„Byłem przez głos pański upewnionym, że z ziemi drohickiej na poselską funkcję wyznaczony będę…”. Jan Klemens Branicki wobec sejmików (1724–1767)

Abstract

On the basis of information from correspondence addressed to Jan Klemens Branicki, an analysis of the sejmik policy of the Great Hetman of the Crown was carried out. The research sample was carried out on the basis of about 850 archival units (which is about 60% of the total correspondence from the Roski Archive ensemble stored at the Central Archives of Historical Records). The research has shown that the geographic range of sejmik information coming to Bialystok, covering almost all Crown and few Lithuanian sejmiks, as well as the relatively small variation in the number of mentions, mark the horizon of Jan Klemens Branicki’s interest. It is not apparent that his attention was focused on any particular region of the Crown. It comes as a surprise that Podlasie, the motherland of the Hetman’s influence, does not stand out in the number of mentions. One can only note a certain, not very intense, correlation occurring between the geography of the Hetman’s estates (Podlasie, Kraków, Ruthenia, Kiev provinces) and the number of mentions of sejmiks from this area. An analysis of the chronology of the inflow of sejmik mentions leads to the conclusion that the quantitative increase was caused by Branicki’s nomination to the office of the Grand Hetman of the Crown in 1752. The increase in the number of information was not the result of the Hetman’s efforts, but of the expectations of the opponents of the royal party and the Familia that he would stand at the head of a political grouping. Due to Branicki’s passivity, the flow of information ceased. Mentions of deputation sejmiks dominated over information on parliamentary sejmiks. This was partly the result of the high, compared to other assemblies, frequency of sejmiks of deputies. It is also worth noting that not only the deputy sejmiks provided a forum for political struggle. It also took place during deputy sejmiks. Branicki knew the mechanisms of the sejmik struggle and was able to use them. However, he did so ad hoc, without a broader political plan. He knew how to form a political party and lacked neither the means nor the partisans to do so. He was content with ad hoc sejmic tactics, and to a lesser extent with the implementation of strategic plans. Correspondence to the Hetman indicates that it was not politics that was the first choice in his activities, but economic affairs and investments in his numerous residences. He also lacked the energy to act in the political field. He was easily discouraged and withdrew in the course of an ongoing action. [Translated by Stefan Kubiak]