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Authors

  • Janusz Tazbir członek rzeczywisty PAN, Instytut Historii PAN, Warszawa

Keywords:

Warsaw Confederation, tolerance, Poland

Abstract

Following the childless death of King Sigismund-August in 1572, the Polish and Lithuanian nobles who gathered in Warsaw in January the following year proclaimed so-called Warsaw Confederation in which they committed themselves to support peaceful relations among religious denominations throughout the whole vast country. Although Catholic religion continued to occupy the predominant place, followers of other religions were granted a right to celebrate services in their churches, maintain their schools and presses. Further, they were not to be removed from the offices they held, nor lose the titles to properties received from the former kings, or the seats in the Seym or the Senate. The Warsaw Confederation was widely recognised in all Europe and had, until the middle of the 17th century, rather successfully safeguarded the freedom of religion on non-Catholics (also known as dissidents).

Issue

Section

Articles