The Last Years of the Reign of John Casimir Vasa and Interregnum aft er his Abdication in the Light of Reports of Francis Sanderson and Robert Yard.

Abstract

The last years of the reign of John Casimir, including the rokosz of Jerzy Lubomirski, the abdication of Vasa and the interregnum of 1668–1669, still arouses great interest among Polish and foreign historians. The internal situation of the Polish-Lithuanian state interested foreign courts, also this one in London. English envoys staying in Gdańsk, Francis Sanderson and Robert Yard meticulously informed about current events in the Commonwealth. Sanderson and Yard correspondence is an interesting source of information about internal events in Poland in the last years of the reign of John Casimir. It should be stated that most of the messages contained in accounts were accurate, sometimes minor mistakes may be encountered. Some of Sanderson’s comments and opinions, although appearing relatively rarely, confi rm that English diplomats are well-versed in the intricacies of Polish politics, and on the other hand, prove that he has reliable sources of information and competent collaborators. In some reports, we can fi nd detailed descriptions of some events and political moods in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which certainly proves their usefulness in historical research.