„A teraz ostatek srebra i kredens pozłocisty wezmą”, czyli o finansowaniu pogrzebu króla Zygmunta Augusta
“And Now They Will Take the Silver and the Golden Dresser” or Financing the Funeral of Sigismund August

Author(s): Agnieszka Januszek-Sieradzka
Subject(s): Middle Ages, 6th to 12th Centuries, 13th to 14th Centuries, 15th Century, 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Sigismund II August (1548-1572); Anna Jagiellonka (1523-1596); royal funeral; funerary ceremonies; funeral costs; Tykocin deposit
Summary/Abstract: King Sigismund II August bequeathed his entire landholdings as well as his goods and chattels to his three sisters. According to the will, Anna Jagiellonka was also granted the lifelong right to use the so-called Tykocin treasure, in which, since the 60s of the 16th century, the last of the Jagiellonians deposited his chattels. Polish senators and lords tried to prevent the heiresses and especially Anna Jagiellonka from taking possession of the Tykocin chattels. A special occasion which was used as a pretext for depleting the treasure was the funeral of the last Jagiellonian. Polish lords tried to cash in the inheritance in order to pay the costs of the bringing the body of the king to Cracow and organising the funeral itself. The Tykocin deposit was also lent and brought to Cracow in connection with the funeral and the coronation of the dead king’s successor. The sources allow to see the process of diminishing the Tykocin deposit, which was the obvious violation of the last Jagiellonian’s will, leaving Anna Jagiellonka, who was the heiress and custodian of the dynastic memory, completely helpless.

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