Union - a community, the union, the community of states, political organizations, religious denominations.Most often used in the sense of monarchical union of several states under a single ruler.
classification agreements
real union - the union, which is the monarchy, while taking a single order of succession to the throne.Heir to a future monarch to all countries party to the agreement.This union - a strong, reliable - can be canceled only in the case where one of the participants changes to the republican form of government.Cancel monarchical power in one or all of the Member States entails the disintegration of the union, or a decrease in its quantitative composition.
personal union - this is an agreement that is random, if one person becomes a monarch in several countries as a result of family ties with the rulers of two or three or if necessary.The participating countries have not changed and unified procedure for succession.This union is doomed to decay.Sooner or later, pretender to the throne reign in one country, but in others it may not be possible due to the nature of the legislation.
Church Union - the type of agreements concluded between the faiths.The objectives and the reasons for the union depends on historical circumstances.
The union and the confederation: What's the difference?
Often this form of association to equate confederation.It is worth noting that such identification is not correct.
Firstly, the union can only occur with the participation of monarchical states.This is its main feature.As for the Confederation, in such an alliance can come and republican state entities.
existence of the union requires closer political and economic cooperation.Not necessarily a union agreement.Otherwise, the situation with the Confederation.By signing the agreement, its members have to each other certain liabilities.Union members do not lose their national sovereignty.Single ruler monarch multiplies their power.After the signing of the union he is the bearer of the sovereign rights of each country within the Union.
important detail the legal aspects of the signing of the Confederation - the existence of an agreement with prescribed mutual obligations.This ensures political unity.A Union - a community that may be concluded without a contract.
important feature concerns the conduct of hostilities between the parties to the agreement.Member states of the union can not fight each other, as the governor - a single, so declaring war within the Union, it is obliged to attack on itself.
political unity and dynastic agreements
History knows many cases enter into such alliances.One of the earliest known and significant - Krevo union.Lithuania and Poland were parties to the contract.Like many other unions, this was sealed by dynastic marriage, which concluded the Polish Queen Jadwiga and the Lithuanian Grand Duke Jagiello.
The Union 1385, signed in the castle Krevo, certain changes are made to the device both participating countries.
reasons for an alliance - the weakening of both countries and the pressure that is exerted on them from the outside by the Teutonic Order, Muscovy, the Golden Horde.Before Krevsk Union Lithuania signed several contracts with the prince of Moscow, and the Teutons, who had a significant impact on the course of events, but have not been realized.
essence statement Krevo
According to the agreement, Jagiello became king of Poland.It imposes on him a number of commitments:
- new governor has pledged to spread the Lithuanian Latin.
- Jagiello had to pay the Duke of Austria Wilhelm compensation for breach of the marriage contract, according to which the latter had to take his wife Jadwiga.
- In Lithuania, it was necessary to introduce Catholicism.
- Jagiello had to return to Poland, Russia, the former land and build the kingdom.Union of Lithuanian and Polish obliged him to increase the number of prisoners.
Simply put, Jagiello became the ruler of a united Lithuania and Poland, but remained separate monetary system and treasury, laws, customs regulations, border there were some army for each Member State agreement.Krevo union provoked opposition from the nobility of Lithuania and the former Russia, but served as the basis for the Union of Lublin.The territory of Poland increased.
Historical Background Lublin Union
many years after the signing of the treaty in Krevo were disputes between the Lithuanians and the Polish gentry of the law and level of influence in the country.In the process of the growth and structure of land tenure changed the privileged class in both countries.For two states existed various features of the feudal class: Polish nobility was homogeneous, all its members were endowed with equal rights, and all differences have been eliminated;Lithuanian magnates - polarize class.Under the "poles" means two kinds of nobility:
- big landowners (barons), which has an almost unlimited rights and privileges.They are not subject to local courts - only the court of the Grand Duke.In addition, they could occupy important positions in the state.Besides the huge amount of land in their power to have significant reserves of labor.
- Small and medium landowners.They had no such political and economic leverage as the first group (less land, labor opportunities).In addition, they often become victims of the greed of large moguls as dependent on them.
For reasons thirst for justice (or the most power and influence), representatives of the second group sought equality, which should have been among the gentry.
But the problem was not only in the fight against tycoons - the representatives of Poland and Lithuania were not always able to agree on common military campaigns, making both countries vulnerable.Polish elite was afraid of losing the land of Lithuania, as the ruling while Sigismund Augustus was the last representative of the Jagiellonian - change of monarch kind could cause the separation of certain territories.
As agreed Lithuanians and Poles?
Union of Lublin - the first agreement between Poland and Lithuania, which has been carefully planned as a constitutional act.The main idea was the incorporation of Lithuania into Poland.For a long time were talks that were supposed to resolve all errors.
Backplane union in 1569 was supposed to be signed during the winter of the Polish-Lithuanian Seimas.The negotiations were difficult, unity was not achieved.The cause of the crisis were the requirements of the Lithuanian side: the coronation was to take place in Vilnius, the governor had to choose only general Sejm and Lithuanian state officials were supposed to hold only the local natives.Poland could not accept such demands.In addition, the Lithuanians, unhappy happening, left the Sejm.
But they had soon come back and continue negotiations.There are many reasons that pushed Lithuania to seek support in the face of Poland:
- country has lost a lot during the Livonian War.
- The state was growing dissatisfaction with the landowners.
- Lithuania was at war with Muscovy, which was not a strong point.
faster to "persuade" the Lithuanians, Polish king annexed the Volyn and Podlaskie province and has threatened to take away privileges from apostates.All gathered again in Poland.The Lithuanian side swore allegiance to Sigismund Augustus.Again began to prepare for the signing of union.Poland had high hopes for this agreement.
signing of the agreement
the Diet resumed work in June 1569 th, and in July, the first day of an alliance.Lublin Union proclaimed the formation of a single state Rzeczpospolita.Ambassadors of Lithuania and Poland solemnly signed an agreement.After 3 days, an agreement is further confirmed King.However, the adoption
Union has not solved all the problems, and the Diet continued.Selected issues are settled within a month after the official procedures of signature and ratification.It solved the problem of the distribution of powers, created a diet that consists of two chambers.The Union has fixed what was started Krevsk agreement.
main idea of the alliance in Lublin:
- The state should be a single ruler - the king who chooses a diet.
- monetary system, the Sejm and the Senate were common to the Polish and Lithuanian territories.
- equalized in rights gentry Polish and Lithuanian.
- Lithuania retained the part of the symbols of statehood - print, coat of arms, the army and the administration.
Results Lublin agreement
Lithuanians managed to preserve their language, legal system and a number of signs of statehood.Poland has strengthened and increased the size of the impact area.Rzeczpospolita several centuries been a strong opponent on the world stage.In addition, it was possible to extend and create a cultural Catholicism Polish community.
negative aspects appeared sprawl bureaucracy and increasing corruption.Election of King spawned an active struggle within the Sejm, which for centuries has led to the collapse of Rzeczpospolita.
negative features most fully manifested in religious matters.The population of Lithuania was not possible to choose the faith - Catholicism propagated almost violently.Christianity was forbidden.Opponents of Catholicism were "outside the law" - they were deprived of all rights, persecuted.On Ukrainian territory which is under the authority of the Commonwealth, began to emerge fraternal school.
At the same time, equalized in the rights of the nobility, were carried out reforms in the political, legislative and economic spheres.So that the effects of the Lublin Union can not be assessed unambiguously.
Church agreements
history of Christianity is replete with attempts to restore the integrity of religion.Recall that as a result of the split in 1054 formed Catholicism and Orthodoxy.They became separate branches of Christianity.Almost at the same time the first attempts of union - union.
Catholicism and Orthodoxy have different traditions and rituals.Concorde could not reach.The main reason - failure to comply Orthodox Pope.Catholics could not accept the conditions put forward by the opponents: Orthodox demanded the rejection of the rule of the Pope in the church hierarchy.
the years weakened Orthodoxy, Catholicism and need support in dealing with various threats.In 1274 Lyons was signed an agreement aimed at the common struggle against the Tatar-Mongols, and in 1439 - the Union of Florence.At this time, the union was against the Turks.These agreements were short, but "a movement for union" has gained more and more fans.
Background Brest Union
Union of Brest - an agreement which has given rise to a new denomination, and many centuries of controversy.
In the XVI century, the Orthodox Church was not exactly a model of morality and spirituality - she was going through a serious crisis.The emergence of the tradition of patronage, when the temple was actually owned by tycoon patron, brought the religion of many secular features.In the case of the church interfering even commoners.This refers to the brotherhood - urban organizations that have the right to control even bishops.The Church has lost influence and reputation defender of the rights of believers.
Uniate movement was resumed due to activation of the Jesuits in Poland.There are polemical texts about the benefits of the union.The authors were preachers and philosophers - Benedict Gerbest Peter Skarga, and many others.
intensified after the Uniates' calendar reform "Gregory XIII - a result of religious holidays Orthodox and Catholics separated over time.It infringes on the rights of the Orthodox population living on the territory of the Commonwealth.
a result of the combined effect of these reasons, the Union of Brest was signed.
essence of the agreement
In 1590 in the city of Belz was held a church congress.It called for a union made Gideon Balaban.His initiative was supported by many bishops.After 5 years, the union has recognized the need for the Pope.
Beresteis'ka union was to be signed in 1596.But the strife ceases.The congress, which met for the signing of the contract, has split.One of the fans were Orthodox, the other - Uniates.The stumbling block addressed the need to obey the Pope.In the end, the union signed only part of the collection.The Orthodox clergy did not recognize the union.The signing of the agreement took place under the leadership of Metropolitan Michael Rogoza.
Terms:
- Uniates recognized the subordination of the Pope.
- clergy have equal rights with the Catholic Church hierarchy.
- an article of faith - Catholic rites - the Orthodox.
Thus, the result of an attempt association became even more divided.On the basis of Orthodoxy and Catholicism it had another faith.Now Uniatism imposed by force - the Orthodox were in an even worse position than before Beresteis'ka (Brest) agreement.
Finally add: union - a unifying factor, but, as shown by the historical facts, the union was not always to the benefit of all parties participating.
