Curious facts about Polish kings and queens

King Sigismund III Vasa who ruled in 16/17th century was half Polish half Swedish. Critics blame him for starting throne wars with Sweden which continued for decades and eventually led to the catastrophic "Deluge" of Swedish armies in the second half of 17th century which seriously exhausted Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth .

The king is remembered till today for other interesting things, though.

He moved the capital from Cracow to Warsaw in 1596. The reason - shorter route from Warsaw to the Lithuanian part of the Commonwealth.
No wonder Warsavians erected the Sigismund Column next to their Royal Palace. The highest statue column in Poland.

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There was a considerable degree of intermarriage amongst all European
royalty, not surprising.

Some of his personal characteristics are really amasing. We need more people like him today.

Sigismund III Vasa was well-educated and fluent in five languages, including Polish. The future king was already a very serious man in his youth, full of monarchical dignity who avoided feasts. Sigismund III Vasa was distinguished by his diligence, piety, and inner discipline. He began his day by listening to two Holy Masses . He remembered to recite the breviary and the hours every day until the end of his life . He was a good manager and tripled the income of the royal treasury.

He was artistically gifted, he dabbled in painting and goldsmithing, played the clavichord and was an expert in architecture. He took care of art. He collected paintings by Venetian and Flemish masters, creating the first modern gallery in Poland. He also developed his artistic passions in sculpture, engraving, woodcarving, goldsmithing and amber processing. He made gold chalices, patens, monstrances, candlesticks, lamps, and he loved building clocks. He donated the objects he made to churches and friends. He was interested in alchemy, which was to become an indirect cause of the fire at the Royal Castle in Kraków in 1595.

The king liked hunting, played football , and took care of the orchard and garden

Wow, hats off! A true Reneissance person.


Can you imagine that they reerected it after Nazi Germans had completely blown it up during WW2???
Those Warsavians are really stubborn. That`s probably why I like them so much.

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King Casimir ruling Poland in 14th century became the Great after decades or centuries when Poles/Polesses finally appreciated his amasing contribution to the development of the country.

He established about 200 towns and initiated the construction of 50 castles which protected Poland from its enemies. These castles are still popular attractions, most as well preserved ruins and a few fully restored.

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  Będzin castle
  
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  Bobolice castle