Protestacje przeciwko nowogródzkim sejmikom za panowania Augusta III (1736–1763)

Abstract

Nowogródek (Novogrudok) sejmiks were most often protested throughout the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There were 93 protestatations against the Nowogródek (Novogrudok) sejmiks during August III’s reign. This made it possible to conduct a study of this type of sejmik documents for the first time. The purpose of the article is to analyze the protestations against the Nowogródek sejmiks during Augustus III’s reign, highlighting the common and different between them. Protestations were brought against all types of Novogrudok povet sejmiks. As a result, it was possible to establish the time and place where the protestations were brought. It was possible to establish the exact number of the protesting gentry in individual sejmiks and the usual number in Nowogródek sejmiks. Almost all of them were representatives of the petty gentry. It was possible to outline the circle of clans and certain gentry, who most often put their signatures under protestations against the Novogrudok sejmiks. The participation of the Novogrudok povet uryadniks (officers) and leading gentry families was rare. At the same time, the leading noble groups of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania had a significant influence on the Novogrudok sejmik: the Radzivils, the Sapiehas and the Czartoryskis. Their influence on the petty gentry was manifested in its active participation in protestatations at Novogrudok sejmiks. The protestations, main purpose was to disrupt the sejmik and therefore they were mainly against the sejmik director election. It was possible to find out that there is no connection between the number of protestations and the recognition of the sejmik as disrupted. It was possible to establish that there is also no connection between the number of gentry who signed the protestations and the recognition of the sejmik as disrupted. In conclusion, the average participation in protests against the Novogrudok sejmik during August III reign was reconstructed.