Krzysztof Radziwiłł (1585-1640) i szlachta

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Bajorai; Catholics; Kristupas Radvila; Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė (LDK; Grand Duchy of Lithuania; GDL); 17 amžius; Protestants; Christopher Radvila; Katalikai, protestantai; Lithuanian XVII c. history; Noblemen; The Great Duchy of Lithuania.

ENThe starting point of the present article is a widespread conviction in historiography that the Lithuanian nobility was dominated by magnates. In order to verify that conviction the author presents the figure of extremely popular in the 1620s and the 1630s Krzysztof Radziwiłł. The author demonstrates how the latter was praised by sejmiks (regional assemblies), then he describes several of Radziwill’s initiatives rejected by the sejmiks and deputies to the Sejm or the nobility at large. Nothing is known that Radziwiłł met with organised counteraction of the king or another magnate. Thus, it can be assumed that there was a noble concept of how the Commonwealth functioned and the postulates proposed by even such a popular magnate as Krzysztof Radziwiłł were approved of only when they were consistent, or at least not at variance, with this concept. It is worth to emphasise, however, that the rejected proposals of the prince had no impact on the opinion about him as a defender of the nobility’s rights and freedoms. Thus, it was taken for granted that he acted in good faith, which was synonymous with justification. [From the publication]