Czy w epoce stanisławowskiej wybitnemu oratorstwu sejmowemu magnatów towarzyszyły podobne osiągnięcia w akcjach sejmikowych?

Abstract

The article seeks to answer the question of whether the magnates’ outstanding parliamentary oratory during this period was accompanied by similar achievements in sejmik actions? The discussion is divided into three parts, the first of which is devoted to identifying a narrow list of leading magnates whose political influence exceeded the framework of just one province or district. In addition, it was necessary to identify only those who appeared at the Sejms of Poniatowski’s period, when the process of the magnates’ withdrawal from participation in parliamentary deliberations was just progressing. As a result, the group of these leading magnates was sharply reduced. As a result, in the second part of the article, devoted to the parliamentary oratory of this group, only 25 magnates were analyzed, the vast majority of whom did not show much activity, oratorical talent or suffered from a shortage of voice conditions, thus losing the opportunity to influence the audience. Hence, the final number of outstanding orators was reduced to just eight people. Their influence on the life of the province of the nobility, and especially on the course of sejmic actions, is presented in the third part of the article. In the light of the analysis, it turned out that only a few of these leading magnates were able to effectively influence the sejmik-making nobility, most often using traditional forms of influence, although the forms of the old magnate-nobleman relationship were sharply reduced at this time. On the other hand, three of these magnates suffered decisive defeats at the assemblies. As a result, it should be concluded, based on the analysis, that the oratorical talents of the leading magnates did not translate into the ability to conduct sejmik actions. [Translated by Stefan Kubiak]