Chapter Four
AT    GRIPS   WITH   MOSCOW
IN   THE   YEAR    1573,    THE   JAGELLONIAN   DYNASTY
having become extinct, the hereditary monarchy
was changed to an elective monarchy, the Primate
acting as Regent between the death of the king
and the election of his successor. In that year the
first elected King ascended the throne* He was
King Henry Valois, who reigned only until 1574.
In 1576 Stephan Bdthory, King of Transylvania,
was elected King of Poland. His reign might be
described as glorious, for during it not only was
Muscovite expansion prevented, but the process
was actually reversed and Bdthory occupied a
number of frontier forts. Under Bdthory Poland
also experienced a period of cultural and adminis-
trative development, and the power of the indi-
vidual nobles was also curbed. Gregor O£cik, who
had dealings with Ivan the Terrible, and the rebel
Sai»uel Zborowski, were executed at Stephan
Bdthory's orders. Bdthory further made extensive
preparations against the Turks, but was prevented
from meeting them in the field by his premature
death.
Under the reign of Sigismund III, of the
Swedish Vasa Dynasty, who was also King of
Sweden (1578-1632), Poland began to decline.
There was the first Cossack revolt (1592-1596),
then the long war with Sweden (1601-1611)
Sigismund being deposed from the Swedish
tjorone. In 1604, the Polish ^cMagnates* placed
the usurper Dimitri on the throne, but he could
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