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Introduction
to,amongothers,creatinganappropriategenealogicalanddynastic
narrativearoundthepowerandpersonoftheprince,theindependence
oftheprinceandthepotentialofhispowerinoppositiontoKingJohn
IIIofSwedenwasconstituted.Legitimizationofprincelypowerwas
possible,inpart,thankstothesupportintheinstitutionofthecourt,
whichwasthebasisforallofPrinceCharles’sundertakings.
JarosławDumanowski,inturn,showsinhistexthowachangeinthe
eatinghabitsańectedtheprocessofcreatingculturalmeaningsatthe
courtofthePolishVasasintheyears1631-1633.Hefocuseshisattention
primarilyontheculturalroleoffoodandnutrition,culinaryarts,and
eatinghabitsatthecourtsoftheelites.J.Dumanowskiemphasizesthat
cuisinewastheresultofpoliticalandideologicalchoices,whilethe
exclusivityofroyalorelitecuisinewasatoolofpropagandaandsocial
communication.
ZbigniewHundert’sresearchisbasedontheorganizationandrole
ofthemilitaryserviceprotectingtheking.Asthesubjectofhisconsid-
erations,theauthorchosethepersonalguardofKingJanIIISobies-
ki,financedfromtheruler’sownfunds,inordertoprotecthimand
themembersofhisfamily.Z.Hundertemphasizesthattheexistence
ofthepersonalguardwasregulatedbyPolishlawandthatthenumber
ofguardscouldnotexceed1200soldiers.TheRoyalGuardwasamixed
formationconsistingofvarioustroops-Hungarianinfantry,Janissaries
(includingseimeni)andSwissmercenaries.ItalsoincludedCossacks,
whocarriedunoficialroyalcorrespondence.Theroyalwife,QueenMarie
Casimired’Arquien,alsohadasmalldetachmentofprivatetroops.The
courtdetachmentsofKingJohnIIIweresupposedtobe,asZ.Hundert
believes,atoolforstrengtheningroyalpower,astheyenabledtheking
totakegreatercontroloverthePolishandLithuanianarmies.
JarosławPietrzak,inturn,posesaquestionabouttheexistenceofacod-
ifiedcourtceremonyatPolishroyalcourtsinthe18thcentury,asastrategy
forvisualizingroyalmajesty.Hebasedhisconsiderationsonananalysis
ofthesituationatthecourtsofneighboringcountriesandPolishsource
materials-theMarshal’sCodesofthelastfewGrandMarshalsofthe
Crown.Attemptstocodifycourtceremonieswereaimedatcreatinguni-
formceremonialrulesandthusstrengtheningcourtculture.
Subsequentessaysinthispublicationdirectthereader’sattention
toprivatecourts,particularlywomen’scourts,asenvironmentsthat
shapedcourtcultureandsomeformsofentrepreneurshipundertaken
bywomenfromtheelitesocialcircles.Thispartbeginswiththeessay
byUrszulaKicińskadevotedtothesupplicationsofsubjectsaddressed
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