Free Election

Free election (Polish: ''wolna elekcja'') was the Election of individual King s, rather than of Dynasties , to the Polish throne between 1572 and 1791 , when "free election" was abolished by the Polish Constitution Of May 3, 1791 .

Actually the first documented election of a Polish king had occurred as early as 1386 , with the selection of Władysław Jagiełło , Grand Duke of Lithuania , to be the first king of Poland's second dynasty. However, while the principle of election continued in effect throughout the nearly two centuries of the Jagiellon Dynasty , it actually amounted to mere confirmation of the incoming dynast.

as King of Poland at Wola , outside Warsaw ( 1669 ).]]
In would assume power in the country's respective regions; and that, by the " Warsaw Confederation " of 1573 , peace would be maintained among the realm's various Religion s. The most important decision, however, was that the next king would be chosen by election, whose terms were finally established at a Convocation Sejm (''sejm konwokacyjny'') in 1573. On the initiative of southern-Polish nobles, supported by the future Crown (i.e., Polish) Great Chancellor and Hetman Jan Zamoyski , the election would be by all male Szlachta ( Nobles ) who assembled for the purpose.

The nobles voted by province ( was announced by the senate's Marshal and solemnized by the primate.

Royal elections were held at Wielka Wola, outside Warsaw (now that city's western, " (''artykuly henrykowskie''), first imposed on Prince Henri De Valois (in Polish, Henryk Walezy) at the outset of his brief reign (upon the death of his brother, French King Charles IX , Henri de Valois fled Poland by night to claim the French throne).

at Wola , outside Warsaw ( 1697 ). Painting by Bernardo Bellotto .]]
The last of the attempted to engineer a similar election. Such elections were meant to enhance the continuity of royal Political Power .

Beginning in 1697, Polish royal elections ceased to be truly "free" and took place under duress from foreign armies.

The largest number of participating nobles (40-50,000) attended the first free election, in 1573. The second such election, in 1575, drew only 12,000.

Free elections weakened the kings' authority, occasioned quarrels among the voting provinces (voivodships) over the candidates for the throne, and encouraged foreign dynasties' meddling in Polish internal politics. Abolition of free elections became one of the major reforms instituted by Poland's "Great" or " Four-Year Sejm " ( 1788 - 1792 ) in its Constitution of May 3rd, 1791 .

at Wola , outside Warsaw ( 1764 ).]]
Prior to the abolition of "free elections," 13 were held in Poland, resulting in the elevation of the following kings:

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Free Election

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