Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland, portrait, steel engraving 19th century, 1840
- KOD: 4611170R
Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland, portrait, steel engraving 19th century, Engraving from the work "L'Univers Pittoresque - La Pologne" by Ch. Foster, Paris 1840, all A4 format (passe-partout), image dimensions 11 cm x 18 cm, very good condition.
Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632). Elective king of Poland from the Vasa dynasty. He was the son of King John III Vasa of Sweden and the Polish princess Catherine Jagiellon, who married him. He was elected Polish monarch in 1587, after the death of Stefan Batory. His candidacy was supported by his background - he was the grandson of Sigismund the Old and Bona Sforza and the nephew of the last Jagiellon, Sigismund Augustus. His candidacy was supported by the queen-widow, Anna Jagiellonka. Despite the war waged with the Habsburgs as a result of the double election, he advocated close cooperation with his southern neighbor. He married two Austrian princesses in succession - Anna and her sister Constance. He also seized the throne of Sweden in 1592, but lost it as early as 1599. Through him, Poland was embroiled in a struggle with the Scandinavian kingdom that dragged on for three decades and ended with an unfavorable peace treaty. As a result of his own stubbornness and lust for power, he torpedoed the plan to install his son Vladislav on the Moscow throne. During his reign there were several great military successes: victories at Klushino (1610), Chocim (1621) and Smolensk (1611), as well as the brief capture of Moscow (1610-1612). In 1596 he moved the state capital from Krakow to Warsaw. Sigismund III Vasa was known for his love of alchemy, which even led to a devastating fire at Wawel Castle. He was an ailing ruler, and in his final years became infirm. He was troubled by gout and bile duct problems. He died shortly after the death of his second wife Constance, probably from a stroke. Source: ciekawostkihistoryczne.pl