He strengthened the tarnished royal power, thanks to clever reforms he managed to fill the deserted treasury and secure the borders of the state under attack from everywhere. Yet his merits - and even himself - are seldom mentioned. Why?

Jan Olbracht's younger brother, Aleksander Jagiellończyk, wore the Polish crown for only five years. And yet he managed to do what his predecessor had failed:he left the country in a much better condition.

He showed at every step how much he differed from his degenerate brother, who was more interested in games and sexual excesses than, for example, in repairing the Commonwealth's funds. Alexander did not seek luxuries, he did not indulge his whims, he was faithful to his wife Helena all his life and - most importantly - he focused on what could strengthen his homeland.

Getting started

The fourth son of Kazimierz Jagiellończyk and Elżbieta Habsburska was a seasoned politician. He proved it already in 1492, when he assumed the throne of the Lithuanian prince after his father's death. “Reasonably and skillfully he chose his colleagues, he was able to reconcile them and encourage them to act. He even dealt with potential enemies, for example with the significant Bielski family, who was involved in the organization of the attack on Kazimierz Jagiellończyk in 1481 "- the ruler characterizes a specialist in modern history, professor Maria Bogucka.

Aleksander made it a point of honor to make Lithuania, then much lower than the Kingdom of Poland in practically every respect, an equal partner for the Crown. He focused primarily on the economy. He carried out a monetary reform and built a great merchant hall in Vilnius, which became a place for the development of crafts and trade. He also organized towns under the Magdeburg Law, which was the pinnacle of modernity at that time.

He later transferred these experiences to Poland, although the circumstances in which he had to take power from his deceased brother Jan Olbracht were - to put it mildly - unfavorable. The nobility forced a number of concessions on the new king.

It was Aleksander Jagiellończyk who came up with the idea of ​​drawing up the famous "Statute of Łaski". In the illustration from the document it is in the center.

Professor Bogucka in the book “Władcy Polski. History re-told "emphasizes that it was not only about renouncing the hereditary privilege of ruling in Lithuania:

October 25, 1501, [Aleksander Jagiellończyk - ed. aut.] he issued an extremely important privilege in Mielnik, which, like a tight corset, limited his power . From then on, he could not nominate candidates for many key offices without the consent of the royal council. However, the most important provision said that his subjects could disobey him if he acted against them and the Republic of Poland.

The ruler comes to the rescue

Noble greed almost brought the country to a catastrophe. In 1501, there was a war between Lithuania and Moscow. The Jagiellonian was needed on the spot, therefore he left the Republic of Poland in the hands of the royal council. The incompetent gentlemen, however, did not heed his advice and, while stuffing their pockets, neglected the issue of border security.

Alexander had to save the situation from a distance. And after has once again proved his diplomatic talent . He proposed a reform of the defense system, which from then on was to include also peasant troops, and convened the Seym to pass new drafts and taxes. He also negotiated a five-year peace treaty with the Turkish Sultan Bayazid II, thus protecting the Crown from another Tatar invasion.

However, it did not stop there. In the following years, he took care of the treasury and reorganized the highest royal offices, improving the operation of the court and the state. He also normalized relations with the dukes of Masovia, and above all he put matters in order with Royal Prussia. Unfortunately, even he did not manage to get his relationship with the Teutonic Order in line with his plan.

Currently, he is accused of handing over the country to a noble democracy which decayed over the years. Eventually, it was during his reign that the nihil novi constitution was passed . However, from the point of view of the king, who was guided primarily by concern for his state, this was the only correct solution. The system worked quite well for the next century and a half.

It should not be forgotten that it was Aleksander Jagiellończyk who came up with the idea of ​​drawing up the famous Statute of Łaski - a list of all applicable laws issued in the Kingdom of Poland. For decades, this unprecedented document formed the basis of legal life in the Republic of Poland.

Professor Maria Bogucka in an interview published in the book “Władcy Polski. A story told anew "evaluates his short reign overwhelmingly positively:" He was not without flaws and he certainly made political mistakes but took actions with one goal in mind:the good of the country he ruled. And even if he deserved it, he should be remembered.

Source:

Trivia is the essence of our website. Short materials devoted to interesting anecdotes, surprising details from the past, strange news from the old press. Reading that will take you no more than 3 minutes, based on single sources. This particular material is based on:

Mirosław Maciorowski, Beata Maciejowska, Lords of Poland. A story told anew, Agora Publishing House 2018.