Free choice (1674)

1669 ←

June 19, 1674 - June 21, 1674

→ 1697

Elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania

candidate

Johann III. Sobieski

Louis II de Bourbon, prince de Condé

Philipp Wilhelm of the Palatinate

Political party

piastic faction

French faction

be right

3,450

candidate

Karl V. Leopold

Political party

Habsburg faction

Before the election of
Michael I.

Elected
Johann III. Sobieski

The free election of 1674 was the seventh of its kind to determine the king and grand duke of the Royal Republic of the Polish Crown and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by the nobility as a whole.

history

On November 10, 1673, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki died in Lwów . Since the Polish throne was vacant, a new free election had to be held. In 1669 the French Duke Louis, Grand Condé , Philipp Wilhelm von der Pfalz (both supported by Louis XIV. ) And Charles V Leopold were the main candidates.

The hetman Johann III. Sobieski , who was a very influential person in the Polish-Lithuanian federation, had initially not expressed his interest in the Polish crown. Before the announcement, however, he stated that he wanted to be elected. Sobieski was hated by the Lithuanian Pac family , who in January 1674, at a Sejm assembly, demanded that a law be introduced that forbade native Poles (or Piasts ) to vote.

The very fact that the Pac family advocated such a law meant that Sobieski was viewed by many as a possible candidate. His name was mentioned by the ambassadors of the House of Habsburg and the French newspaper La Gazette . French diplomats later announced that Sobieski himself hesitated to vote and would have favored Grand Conde .

The election began on Saturday, June 19, 1674. Despite protests from Lithuanians and the Bishop of Cracow Andrzej Trzebicki , the performance was initiated by singing the hymn Veni Sancte Spiritus . The next day was devoted to religious ceremonies and behind-the-scenes negotiations. On Monday June 21st, the Bishop of Vilnius Michał Pac announced that he would accept the Piast candidate. On the night of the same day, Johann III. Sobieski new King of Poland.

swell

U. Augustyniak, Historia Polski 1572–1795 , Warszawa 2008
M. Markiewicz, Historia Polski 1494–1795 , Kraków 2002