Order of precedence in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The order of precedence for members of the Sejm (parliament) of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was created at the same time as the Commonwealth itself – at the Lublin Sejm in 1569. The Commonwealth was a union, in existence from 1569 to 1795, of two constituent nations: the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (commonly known as Korona, or "the Crown") and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The union's legislative power was vested in a diet (assembly) known as the Sejm which consisted of the three Estates of the Sejm: the monarch, holding the titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania; the Senate; and the House of Deputies.
The order of precedence indicated where senators and deputies would sit during parliamentary sessions and in what order they cast their votes. The order was also followed at other formal occasions, such as royal coronations. The order of precedence remained almost unchanged from its inception in 1569 until the ultimate partition of Poland in 1795. The only changes were made to reflect the addition of new territories as the Commonwealth expanded eastwards during the 16th and 17th centuries. Territitorial losses incurred during Poland's decline in the second half of the 17th and throughout the 18th century had less bearing on the composition of the Sejm, as titular senators and deputies continued to sit in the parliament despite the loss of the lands they officially represented.
Senators
The Senate traced its roots to the royal privy council and consisted of individuals appointed by the king to specified senatorial offices. The senatorial offices may be divided into three types:
- ecclesiastical, that is the entire Roman Catholic episcopate (all bishops and archbishops) of the Commonwealth;
- territorial, that is voivodes, or regional governors, and castellans, or caretakers of castles;
- ministers of the royal and grand-ducal cabinets, for the Crown and for Lithuania respectively.
Bishops, voivodes and castellans of major cities were considered greater senators (senatorowie więksi), or chair senators (senatorowie krzesłowi) as they were entitled to sit in designated armchairs during the Senate's sessions. The remaining lesser senators (senatorowie mniejsi) were also known as bench senators (senatorowie drążkowi) as they were sitting wherever they could find a place behind the chair senators.
The Archbishop of Gniezno, Poland's first capital city until 1038, also holding the title of Primate of Poland, was the highest ranking senator who also served as an interrex (an acting king) during a vacancy of the royal throne. The Castellan of Kraków, Poland's capital until 1596, was the highest ranking secular senator. His precedence before the Voivode of Kraków dated back to a rebellion led by Voivoide Skarbimir in 1117, for which Duke Boleslaus the Wrymouth punished him by blinding and by making his office inferior to that of the local castellan.[1]
Color coding | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ecclesiastical | Greater territorial | Lesser territorial | Cabinet ministers |
# | English title | Polish title | Type | Rank | Voivoideship | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Archbishop of Gniezno | Arcybiskup gnieźnieński | ecclesiastical | greater | Kalisz | Primate of Poland; in Gniezno Voivodeship from 1768 |
2 | Archbishop of Lviv | Arcybiskup lwowski | ecclesiastical | greater | Ruthenia | |
3 | Bishop of Kraków | Biskup krakowski | ecclesiastical | greater | Kraków | |
4 | Bishop of Kuyavia | Biskup kujawski | ecclesiastical | greater | Brześć Kujawski | |
5–6 | Bishop of Vilnius | Biskup wileński | ecclesiastical | greater | Vilnius | Alternating with the bishop of Poznań |
5–6 | Bishop of Poznań | Biskup poznański | ecclesiastical | greater | Poznań | Alternating with the bishop of Vilnius |
7–8 | Bishop of Płock | Biskup | płockiecclesiastical | greater | Płock | Alternating with the bishop of Warmia |
7–8 | Bishop of Warmia | Biskup warmiński | ecclesiastical | greater | Warmia | Alternating with the bishop of Płock |
9 | Bishop of Lutsk | Biskup | łuckiecclesiastical | greater | Volhynia | |
10 | Bishop of Przemyśl | Biskup przemyski | ecclesiastical | greater | Ruthenia | |
11 | Bishop of Samogitia | Biskup | żmudzkiecclesiastical | greater | Samogitia | |
12 | Bishop of Chełmno | Biskup chełmiński | ecclesiastical | greater | Chełmno | |
13 | Bishop of Chełm | Biskup chełmski | ecclesiastical | greater | Ruthenia | |
14 | Bishop of Kiev | Biskup kijowski | ecclesiastical | greater | Kiev | |
15 | Bishop of Kamianets-Podilskyi | Biskup kamieniecki | ecclesiastical | greater | Podolia | |
16 | Bishop of Livonia | Biskup inflancki | ecclesiastical | greater | Livonia | After 1677 |
17 | Bishop of Smolensk | Biskup smoleński | ecclesiastical | greater | Smolensk | |
18 | Castellan of Kraków | Kasztelan krakowski | territorial | greater | Kraków | |
19 | Voivode of Kraków | Wojewoda krakowski | territorial | greater | Kraków | |
20 | Voivode of Poznań | Wojewoda poznański | territorial | greater | Poznań | |
21 | Voivode of Vilnius | Wojewoda wileński | territorial | greater | Vilnius | |
22 | Voivode of Sandomierz | Wojewoda sandomierski | territorial | greater | Sandomierz | |
23 | Castellan of Vilnius | Kasztelan wileński | territorial | greater | Vilnius | |
24 | Voivode of Kalisz | Wojewoda kaliski | territorial | greater | Kalisz | |
25 | Voivode of Trakai | Wojewoda trocki | territorial | greater | Trakai | |
26 | Voivode of Sieradz | Wojewoda sieradzki | territorial | greater | Sieradz | |
27 | Castellan of Trakai | Kasztelan trocki | territorial | greater | Trakai | |
28 | Voivode of Łęczyca | Wojewoda | łęczyckiterritorial | greater | Łęczyca | |
29 | Starosta of Samogitia | Starosta | żmudzkiterritorial | greater | Samogitia | |
30 | Voivode of Brześć Kujawski | Wojewoda brzesko-kujawski | territorial | greater | Brześć Kujawski | |
31 | Voivode of Kiev | Wojewoda kijowski | territorial | greater | Kiev | |
32 | Voivode of Inowrocław | Wojewoda inowrocławski | territorial | greater | Inowrocław | |
33 | Voivode of Ruthenia | Wojewoda ruski | territorial | greater | Ruthenia | |
34 | Voivode of Volhynia | Wojewoda wołyński | territorial | greater | Volhynia | |
35 | Voivode of Podolia | Wojewoda podolski | territorial | greater | Podolia | |
36 | Voivode of Smolensk | Wojewoda smoleński | territorial | greater | Smoleńsk | |
37 | Voivode of Lublin | Wojewoda lubelski | territorial | greater | Lublin | |
38 | Voivode of Polatsk | Wojewoda | połockiterritorial | greater | Polatsk | |
39 | Voivode of Belz | Wojewoda bełski | territorial | greater | Belz | |
40 | Voivode of Navahrudak | Wojewoda nowogródzki | territorial | greater | Navahrudak | |
41 | Voivode of Płock | Wojewoda | płockiterritorial | greater | Płock | |
42 | Voivode of Vitsebsk | Wojewoda witebski | territorial | greater | Vitsebsk | |
43 | Voivode of Masovia | Wojewoda mazowiecki | territorial | greater | Masovia | |
44 | Voivode of Podlachia | Wojewoda podlaski | territorial | greater | Podlachia | |
45 | Voivode of Rawa Mazowiecka | Wojewoda rawski | territorial | greater | Rawa Mazowiecka | |
46 | Voivode of Brest-Litovsk | Wojewoda brzesko-litewski | territorial | greater | Brest-Litovsk | |
47 | Voivode of Chełmno | Wojewoda chełmiński | territorial | greater | Chełmno | |
48 | Voivode of Mstsislau | Wojewoda mścisławski | territorial | greater | Mstsislau | |
49 | Voivode of Malbork | Wojewoda malborski | territorial | greater | Malbork | |
50 | Voivode of Bratslav | Wojewoda bracławski | territorial | greater | Bratslav | |
51 | Voivode of Pomerania | Wojewoda pomorski | territorial | greater | Pomerania | |
52 | Voivode of Minsk | Wojewoda miński | territorial | greater | Minsk | |
53 | Voivode of Livonia | Wojewoda inflancki | territorial | greater | Livonia | After 1677 |
54 | Voivode of Chernihiv | Wojewoda czernihowski | territorial | greater | Chernihiv | After 1635 |
55 | Castellan of Poznań | Kasztelan poznański | territorial | greater | Poznań | |
56 | Castellan of Sandomierz | Kasztelan sandomierski | territorial | greater | Sandomierz | |
57 | Castellan of Kalisz | Kasztelan kaliski | territorial | greater | Kalisz | |
58 | Castellan of Wojnicz | Kasztelan wojnicki | territorial | greater | Kraków | |
59 | Castellan of Gniezno | Kasztelan gnieźnieński | territorial | greater | Kalisz | In Gniezno Voivodeship from 1768 |
60 | Castellan of Sieradz | Kasztelan sieradzki | territorial | greater | Sieradz | |
61 | Castellan of Łęczyca | Kasztelan | łęczyckiterritorial | greater | Łęczyca | |
62 | Castellan of Samogitia | Kasztelan | żmudzkiterritorial | greater | Samogitia | |
63 | Castellan of Brześć Kujawski | Kasztelan brzesko-kujawski | territorial | greater | Brześć Kujawski | |
64 | Castellan of Kiev | Kasztelan kijowski | territorial | greater | Kiev | |
65 | Castellan of Inowrocław | Kasztelan inowrocławski | territorial | greater | Inowrocław | |
66 | Castellan of Lviv | Kasztelan lwowski | territorial | greater | Ruthenia | |
67 | Castellan of Volhynia | Kasztelan wołyński | territorial | greater | Volhynia | |
68 | Castellan of Kamianets-Podilskyi | Kasztelan kamieniecki | territorial | greater | Podolia | |
69 | Castellan of Smolensk | Kasztelan smoleński | territorial | greater | Smolensk | |
70 | Castellan of Lublin | Kasztelan lubelski | territorial | greater | Lublin | |
71 | Castellan of Polatsk | Kasztelan | połockiterritorial | greater | Polatsk | |
72 | Castellan of Belz | Kasztelan bełski | territorial | greater | Belz | |
73 | Castellan of Navahrudak | Kasztelan nowogródzki | territorial | greater | Navahrudak | |
74 | Castellan of Płock | Kasztelan | płockiterritorial | greater | Płock | |
75 | Castellan of Vitsebsk | Kasztelan witebski | territorial | greater | Vitsebsk | |
76 | Castellan of Czersk | Kasztelan czerski | territorial | greater | Masovia | |
77 | Castellan of Podlachia | Kasztelan podlaski | territorial | greater | Podlachia | |
78 | Castellan of Rawa Mazowiecka | Kasztelan rawski | territorial | greater | Rawa Mazowiecka | |
79 | Castellan of Brest-Litovsk | Kasztelan brzesko-litewski | territorial | greater | Brest-Litovsk | |
80 | Castellan of Chełmno | Kasztelan chełmiński | territorial | greater | Chełmno | |
81 | Castellan of Mstsislau | Kasztelan mścisławski | territorial | greater | Mstsislau | |
82 | Castellan of Elbląg | Kasztelan elbląski | territorial | greater | Malbork | |
83 | Castellan of Bratslav | Kasztelan bracławski | territorial | greater | Bratslav | |
84 | Castellan of Gdańsk | Kasztelan gdański | territorial | greater | Pomerania | |
85 | Castellan of Minsk | Kasztelan miński | territorial | greater | Minsk | |
86 | Castellan of Livonia | Kasztelan inflancki | territorial | greater | Livonia | |
87 | Castellan of Chernihiv | Kasztelan czernihowski | territorial | greater | Chernihiv | |
88 | Castellan of Nowy Sącz | Kasztelan | sądeckiterritorial | lesser | Kraków | |
89 | Castellan of Międzyrzecz | Kasztelan międzyrzecki | territorial | lesser | Poznań | |
90 | Castellan of Wiślica | Kasztelan wiślicki | territorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
91 | Castellan of Biecz | Kasztelan biecki | territorial | lesser | Kraków | |
92 | Castellan of Rogoźno | Kasztelan rogoziński | territorial | lesser | Poznań | |
93 | Castellan of Radom | Kasztelan radomski | territorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
94 | Castellan of Zawichost | Kasztelan zawichojski | territorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
95 | Castellan of Ląd | Kasztelan lądzki | territorial | lesser | Kalisz | |
96 | Castellan of Śrem | Kasztelan | śremskiterritorial | lesser | Poznań | |
97 | Castellan of Żarnów | Kasztelan | żarnowskiterritorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
98 | Castellan of Małogoszcz | Kasztelan małogoski | territorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
99 | Castellan of Wieluń | Kasztelan wieluński | territorial | lesser | Sieradz | |
100 | Castellan of Przemyśl | Kasztelan przemyski | territorial | lesser | Ruthenia | |
101 | Castellan of Halych | Kasztelan halicki | territorial | lesser | Ruthenia | |
102 | Castellan of Sanok | Kasztelan sanocki | territorial | lesser | Ruthenia | |
103 | Castellan of Chełm | Kasztelan chełmski | territorial | lesser | Ruthenia | |
104 | Castellan of Dobrzyń | Kasztelan dobrzyński | territorial | lesser | Brześć Kujawski | |
105 | Castellan of Połaniec | Kasztelan | połanieckiterritorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
106 | Castellan of Przemęt | Kasztelan | przemęckiterritorial | lesser | Poznań | |
107 | Castellan of Krzywiń | Kasztelan krzywiński | territorial | lesser | Poznań | |
108 | Castellan of Czchów | Kasztelan czchowski | territorial | lesser | Sandomierz | |
109 | Castellan of Nakło nad Notecią | Kasztelan nakielski | territorial | lesser | Kalisz | In Gniezno Voivodeship from 1768 |
110 | Castellan of Rozprza | Kasztelan rospierski | territorial | lesser | Sieradz | |
111 | Castellan of Biechów | Kasztelan biechowski | territorial | lesser | Kalisz | |
112 | Castellan of Bydgoszcz | Kasztelan bydgoski | territorial | lesser | Inowrocław | |
113 | Castellan of Brzeziny | Kasztelan brzeziński | territorial | lesser | Łęczyca | |
114 | Castellan of Kruszwica | Kasztelan kruszwicki | territorial | lesser | Brześć Kujawski | |
115 | Castellan of Oświęcim | Kasztelan | oświęcimskiterritorial | lesser | Kraków | |
116 | Castellan of Kamieńsk | Kasztelan | kamieńskiterritorial | lesser | Kalisz | In Gniezno Voivodeship from 1768 |
117 | Castellan of Spycimierz | Kasztelan spycimierski | territorial | lesser | Sieradz | |
118 | Castellan of Inowłódz | Kasztelan | inowłodzkiterritorial | lesser | Łęczyca | |
119 | Castellan of Kowal | Kasztelan kowalski | territorial | lesser | Łęczyca | |
120 | Castellan of Santok | Kasztelan santocki | territorial | lesser | Poznań | |
121 | Castellan of Sochaczew | Kasztelan sochaczewski | territorial | lesser | Rawa Mazowiecka | |
122 | Castellan of Warsaw | Kasztelan warszawski | territorial | lesser | Masovia | |
123 | Castellan of Gostynin | Kasztelan gostyński | territorial | lesser | Rawa Mazowiecka | |
124 | Castellan of Wizna | Kasztelan wiski | territorial | lesser | Masovia | |
125 | Castellan of Raciąż | Kasztelan | raciąskiterritorial | lesser | Płock | |
126 | Castellan of Sierpc | Kasztelan sierpski | territorial | lesser | Płock | |
127 | Castellan of Wyszogród | Kasztelan wyszogrodzki | territorial | lesser | Masovia | |
128 | Castellan of Rypin | Kasztelan rypiński | territorial | lesser | Brześć Kujawski | |
129 | Castellan of Zakroczym | Kasztelan zakroczymski | territorial | lesser | Masovia | |
130 | Castellan of Ciechanów | Kasztelan ciechanowski | territorial | lesser | Masovia | |
131 | Castellan of Liw | Kasztelan liwski | territorial | lesser | Masovia | |
132 | Castellan of Lipno | Kasztelan lipnowski | territorial | lesser | Brześć Kujawski | |
133 | Castellan of Lubaczów | Kasztelan lubaczowski | territorial | lesser | Belz | |
134 | Equerry castellan of the Sieradz Voivodeship | Kasztelan konarski z woj. sieradzkiego | territorial | lesser | Sieradz | |
135 | Equerry castellan of the Łęczyca Voivodeship | Kasztelan konarski z woj. | łęczyckiegoterritorial | lesser | Łęczyca | |
136 | Equerry castellan of the Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship | Kasztelan konarski z woj. brzesko-kujawskiego | territorial | lesser | Brześć Kujawski | |
137 | Grand Marshal of the Crown | Marszałek wielki koronny | cabinet | lesser | ||
138 | Grand Marshal of Lithuania | Marszałek wielki litewski | cabinet | lesser | ||
139 | Grand Chancellor of the Crown | Kanclerz wielki koronny | cabinet | lesser | ||
140 | Grand Chancellor of Lithuania | Kanclerz wielki litewski | cabinet | lesser | ||
141 | Under-Chancellor of the Crown | Podkanclerzy koronny | cabinet | lesser | ||
142 | Under-Chancellor of Lithuania | Podkanclerzy litewski | cabinet | lesser | ||
143 | Treasurer of the Crown | Podskarbi koronny | cabinet | lesser | ||
144 | Treasurer of Lithuania | Podskarbi litewski | cabinet | lesser | ||
145 | Court Marshal of the Crown | Marszałek nadworny koronny | cabinet | lesser | ||
146 | Court Marshal of Lithuania | Marszałek nadworny litewski | cabinet | lesser |
Deputies
Deputies elected in local sejmiks.[2]
See also
- Administrative division of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Offices in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Polish order of precedence
References
- ↑ "Kasztelan". Encyklopedja Staro-polska (in Polish). III. Piotr Laskauer i S-ka. 1902.
- ↑ "Feliks Koneczny - "Dzieje administracji w Polsce w zarysie"". Nonpossumus.pl. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- Gloger, Zygmunt (1903). Geografia historyczna ziem dawnej Polski (in Polish). Kraków: Spółka Wydawnicza Polska.
- Koneczny, Feliks (1924). Dzieje administracji w Polsce w zarysie (in Polish). Vilnius: Okręgowa Szkoła Policji Państwowej Ziemi Wileńskiej. ISBN 83-87809-20-9.