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Introduction
toit.TheBaroque,inturn,resultedinthedevelopmentofvariousstrict-
ertypesofcourtlyetiquette,whichinthenexteraresultedinadesire
tofreeoneselffromthestrictframeworkofimposedceremoniesand
atthesametimeadesiretoimitate.Courtculturebecame,asnever
before,atoolofpolitics,butalsoasynonymforprestigeandbelonging
tothearistocraticelites,which,however,couldnotfunctionwithout
adequatefacilities.
Thephenomenonofnoblecourts,inturn,wasdictatedbytheirbroad
socialimpact.MagnatecourtsinthePolish-LithuanianCommonwealth,
whichbecameprovincialcentersofpowerintheeighteenthcentury
were,atthesametime,strongeconomicorganismsfuelingthedevel-
opmentofthelocaleconomy.Atthecenterofthenoble’smanorand
themagnatelatifundiuminthePolish-LithuanianCommonwealth
wasthecourt,understoodbothastheseatandresidencesofthenoble
familyandasanorganizationalstructure(consistingofthepatrons,
courtoficials,andservants).Theysetthetoneofthelifeoftheprovince,
shapingitsrhythmofpolitical,cultural,andeconomiclife.Manorswere
thecatalystfornewtrends,whichsometimesblossomedwithconsider-
abledificultyamongthelowernobility,changingtheirmentality.The
functionsofmagnatecourtsascarriersofWesternEuropeanculture
inmanyareas-infashion,tableculture,literatureandtheatre,new
formsofeducation-hadasignificantimpactonprovincialsocieties.
Thepoliticalandculturalattitudesofclientsandmiddle-classleaders
gatheredaroundmagnatecourtswereafactorthatledtotheimita-
tionofcertainbehaviors,aswellasmodifyinglocaltastes.Therivalry
ofaristocraticandmagnateelitesinpoliticaltermsentailedastruggle
forprestige,andforaproperplaceinthishierarchicalworld.Itwasthe
courtthatwastheinstrumentofthisrivalry-thepeople(owners,court
oficials,andservants)andresidencesscatteredaroundthevastarea
ofthePolish-LithuanianCommonwealth.
Elementsofthesere-evaluationsandculturalchangescanbefound
inthetextsincludedinthemonograph.Ourdiscussionsbeginwith
astudybyJerzyRajman,devotedtotheorganizationofthemedieval
courtofWładysławJagiełło-aPolishkingofLithuanianancestry.
Theauthordiscussesthepresenceinthemonarch’scourtofpeople
closelyrelatedtohimorhiskin,whichhecalls“familiares.”Rajman’s
discussionisbasedonanattempttoanalyzetheplaceofthesepeo-
pleinvariouscirclesoftheruler’sentourage,theissueofservingtwo
masters(thekingandthemagnate),theissueofthecareersofpeople
oftheroyalcourt-relatives,youngersonsofrepresentativesofthe
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