Protestanci w Rzeczypospolitej 1777-1786 – między unią sielecką a konfliktami (zarys problematyki)

Protestants in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Years 1777-1786: Between the Union of Sielec and Conflicts (Introduction to the Topic) This article examines the eighteenth century attempts to stimulate cooperation amog Protestants in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Such endeavors were undertaken in the years 1775-1776 in Great Poland, while in 1777 the Union of Sielec between Protestants of Little Poland and Mazowsze was concluded. The union was intended to bring together Protestant congregations as religious entities without interfering in particular doctrinal and religious differences among them. In 1780, Protestants representing all parts of the Commonwealth met at a general council in Węgrów. Unfortunately, the existing differences among the groups prevailed and led to conflict. In effect, the followers of the Sielec Union failed to find a conciliatory platform with the Great Poland Protestants, who were backed by the Russian Ambassador Otto von Stackelberg. In 1782, the General Council of Węgrów was dissolved, which led to the collapse of the Sielec Union. The latter section of the article examines the political prosecution of Protestants, who were attacked by the Permanent Council and the Parliament of 1784. Stackelberg’s interference, as well as the attitude of the Polish king Stanislaus Augustus towards Protestants, have been also presented.