Posłowie litewscy na konwokacji 16 VII-2 VIII 1648 roku

ENThe article discusses the participation of Lithuanian deputies in the Convocation Sejm of 16 July-2 August 1648 convened after the death of King Władysław IV. The sejm was opened under the shadow of a mass rebellion emerging in the Ukraine. The Lithuanian contingent numbered 52 deputies, out of which 47 were identified according to their electoral dietines and their work in the parliament. The Lithuanian dietines elected 2 deputies each, as in the times of normal proceedings - only two dieties had more deputies and one was not represented at all. 85% of the elected deputies took part in the proceedings. Of them, 37 had very little previous political experience. 45 deputies were from among the titled gentry, yet their position was relatively weak. About three-quarters of the representation was connected with the factions of various magnate families, among which the Catholic Sapiehas were backed by 12-15 representatives, while the Calvinist Radziwills by 9-10 sympathisers. The Radziwiłł sympathisers wanted to secure state borders and meet the demands of Protestants, while Sapieha followers tried to stop them, depicting their opponents’ activity as a coup.The conflict led to a stalemate, even in those issues which were common for all deputies, such as the security of the state. It seems that the Lithuanians who took part in the convocation for the second time (first time in 1632) adopted a modus vivendi in the sejm from their Polish colleagues. In 1648, it was mostly the leaders who presented various issues, while Lithuanian domestic problems were also discussed. The small experience of the Lithuanian deputies as well as the lack of concrete proposals brought to the Convocation Sejm suggest, that, unlike during the 1632 Convocation Sejm, the deputies had no intention of proposing and carrying out serious changes in the functioning of the state.