PEWNE ASPEKTY ZASTAWÓW KRÓLEWSKICH DÓBR ZIEMSKICH W PÓŹNOŚREDNIOWIECZNEJ WIELKOPOLSCE (1386-1504)
CERTAIN ASPECTS OF ROYAL LAND PLEDGES IN LATE MEDIEVAL GREATER POLAND, 1386-1504

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the composition of the monarch's land holdings in 15th-century Greater Poland. From the beginning of Władysław II Jagiełło's reign (1386-1434), these holdings were systematically pledged by successive rulers. The pledges were intended to ensure a rapid inflow of cash to the treasury in case of emergencies. However, many pledges were made not only as collateral for loans, but also as an expression of royal gratitude and special favor for services rendered to the king. This process was used by monarchs as a method of rewarding and controlling politically important people. The ruler never lost complete control over the pledged assets; as their owner, he could decide to grant certain people (currently favored) permission to redeem them. One could even speak of a kind of system here. The process of pledging was not planned and varied in intensity, depending on the current needs of the king. Although it is difficult to talk about economic profitability, it was beneficial in terms of current political goals, ensuring a quick inflow of money to cover important current obligations, while shifting the considerable costs of administering the goods to the pledgee. These costs could consume a significant portion of the income from the land. However, as more and more pledges were placed on the estates and the sums recorded on the royal estates grew, the ruler's options were gradually limited (because considerable funds were needed to redeem individual estates) until the system collapsed during the reign of King Alexander (1501-1506). A separate issue was the attractiveness of the possibility of holding royal estates, especially in a situation where the pledgees could combine their management with the administration of their own nearby estates, which was also presented.

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