2 Biography

His father Sigismund, grandson of Gustav I of Sweden, had succeded his father to the Swedish throne in 1592 only to be deposed from the throne by his uncle Charles IX of Sweden in 1599. This lead to a long standing feud where the Polish kings of the house of Vasa claimed the Swedish throne. The effects of this were the Swedish War ( 1600- 1629) and later, the The Deluge of 1650.

Vladislaus was briefly elected Russian Tsar by Russian boyars in 1610. However he was never able to reign in Russia, as his support there was very temporary and dependend on shifting internal politics among boyars. He held on the title without any real power until 1635.

Before he was elected king of the Commonwealth, he fought in many campaigns, including ones against Russians in 1617-1618, Ottomans in 1621 and Swedes in 1626-1629. During that time, as well as during his voyage in Europe (1624-1525) he learned arts of war, and this was later to be reflected when he became king: military matters were always important to him.

This was visible during the war against Russia in 1632-1634 (the Smolensk Campaign ), where he started modernising the Commonwealth army, emphasising the usage of modern infantry and artillery. He also attempted to create a Commonwealth fleet to secure part of the Baltic, although this plan never suceeded.

Vladislaus was also a conneseur of arts and music. He sponsored many musicians and created the first amphitheater in the Warsaw castle, where during his reign dozens of operas and ballets where performed. He also collected paintings and invested in decorative architecture; among his most famous sponsored projects is the monument to his father, the column of Sigmund which became one of the symbols of Warsaw.

The king, while Catholic, was very tolerant and didn't support more agressive policies of the Counter-Reformation. While it can be argued he often played one religious movement against other as a means of conserving his own powers, it is a fact he was in effect one of the most tolerant monarchs of his time.

In interal politics he attempted to strenghten the power of the monarch, but this was mostly thwarted by szlachta, who valued their independence and democratic powers. Szlachta also viewed Vladislaus' military dreams as an attempt to strenghten his position during war and thus the Sejm strongly opposed majority of his plans to war (for example, with Sweden in 1635 or Turks in 1646), and usually thwarted them by denying the funds for military campaigns and witholding its cosignature on the declaration of war.

Many historians argue that Vladislaus was very ambitious and dreamed of achieving great fame through conquests. On various times he set his sights on regaining the Swedish crown, capturing the Russian throne and even conquering the entire Ottoman Empire. He was often able to convince the restless Cossacks to join his side, but with little support from szlachta and foreign allies (like the Habsburgs), he constantly failed in those attempts, often resulting in uncessary border wars and diluting the strenght of the Commonwealth, which later proved fatal when the country was finally invaded by its neigbours.

Wladislaw was married twice. In 1637 to Cecylia Renata of Habsburgs, and after her death in 1643. to French princess Ludwika Maria in 1646. He had no heirs.

Wladislaw died in 1648. He failed to realize his conquest dreams and he didn't reform the Commonwealth.

He succeeded by his half brother and cousin Jan II Kazimierz.

3 See also

• Nobles' Democracy
• Treaty of Polanów
• Treaty of Szturmska Wies
• List of szlachta
• Magnate

4 Sources

• Wladyslaw Czaplinski , Na Dworze Króla Wladyslawa IV, Poland, 1959
• Poczet Królów i Ksiazat Polskich, BooksEnthsiast.com, Poland, 1980

Preceded by: Sigismund III	King of Poland	Succeeded by: John II
Preceded by: Vasili IV	Tsar	Succeeded by: Michael I

Polish monarchs Russian tsars Ladislaus IV of Poland Ladislaus IV of Poland Vasa

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