Rinktiniai raštai. [T.] 1, Bajorai valstybiniame Lietuvos gyvenime Vazų laikais

LTAntrasis ir pats stambiausias K. Avižonio istorijos veikalas yra "Bajorai valstybiniame Lietuvos gyvenime Vazų laikais", Kaunas 1940, 592 p. Veikalo tematika - Lietuvos bajorai, bet iš kito laikotarpio. K. Avižonis savo tyrinėjimu objektu pasirinko laikus po Liublino unijos, kaip charakteringiausius bajorų įsigalėjimu ir dominavimu visame Lietuvos gyvenime. Tai buvo XVI a. antroji ir XVII a. pirmoji pusė - Vazų dinastijos karalių Lietuvos-Lenkijos respublikos valdymo laikai. Tuo metu tikrai visas krašto valdymas buvo bajorų rankose. Jie tačiau buvo daugiau susirūpinę savo luomo teisių didinimu, o ne bendraisiais valstybės reikalais. Dėl to krašte suklestėjo bajorų teisės, privilegijos, bajorų aukso laisvės, liberum veto ir įsigalėjo netvarka ir anarchija. Šis Lietuvos istorijos laikotarpis buvo dar mažiausiai istorikų tyrinėtas, dėl to jis buvo K. Avižoniui kaip pirmą kartą plėšiamas dirvonas. Jokiu parengiamųjų studijų ar monografijų iš to laikotarpio nei bendro pobūdžio, nei kuriais nors atskirais klausimais beveik nebuvo. Medžiagos reikėjo ieškoti archyvuose. Dėl to 9 mėnesius K. Avižonis dirbo Krokuvoje, rinkdamas medžiagą kunigaikščių Čartoriskių archyve, Lenkų Mokslo Akademijos bibliotekoje ir archyve, Krokuvos Jogailos universiteto bibliotekoje ir archyve, o taip pat jam buvo naudingi šiuo atžvilgiu ir kiti Lenkijos archyvai, kaip grafų Ossolinskių Lvove, Varšuvos Viešosios Biblitekos archyvas ir grafų Dzialinskių archyvas Kurnike, netoli Poznanės. Ypatingai daug medžiagos K. Avižonis užtiko Čartoriskių archyve.Tai buvo apsti Lietuvos didikų ir bajorų korespondencija, jų laiškų originalai ir nuorašai, bajorų biografijos ir autobiografijos, įvairūs jų užrašai, testamentai, bažnyčių, vienuolynų ir mokyklų steigimo aktai, įvairios teismų bylos, teismų sprendimai, didikų ir bajorų rašyti memuarai ir dienoraščiai, vaivadijų ir pavietų seimelių nutarimai ir instrukcijos, seimų dienoraščiai, įvairios didikų proginės ir politinės kalbos, bajorų dvarų inventoriai, dvarų ir valstiečių sąrašai, nuomu sutartys, revizijų, pirkimo pardavimo aktai ir kita. Surastos archyvinės medžiagos ir taip pat dar išrankiotos iš spausdintų šaltinių buvo tiek daug, kad galėjo užtekti plačiai kelių tomų studijai apie Lietuvos bajorus. K. Avižonis, pirmiausia krititiškai įvertinęs ir apdirbęs dalį medžiagos, parašė užsimotos plačios studijos apie bajorus pirmąją dalį "Bajorai valstybiniame Lietuvos gyvenime Vazų laikais". Vėliau jis tikėjosi galėsiąs parašyti ir kitas studijos dalis, išnagrinėdamas to laikotarpio Lietuvos bajorų socialinę, kultūrinę ir ekonominę buitį, veiklą ir reikšmę [p. XVI-XVII].

ENIt can be shown that the power of the nobles in Lithuania was growing during the reign of the Grand Dukes Vaza (1588-1668), while the State was declining in power. The rights of the nobles had begun to grow much earlier, even before the 16th century. Gradually these rights were expanded, formul ating a relationship between the nobles and the land, securing their personal freedoms, and increasing their political rights. The expansion of their political rights was especially intensive in the 16th century, when, due to circumstances, the nobi lity acquired new political, social, and economic advantages and privileges from year to year. This growth of power for the nobility was achieved at the expense of other social classes, whose conditions steadily deteriorated. In 1569, when Lithuania united with Poland in the Lublin Union, the Lithuanian nobility took care to see that all their public and private rights and privileges were incorporated into and ratified in the union documents. These conditions had to be kept in full and couldn’t be attacked or changed in any way. The nobles’ rights were further supplemented during the first two years of interregnum. Each newly-elected ruler was required not only to confirm and swear to uphold all the rights and freedoms of the nobles but also to promise to expand them. Such an oath was required from the ruler in order to protect the rights of the nobles from being limited or restrained and to leave the way open for further expansion. With every newly-elected ruler the nobles tried to bargain for new rights and privileges. The expansion of the nobles’ powers culminated in Henry's Articles (Articuli Henriciani) and the conditions of the Pacta Conventa, in which the require ments on the Grand Dukes were stated. Under these condi tions the Lithuanian rulers had to give up all thought of here ditary succession or of strengthening the power of the Grand Duke.To solve all problems they had to consult the repre sentatives of the nobles, i. e. the members of the Diet; and when there was no Diet in session, they had to follow the ins tructions of the senators, without whose permission they could do nothing, not even marry. Gradually the role of the nobles was crystallized and stabi lized in public life. However, together with the increasing power of the nobles began the slow but steady decline of the State because the nobles were immature concerning matters of government, even if the entire administration of the country came into their hands : legislature, implementation of the law, and court of justice. The position of the Grand Duke himself in the country was based on the contract with the nobles. According to this contract, the nobles were not obliged to obey him, and they could even renounce him if he failed, in some point, to fulfil the agreements confirmed by the oath. Thus the election of a new ruler became one of the most important means of con firming and strengthening the rights of the nobles. There was no right which the nobles tried to preserve more than the principle of their free election of the ruler. They were endlessly proud of their right to elect their rulers. It was only at the will of the nobles that the Grand Duke ascended to the throne, and at their will he could also be dis missed. Sometimes intentionally foreigners were elected be cause it was possible to attain from them more concessions, more promises, more rights and special privileges. Because of such negotiating with candidates, the interregnum was espe cially turbulent. The disorder and anarchy each time gra dually destroyed the constructive power of the State. During periods of interregnum the rights of the Grand Duke of Lithua nia were reduced to the minimum, even partly restricting his personal freedom.The Grand Duke virtually lost the right to declare war or to make peace treaties. Such limitations on the rights of the Grand Duke made him a servant of the nobles. His participation in legislation, government, foreign affairs, and other areas was severely restricted. After the nobles had succeeded in completely restricting the power of the Grand Duke and had made him only a mercenary, they tried in all possible ways to exploit him, especially during an interregnum, when they could bargain for something new from the candidate, and they always received new rights and privileges from him. The entire responsibility of the State was thrown onto the shoulders of the newly-elected ruler, but he had no rights. His rights were so abridged that the State became a one-party aristocratic government with a ruler at the head. The obligation of the ruler was to defend the State at his own expense and to preserve the rights and free doms of the nobles, as well as to expand these rights and free doms still more. Thus the ruler was paralyzed even during war times. In matters of State he was completely ignored, though externally he was shown great respect. If he dared to do something on his own, he was immediately accused of violating the nobles’ rights, and it was demanded that it be done ac cording to the old way. [...].