Free election, 1648

Polish-Lithuanian Free election, 1648
October 6, 1648 - November 17, 1648
 
Candidate Jan Kazimierz Waza Karol Ferdynand Waza
Party Pro-peace Faction Pro-war Faction
King before election

Władysław IV

 Elected King

Jan II Kazimierz

The 1648 free election in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth began on October 6, 1648, and ended on November 17 of the same year. The new King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania was Jan Kazimierz Waza, the younger brother of previous king, Wladyslaw IV Waza, who had died on May 20, 1648.

Jan Kazimierz, painting by Daniel Schultz

Background

The death of King Wladyslaw IV Waza, which took place in the town of Merkine, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was not a surprise, as the king, despite being only 52 years of age, suffered from gout and kidney failure. Wladyslaw died at the beginning of the Khmelnytsky Uprising, which devastated southeastern part of the enormous country. Following the customary rule, Poland-Lithuania was ruled by an interrex, the senile Primate Maciej Lubienski. Due to Lubienski’s health problems, the powerful Crown Chancellor Jerzy Ossolinski became the de facto interrex.

Charles Ferdinand Vasa, painting by Daniel Schultz

The 1648 free election was, to a large degree, influenced by the ongoing conflict in the Ukrainian provinces of Poland. The two opposing factions that emerged during the election were:

Apart from the two House of Vasa candidates, the Protestant nobility supported Sigismund Rakoczi, son of Duke of Transilvania, George I Rakoczi. Sigismund was also backed by Orthodox Christians, and by Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

Convocation Sejm

The so-called Convocation Sejm convened in Warsaw on July 16, 1648, and deliberated until August 1. The two camps argued with each other, as the pro-war faction blamed late King Wladyslaw Waza and Jerzy Ossolinski for the outbreak of the uprising in the Polish Ukraine. Upon the request of Ossolinski, the Sejm became a confederation, in order to begin negotiations with Khmelnytsky, and to break down the Zaporizhian Cossack - Crimean Tatar alliance.

Election

The election, which began on October 6, 1648, took place in the shadow of a disastrous Polish defeat in the Battle of Pilawce, in which Polish forces were commanded by Wladyslaw Dominik Zaslawski, Mikolaj Ostrorog and Aleksander Koniecpolski. All three supported the Prince-Bishop of Breslau Karol Ferdynand Vasa, but despite this, the outcome of the election was uncertain.

Since both candidates enjoyed widespread support among the electors, there was a danger that a double election would take place, similar to the one in 1587. The situation did not change after Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga expressed her support of Jan Kazimierz. Furthermore, Jan Kazimierz was backed by the Kingdom of France, the Swedish Empire and Brandenburg-Prussia.

The stalemate ended when Sigismund Rakoczi backed out of the election, after the death of his father (on October 11). Hetman Janusz Radziwill, who had supported Rakoczi, then decided to back Jan Kazimierz. Also, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, himself a Polish subject, who at the same time commanded the siege of Zamosc Fortress, sent a letter to Warsaw, expressing his support of Jan Kazimierz. Khmelnytsky’s letter was welcomed by the electors, who hoped for a truce with the Cossacks.

Since Karol Ferdynand Vasa was well aware that his election would mean war, and that the situation in the Commonwealth was difficult, he decided to withdraw his nomination (November 11, 1648). In exchange, he received the Duchy of Opole and Raciborz and two abbeys.

On November 17, Jan Kazimierz was elected as the new King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Three days later, he signed the pacta conventa, and Primate Lubienski confirmed the nomination. The coronation took place in Krakow’s Wawel Cathedral, on January 17, 1649.

Sources