Prolonged general sejm in Cracow, 1547.

The sejm was convened by the king Sigismund I the Old to take place on 6 March but actually it began proceedings on 15 March 1547. Because of king’s advanced age and frequent illnesses, the deputies brought forward a proposal to hand over the reign in the Kingdom of Poland to king Sigismund II Augustus, who was already in power in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1544). As the king and senate rejected the proposal, the provincial deputies just left and did not take part in the proceedings, especially those concerning adopting taxes for military defence, what was intended by the king and his supporters. Although they managed to adopt a decision allowing king to call for general levy, if necessary (31 March). However, the senate did not leave the proceedings and debated together with the king till, at least, 20 May 1547. Ultimately, it led to the decision to entrust the king Sigismund Augustus with the supreme judiciary and, when needed, also with the military command (in case of organising the general levy). Moreover, the members of a legation to the Council of Trident were appointed.

See: L. Kolankowski, Zygmunt August, wielki książę Litwy, do roku 1548 [Sigismund II Augustus, Grand Duke of Lithuania to 1548], Lwów 1913; S. Cynarski, Zygmunt August [Sigismund II Augustus], Wrocław 1988; A. Sucheni-Grabowska, Zygmunt August król polski i wielki książę litewski 1520-1562 [Sigismund II August, the king of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania 1520-1562], Warszawa 1996; Z. Wojciechowski, Zygmunt Stary [Sigismund I the Old], Warszawa 1946; A. Dembińska, Zygmunt I. Zarys dziejów wewnętrzno-politycznych w latach 1540-1548 [Sigismund I. Outlines of the inner-political history in period of 1540-1548 ], Poznań 1948; A. Sucheni-Grabowska, Sejm w latach 1540-1587 [1540-1587 Sejms], in: Historia sejmu polskiego [The history of Polish sejm], t. 1, Warszawa 1984, red. J. Michalski, s. 114-216.Ustawodawstwo zob. Volumina Constitutionum, T. 1, cz. 2, Design and layout prepared by W. Uruszczak, S. Grodziski, I. Dwornicka, Warszawa 2000, s. 296.