book, pearance, becaufe, upon the death of the king) his fucceflor
1j , was formally * nominated and recognized in an affembly of
the nobility and clergy of the realm. With refpedt to the
extent of -the king’s authority, his power, as in the generality
of feudal, governments when exercifed by an able and
enterpriling prince, triumphed over all controul; but, in the
hands of an incapable fovereign, was eafily deprelfed by
the privileges of a licentious and warlike nobility.
ij47- Towards the clofe of this fecond period, Calimir the Great
retrenched the turbulent and opprelfive authority of the
principal barons; and granted certain immunities to the
nobles and gentry. This great monarch was aware, that no
other expedient could introduce order into this kingdom,
except a limitation of the vaft influence poffeffed by the | Palatines
or principal nobility : if he had been fucceeded by a
line of hereditary monarchs, it is probable that the barons
would never have recovered their former afcendancy;
and that the feudal fyltem would ha ve been ..gradually annihilated
in Poland as in other parts of Europe.
But his nephew Louis, king of Hungary who fucceeded
him, being a foreigner, was obliged, in order to enfure the
poffeilion of the throne, to fubfcribe certain conditions, which
infringed the power of the fovereign, and gave frelh vigour
to that of the barons and inferior nobles. The principal
conceffions made by Louis were, not to impofe any
additional taxes by his mere regal authority without the
* Memora-ti ergo principes, non per ejuf- grederentur.
modi eleffionero, qualis hodie celebratur, Lengnich, Jus Publicum Regm Polonia;
ad regnum pervenerunt, fed eledtio quam V . I . p. 58v , _
paffim nominant fcriptores, -reverá erar de- + Palatinorum. et judicum infinita po-
claratio procerum & nobiiium, quse praicc- teilas coercita eft, See. Sarnicius, p. 114 1.
debat, antequam regimen novi principes inconfent
c o n f e n t of t h e n a t i o n ; a n d t h a t i n c a f e o f h i s d e m i f e w i t h - c h a p .
o u t m a l e h e i r s , t h e p r i v i l e g e o f a p p o i n t i n g a f o v e r e ig n i h o u l d .
r e v e r t to t h e n o b l e s a t l a r g e
In confequence of’ this agreement, Louis was allowed to:
afcend the throne without oppofition ; and having no fons,
he, with a view of infuring the fucceffion to his fon-in-law
the Emperor Sigifmund married to his eldeft daughter
Maria, promifed, in addition to all the former grants, to
diminiih the taxes, to repair the fortrelfes at his own ex-
pence; and-to confer no dignities or offices upon foreigners fc
HI. The third period begins upon the death of Louis, »38j~
when the Poles very politically fet afide Sigifmond, who
would have been formidable to their newly acquired-
immunities ; and defied for their king Ladiilaus Jaghellon
duke of Lithuania, in confequence of his fully confirming
all the ftipulations of Louis, and efpouiing'Hedwige youngeft
daughter of the deceafed monarch.
As, by the renunciation of Louis; the kings of Poland■
were divefted of the right to-impofe taxes without content-
of the nation, Ladiflaus affembled the nobles X in their
refpediive-provinces in order to obtain an additional tribute:
Thefe provincial affemblies gave birth to the dietines-; which;
however, no longer retain the power of railing money in
their feveral diftridts, but only elect the nuntios or repre-
fentatives for the general diet.
Ladiilaus III. fon o f Ladiilaus Jaghellon, purchafed his-
nomination to the fucceffion, during the life of his father,
by a confirmation of all the privileges above enumerated;,
which he folemnly ratified at his accelfion.
* Dlngoffius, L ib .IX ..p , 1 102, &c .- J Prelatorum, Baronum et Militariuna..
t See Lengnich, Pac. Con. Aug. III. Lengnich, Jus Pub. vol. II. p. 35.
Pref. p. 5*
7 Under