Financial and organizational support for the activities of povet sejmiks of GDL 1756–1757: new sources

New sources discovered among the documents of the Grabowski family in the funds of the Jagiellonian Library for the first time in historiography show the financing of sejmik companies within the limits of one noblemen group. From these documents, it becomes clear how the general financial fund was formed including the contributions of various noblemen,
and also how it was distributed among them, taking into account the costs for specific povet sejmiks. Also, a circle of noblemen and gentry who were responsible for specific sejmiks becomes known. Moreover, plans about the candidacy for the elections after the Sejm ambassadors and the deputies of the Tribunal of the Grand Duchy of the Lithuania from the Radziwill noblemen group become known. As a result of the analysis of identified sources, it was possible to establish that the expenses of the Radziwill noblemen group at the ambassadorial sejmiks in 1756 amounted to 77400 zloty, and on the gromnichny in 1757– 71600 zloty. The most valuable sejmiks were: Vilensky (from 5000 to 9000 zlotys), Grodnensky (5000 zlotys), Brestsky (5000 zlotys), Oshmyansky, Zhmudsky, Polotsky and Mstislavsky (4000 zlotys). Least of 2,000 zlotys were issued for 11 sejmiks (Lidsky, Vilkomirsky, Braslavsky, Trotsky, Upitsky, Smolensksky, Starodubsky, Slonimsky, Pinsky, Mazyrsky and Rechitsky). In the cases of the Vilensky, Starodubsky, Lidsky and Novogrudksky sejmiks, it was possible to find the registers how the money given to these sejmiks was divided between the local supporters of the Radziwills. It is very difficult to assess the effectiveness of these specific costs. At the Hrodna embassy sejmiks 1756, the supporters of the Family were elected ambassadors, and the Radziwill supporters only managed to make an objection against their election. In fact, all of 5,000 zlotys was spent only on objection. Michal Kazimir Radziwill appreciated such a result highly. As may be supposed his assessment depended on the specific political conjuncture that prevailed at that time almost in all povets.

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