The Secret Candidature of William of Rosenberg to the Polish Throne in 1574 and 1575
Author(s)
Kateřina Pražáková
Date Issued
2024
Type
article
Volume
7
Start Page
37
End Page
50
Journal
Abstract
The chapter examines the negotiations carried out by the Bohemian magnate William of Rosenberg in the early 1570s. Following the death of Sigismund II Augustus, William, alongside Vratislaus of Pernštejn, led a mission to secure the Polish throne for a son of Emperor Maximilian II. Their efforts failed when Henry of Valois was elected king in spring 1573. Despite this, William impressed some Polish nobles, who re-established contact after Henry fled Poland in June 1574, suggesting William as a candidate for the vacant throne. Attracted by the opportunity, William covertly financed his supporters to promote his candidature. However, he had to keep his ambitions hidden, as Emperor Maximilian II sought the throne again for his relatives and would view William’s ambitions as betrayal. A complex game of secret offers and negotiations began. The exchange of encrypted letters is particularly noteworthy. However, William of Rosenberg did not continue the negotiations until the electoral assembly, but withdrew his candidacy in summer 1575, before the electoral assembly took place.
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