ADMINISTRACJA I FUNKCJONOWANIE KLASZTORNYCH MIASTECZEK SEJN I SUWAŁK W DRUGIEJ POŁOWIE XVIII WIEKU
ADMINISTRATION AND FUNCTIONING OF THE MONASTIC TOWNS OF SEJNY AND SUWAŁKI IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 18th CENTURY

Summary/Abstract: This article presents the administration and functioning of two small, 18th-century monasterytowns: Sejny of the Dominicans and Suwałki of the Camaldolese order. The town of Sejny wasfounded between 1593 and 1602. Suwałki was granted city rights in the years 1715–1720. The priors played the most important role here. They had a great influence on the appointment of cityauthorities. Suwałki operated on the basis of the Magdeburg law of 1720, and Sejny on the basisof the Dominican document from 1788. Both towns had municipal authorities that met in townhalls. The city seal of Sejny came from 1639, while Suwałki from 1720. Both coats of arms alsofeatured a dog. Currently, only Suwałki uses the original coat of arms. Local parishes also playedan important administrative role, for example running schools and hospitals. Parish priests alsokept records of baptisms, marriages and deaths. Suwałki had more inhabitants, but Sejny hadseveral brick buildings, including the town hall.

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