible to address this issue after a new collection of instructions to delegates from pre-convocation sejmiks of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was found in the archive kept by the Kossowskie of Glogow in the Polish State Archives in Lodz. Of 24 instructions to delegates of the 1733 convocation sejm, we know 18. It was found on their basis that the Szlachta at the 13 pre-convocation sejmiks in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania spoke in favor of electing a “piast” as the future king. That actually meant supporting the candidacy of Stanislaw Leszczynski who was the leading “piast” candidate. The majority of pre-convocation povet sejmiks in 1733 supported him. At the remaining 5 pre-convocation sejmiks, the Szlachta did not support the election of a “piast” as the future king. Among these were Novogrudok and Minsk sejmiks. Later they will become centers of opposition to Stanislaw Leszczynski. This shows that Leszczynski’s opponents already formed the majority at pre-convocation sejmiks in these povets. Many pre-convocation sejmiks addressed the issue of abolishing the real estate tax imposed on the Szlachta of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Szlachta of Lida, Troki, Grodno, Kovno, Zhmud, Minsk and, partially, of Mstislav requested to abolish this tax in thеir instructions; the Szhlachta of Brest even sent their ambassadors to the Primate, Teodor Potocki specifically on this question. Also the instructions to the delegates included particularistic requests from various noblemen of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: the Radzivils, Teodor Liubomirski and Jakub Sobieski.
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ISSN 2524-2369 (Print)
ISSN 2524-2377 (Online)