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The free election of 1573 was the first ever royal election to be held in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It gathered approximately 40,000 ''szlachta'' (Polish nobility) voters (the highest turnout ever) who elected Henry of Valois king. The free election was introduced due to the childless death of the last Jagiellonian monarch Sigismund II Augustus and the lack of a potential candidate that would satisfy most of the nobles. Even though that kind of half-democratic election soon proved to be weakening the power of both the king and the state, it was not abolished until the Constitution of May 3, 1791 was established. Henry I of Poland ruled only for a single year after which he returned to his native France. The next election took place in 1576. == Background == The death of King Zygmunt August (July 7, 1572), was not a surprise for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth nobility. The King had been sick since spring of that year, and probably died of pneumonia. Zygmunt August did not have a son, so Polish throne was left empty, and no legal regulations existed to specify election of a new monarch. Furthermore, several internal problems existed in the enormous country. Lithuanian nobility demanded revision of the Union of Lublin, and return of Podlasie, Volhynia, Podolia and Kiev, which had been incorporated into the Crown of Poland. Furthermore, there were conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, magnates and szlachta, and two great Polish provinces - Lesser Poland and Greater Poland. Before the death of Zygmunt August, Greater Poland Catholic nobility, gathered in Lowicz, decided that during the interregnum, the Commonwealth should be temporarily ruled by Primate of Poland and Archbishop of Gniezno, Jakub Uchanski. At the same time, Lesser Poland Calvinist nobility supported the notion that Calvinist Voivode of Krakow and most important lay senator, Jan Firlej should become the interrex. Also, nobility from both Polish provinces disagreed about the election itself. Lesser Poland supported the so-called electio viritim movement, in which all members of the nobility would be eligible to vote for the future king. On the other hand, Greater Poland nobility claimed that electio viritim would be chaotic, and that the king should be elected by chosen representatives. Electio viritim was supported by magnates from Red Ruthenia, Jan Zamoyski and Mikolaj Sienicki. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Polish–Lithuanian royal election, 1573」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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