The Royal Prussian estates and the Kingdom of Poland in the years 1454/1466-1569. Centralism and particularism in reciprocity

Abstract

SUMMARY In this article, the author, in the light of the current state of research, presents the processes whereby Royal Prussia fused with the Kingdom of Poland in the years 1454/1466 to 1569. The initial turning point is the year 1454, when the Prussian lands were incorporated entirely into Poland. However, as a result of the Peace Treaty of Toruń in 1466, which ended the war between Poland and the Teutonic Order, only the western part of the former Teutonic state, henceforth called Royal Prussia or Polish Prussia, joined the Polish state. The process ended in the year 1569, when the parliamentary union of Royal Prussia was achieved. However, the years 1466–1569 were full of conflicts caused by the realization of the programme of the Polish Crown towards Royal Prussia, leading to the integration and unification of the province with the Polish state. It was above all a question of the Prussians paying taxes and participating in military expeditions on an equal basis with the inhabitants under the Crown, and also of the Crown inhabitants being entitled to receive properties and hold offices in the Prussian district on an equal basis with the Prussians. The Prussian estates were against all of this and emphasized that the incorporation act assured them of the exclusive right to rule the province and to hold landed property there. The programme of the estates did not question the connection with Poland, but it clearly promoted the autonomy of Royal Prussia within the framework of the Polish state. After 103 years of disputes on the character of the structural relationship, the victorious side proved to be the Polish king and the Crown estates.