Stanisław of Skarbimierz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stanisław of Skarbimierz (1360-1431) was, from 1400, rector of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. He authored Sermones sapientiales (Polish: Kazania sapiencjalne), comprising 113 sermons.

Stanisław's sermons were the foundation of Polish political doctrine that culminated in the system of Nobles' Democracy ("Golden Liberty") in Poland and, from 1569, in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Many ideas central to this doctrine may be found in subsequent works by Wawrzyniec Grzymała Goślicki (1530-1607) that appear to have influenced the 17th-century English Commonwealth as well as the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Stanisław of Skarbimierz, along with Paweł Włodkowic, framed the Polish position, at the Council of Constance, pioneering ideas of modern human rights and international law. Stanisław's sermon "About Just War" presented his theory of just war.

Stanisław's Sermons were influenced by earlier works of Augustine of Hippo and Wincenty Kadłubek.