Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish
state created by the accession of Jogaila
(Polish: Władysław II Jagiełło), Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo
or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch
. Later, elected monarchs of both states happened to be the same persons, or members of the same royal family. The union was transformed to a closer one by the Union of Lublin
in 1569, which was shortly followed by the end of the Jagiellon dynasty that had ruled Poland for two centuries and Gediminids
dynasty, that ruled Lithuania for about 400 years.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
state created by the accession of Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
(Polish: Władysław II Jagiełło), Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo
Union of Krewo
In a strict sense, the Union of Krewo or Act of Krėva was a set of prenuptial promises made in the Kreva Castle on 14 August 1385 by Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania, in exchange for marriage to the underage reigning Queen Jadwiga of Poland...
or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
. Later, elected monarchs of both states happened to be the same persons, or members of the same royal family. The union was transformed to a closer one by the Union of Lublin
Union of Lublin
The Union of Lublin replaced the personal union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with a real union and an elective monarchy, since Sigismund II Augustus, the last of the Jagiellons, remained childless after three marriages. In addition, the autonomy of Royal Prussia was...
in 1569, which was shortly followed by the end of the Jagiellon dynasty that had ruled Poland for two centuries and Gediminids
Gediminids
The Gediminids were a dynasty of monarchs of Grand Duchy of Lithuania that reigned from the 14th to the 16th century. One branch of this dynasty, known as the Jagiellons, reigned also in Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Hungary and Kingdom of Bohemia...
dynasty, that ruled Lithuania for about 400 years.
See also
- History of Poland (1385–1569)
- Culture of medieval PolandCulture of medieval PolandThe culture of medieval Poland was closely linked to the Catholic Church in Poland and its involvement in the country's affairs, especially during the first centuries of the Polish state's history...
- List of Polish monarchs during that period
- Crown of the Polish KingdomCrown of the Polish KingdomThe Crown of the Kingdom of Poland , or simply the Crown , is the name for the unit of administrative division, the territories under direct administration of Polish nobility from middle-ages to late 18th century...