Sigismund II Augustus
Zygmunt II August, 1548 – 1572
An early start
Zygmunt II August was the only son of Zygmunt I Stary, so it was quite obvious that he was to become the next king of Poland and the Duchy of Lithuania. But Queen Bona, his mother, was so fearful of what was to come that thanks to her efforts he was named the king at the age of 10! when his father was well and alive and was to rule for many years to come.
Zygmunt II August and Barbara Radziwiłł
Zygmunt II August became king in 1548 at the age of 28, but it was not without difficulty that his reign had begun. He had married in secret the love of his life, Barbara Radziwiłł, the daughter of a wealthy magnate, but not a princess or a member of a European royal family. He resisted all pressures on the part of his mother or other noblemen, remaining loyal to his wife against all odds. Barbara Radziwiłłówna died of an illness at an early age. Zygmunt August’s grief was known and remembered by many, including the writers and film makers who chose to present this romantic but tragic piece of history to modern-day readers and audiences.
The Commonwealth of Two Nations and religious tolerance
The king was very concerned about the safety of the borders of his enormous kingdom – one of the largest in Europe. This is why, due to his efforts, a formal union of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was proclaimed at Lublin in 1569. Poland and Lithuania formally became one country and adopted the name of the Commonwealth of Two Nations or the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was home to Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Christians, the believers of Islam and Judaism. It was one of the few countries in 16thcentury Europe which proclaimed religious tolerance and where people were not punished for their religious beliefs.
Supporter of the arts
Zygmunt II August was a great supporter of the arts. He invited talented artists to Wawel, began the reconstruction of the cathedral in Vilnius and of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. He loved artistic tapestries and the full collection of the so-called ‘Wawel Arrases’ or ‘Jagiellonian tapestries’ was given as state property to the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland in his will. To this day you can admire these unique 16th century tapestries in the chambers of the Wawel Castle in Kraków.
The beginning of the age of elective kings
Sadly, Zygmunt II August did not leave an heir and he was, therefore, the last king of the Jagiellonian dynasty. Those who succeeded him were elected by all noblemen in the country in so-called ‘free elections’. In 1573 noblemen from all over Poland (about 15% of the population) met on a field on the outskirts of Warsaw and for the first time in history, they voted in order to choose a new king. Who was he? You can find out, when you scroll down to read about the next Polish king!
Lucas Cranach the Younger, Sigismund II Augustus, circa 1553
Unknown Lithuanian painter, Sigismund II Augustus, late 17th century
Photo: Pofka, 2022, The child armour of Sigismund II Augustus, exhibited in the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius
Attributed to Lucia Anguissola, Sigismund II Augustus in armour, 1550
Golden Lithuanian Ducat of Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus with the Polish Eagle and Lithuanian Vytis (Waykimas), minted in Vilnius, 1563 (Copy), Nacionalinis M. K. Čiurlionio dailės muziejus / M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum (image)
Jan Matejko, Zygmunt August with Barbara, 1867
Jan Matejko, Zygmunt August and Barbara Radziwiłłówna with court, 19th century
Jan Matejko, Union Treaty at Lublin (Unia Lubelska), 1869
- Jan de Kempeneer’s workshop (design by Michiel Coxie), Arras of the Construction of the Ark. Series History of Noah. From the collection of Sigismund II August.
