Interes własny, państwa czy Kościoła? Senatorowie duchowni w walce o zachowanie uprzywilejowanej pozycji Kościoła w latach 1510-1537

Abstract

The first half of the 16th century was the time of political struggle between clergy senators, the Chamber of Deputies and the Execution Movement supporters. A drafted program of this movement significantly violated the privileges of the clergy, not only in the legal but also economic sphere. The nobility's program of reforms concerned a number of social, religious, economic and legal issues. The clergy had a different opinion than the knighthood on all these matters. Hence, confrontation was inevitable. In this politicaI struggle, the Catholic Church could count on clergy senators. Due to their income, position, remuneration, family alIiances with influential families and connections with the monarch, most of them belonged to the royal elite of magnates. Bishops used their political and economic position to defend and preserve the privileged position of the Catholic Church in the Polish Crown. The monarch, who intended to establish a strong regalist group in the Senate, also assisted them and bishop senators played an important role in this concept. Pursuing their policy, clergy senators folIowed various conceptions and often had different priorities. However, as a group, they were able to work out a com mon stance in the sejm sessions. For them, the interest of the Church and the state was absolute priority, and only then - private good. Despite often opposing interests and personal conflicts, bishops coIIectively defended the privileged position of the clergy and the state interests. Thanks to this, in 1510-1537, the clergy did not lose any privilege while their political and economic importance in the Polish Crown did not diminish.