Propaganda batoriańska wobec wojny Rzeczypospolitej z Moskwą w okresie rządów Stefana Batorego w instrukcji na sejmik korczyński z maja 1578 r.

Abstract

Taking place in May 1578, the Korczyn Sejmik was convened by Stephen Báthory in view of the difficult situation the country was in at the time. The monarch took such a decision in order, as he claimed, to make the Cracow and Sandomierz nobility aware of the country’s uneasy situation related to the conflict between him and Moscow. The monarch’s instruction, edited for the occasion, contains numerous arguments that the ruler used to convince the audience of the proposed solutions. It also abounds with numerous propaganda mechanisms and methods. The purpose of this paper is to characterize the methods used in it to shape public opinion and to isolate the arguments used by the king. The paper consists of three main parts. The introduction deals with the historical context surrounding the Korczyn Sejmik, and thus, the editing of the source in question. This is followed by an analysis of the document in terms of the subject taken up. The conclusions, on the other hand, respond to the research problems identified in the article. Translated by Stefan Kubiak