Królowa Elżbieta wobec elekcji z lat 1492 i 1501

ENElisabeth of Austria belongs to a group of rulers who had a substantial influence on the history of Polish-Lithuanian monarchy. The Queen tried to interfere in the state policy and decisions of her husband Casimir IV Jagiellon. However, not until his death could Elisabeth of Austria officially join in the political activities, which we can observe during the two elections of the years 1492 and 1501. During the first one she helped her beloved son John Albert succeed to the throne. The death of the king in 1501 compelled the successive election. By reason of her emotional state, this time Elisabeth could not be so intensively involved as in 1492. It was not until a threat of fratricidal struggles for power that Elisabeth consented to support the candidacy of Alexander, although she was reluctant to his Orthodox wife Helena of Moscow. This decision saved the country and dynasty from the internal conflict. Despite painful experience linked to the loss of her beloved husband and son, Elisabeth of Austria assumed the role of the head of the ruling dynasty very quickly. Owing to her actions during two interregia, she helped successive representatives of the Jagiellon dynasty ascend the Polish throne and protect the Kingdom from catastrophic conflicts and divisions.