Elity władzy, elity prestiżu czy elity bogactwa?

Abstract

When we talk about the magnates of the polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, we must aIways remember that it is an informaI and highIy diverse group. In the polish-Lithuanian state, in contrast to other European countries, there was no division into higher and Iower nobility. Furthermore, the upper house of the parliament had a different character because its membership was only lifetime but not hereditary. Moreover, membership or the elites of power, at least in the Crown, was open. It was reIatively easy to join but staying there for a longer time was difficult. An economic factor can be treated as a distinguishing feature of the magnates, but there is a disagreement among historians as to the Iowest property threshoId deciding about this group's membership. It seems that only the right combination of factors such as membership in the elites of power, possession of large wealth enabling political activity on a supra-Iocal scale and the construction of an appropriate residence, possession of prestige resulting from offices and public activities, and family connections with members of the elites of power allow to include a given family into the class of magnates.