Władysław IV's father,
Sigismund III Vasa, grandson of Sweden's
King Gustav I, had
succeeded his father to the
Swedish throne in 1592, only to be deposed in 1599 by his uncle, subsequently
King Charles IX. This resulted in a long-standing feud, with the
Commonwealth's kings of the
House of Vasa claiming the Swedish throne. This led to the
Polish–Swedish War of 1600–1629 and later to
the Deluge of 1655.
Childhood The marriage of
Anne of Austria to Sigismund III was a traditional, politically motivated marriage, intended to tie the young
House of Vasa to the prestigious
Habsburgs. Władysław was born 9 June 1595 at the King's summer residence in
Łobzów, near
Kraków, a few months after the main
Wawel Castle had been consumed by fire. Władysław's mother died on 10 February 1598, less than three years after giving birth to him. He was raised by one of her former ladies of the court,
Urszula Meierin, who eventually became a powerful player at the royal court, with much influence. Władysław's
Hofmeister was Michał Konarski, a Polish-
Prussian noble. Around the early 17th century, Urszula lost much of her influence, as Władysław gained new teachers and mentors, including such priests as Marek Łętkowski, Gabriel Prowancjusz, and
Andrzej Szołdrski and in military matters by
Zygmunt Kazanowski. Much of his curriculum was likely designed by Father
Piotr Skarga, much respected by Sigismund III. Władysław studied for several years in the
Kraków Academy, and for two years, in Rome. At the age of 10, he received his own prince court. He formed a friendship with brothers
Adam and Stanisław Kazanowski. It was reported that young Władysław was interested in the arts; later, this led to him becoming an important patron of the arts. He spoke and wrote in German, Italian and Latin. Władysław was liked by the
szlachta (Polish-Lithuanian nobility), but his father's plans to secure him the Polish-Lithuanian throne (
vivente rege) were unpopular and eventually crushed in the
Zebrzydowski Rebellion (
rokosz).
Tsar With the intensification of the
Polish intervention in Russia, in 1609, the royal family moved to their residence in
Vilnius, capital of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where he witnessed the fire of Vilnius, which required the royal family to evacuate from
Vilnius Castle. Later that year, Władysław, aged 15, was elected as tsar by Russia's aristocracy council of
Seven boyars, who overthrew tsar
Vasily Shuysky during the
Time of Troubles. His election was ruined by his father, Sigismund III, who aimed to convert Russia's population from
the Eastern Orthodox religion to
Roman Catholicism. Sigismund refused to agree to the boyar's request to send Prince Władysław to
Moscow and his conversion to
Orthodoxy. Instead, Sigismund proposed that he should reign as a regent in Russia instead. This unrealistic proposal led to a resumption of hostilities. In 1611-1612, silver and gold coins (
kopecks) were prematurely struck in the Russian mints in Moscow and
Novgorod with Władysław's titulary
Tsar and Grand Prince Vladislav Zigimontovych of all Russia. Władysław tried to regain the tsar's throne himself, organising a campaign in 1616. Despite some military victories, he was unable to capture Moscow. The Commonwealth gained some disputed territories in the
Truce of Deulino, but Władysław was never able to reign in Russia; the throne during this time was instead held by tsar
Michael Romanov. He held on to the title, without any real power, until 1634. Likely, the failure of this campaign showed Władysław the limits of royal power in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as major factors for the failure included the significant autonomy of the military commanders, which did not see Władysław as their superior, and a lack of funds for the army, as the Commonwealth's parliament (
sejm) refused to subsidize the war.
Prince Before he was elected king of the Commonwealth, Władysław fought in many campaigns, seeking personal glory. After his final campaign against the Russians in 1617–1618 (the end of the
Dymitriads), he went to
Silesia in 1619 looking for an opportunity to aid the
Habsburgs in their struggle against the Czech
Hussites in the
Thirty Years' War, an opportunity that never materialized. In 1620, he took part in the second phase of the
Polish–Ottoman War, a consequence of the
long series of struggles between Poland and the Ottomans over Moldavia. In 1621, he was a Polish commander at
Chocim. He reportedly was stricken with illness, but despite that, he proved a voice of reason, convincing other Polish commanders to stay and fight. His advice was correct, and the battle eventually ended with a
peace treaty that returned the status quo from before the Ottoman invasion. This peace treaty also gave Władysław an international reputation as a "defender of the Christian faith" and increased his popularity in the Commonwealth itself. In 1623, while near
Gdańsk (Danzig), he witnessed
Gustavus Adolphus's
Swedish Navy use its naval superiority to demand concessions from Gdańsk (the Commonwealth had no navy). In 1624, King Sigismund decided that the time had come for Władysław to travel, like many of his peers, to Western Europe. For security reasons, Władysław travelled under a fake name, Snopkowski (from Polish Snopek, meaning
sheaf, as seen in the
Vasa's coat of arms). On the long voyage (1624–1625), he was accompanied by
Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł and other courtiers. First, he travelled to
Wrocław (Breslau), then
Munich, where he met
Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria. In Brussels he met
Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain; in
Antwerp,
Rubens. Near
Breda he met
Ambrosio Spinola. It was during his stay with Spinola that he was impressed by Western military techniques; this was later reflected when he became king, as military matters were always important to him. ), according to the artist's signature painted in
Warsaw in 1626, depicts treasures purchased by the Prince during his journey across Europe. While not a military genius and surpassed by his contemporary, Commonwealth
Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski, Władysław was known as a fairly skillful commander on his own. In Rome, he was welcomed by
Pope Urban VIII, who congratulated him on his fighting against the Ottomans. During his stay in
Florence, he was impressed by opera and decided to bring this form of art to the Commonwealth, where it was previously unknown. In
Genoa and
Venice, he was impressed by the local shipyards, and in
Pisa he witnessed a specially organized mock naval battle, experiences that resulted in his later attempt to create the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Navy. After returning to Poland, he fought in 1626 against the
Swedes in the
last phase of the Polish–Swedish War, where he took part in the
battle of Gniew. His involvement in this conflict, which lasted till the
Truce of Altmark in 1629, was rather limited, and he spent much time in other parts of the country. During that period and afterwards, he lobbied for support for his candidature for the Polish-Lithuanian throne, as his father, Sigismund, was getting more advanced in his age, and the succession to the throne did not occur through inheritance but rather through the process of
royal elections. While Władysław and his father tried to ensure Władysław's election during Sigismund's lifetime, this was not a popular option for the nobility, and it repeatedly failed, up to and including the Sejm of 1631. Sigismund suffered a sudden stroke in late April 1632 and died in the morning hours of 30 April, forcing the matter to be raised again.
Reign The
election sejm of 1632 eventually chose Władysław; there were no other serious contenders. The decision was reached on 8 November, but as the
pacta conventa were not yet ready, the official announcement was delayed until 13 November. In the
pacta conventa, Władysław pledged himself to fund a military school and equipment; to find a way to fund a navy; to maintain current alliances; not to raise armies, give offices or military ranks to foreigners, negotiate peace treaties, or declare war without the Sejm's approval; not to take a wife without the Senate's approval; to convince his brothers to take an oath to the Commonwealth; and to transfer the profits from the Royal Mint to the Royal Treasury rather than to a private treasury. When the election result was announced by the
Crown Grand Marshal,
Łukasz Opaliński, the
szlachta (nobility), who had taken part in the election, began festivities in honor of the new king, which lasted three hours. Władysław was crowned in the
Wawel Cathedral, in
Kraków on 6 February in the following year.
Military campaigns , c. 1634 In an attempt to take advantage of the confusion expected after the death of the Commonwealth's king, Tsar
Michael I of Russia invaded the Commonwealth. A Muscovite army crossed Lithuania's eastern frontier in October 1632 and laid siege to
Smolensk (which was ceded to Lithuania by Russia in 1618, at the end of the Dymitriad wars). In the war against Russia in 1632–1634 (the
Smolensk War), Władysław broke the siege in September 1633 and then, in turn, surrounded the Russian army under
Mikhail Shein, which was then forced to surrender on 1 March 1634.
Marriages , Early in his reign, there were plans regarding a marriage of Władysław and Princess
Elisabeth of Bohemia, Princess Palatine (daughter of
Frederick V, Elector Palatine). This was however unpopular, both with Catholic nobles and the Catholic Church, and when it became clear to Władysław that this would not convince the Swedes to elect him to their throne, this plan, with quiet support from Władysław himself, was dropped.
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor's proposal of marriage between Władysław and
Archduchess Cecilia Renata of Austria (sister of future
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor) arrived in Warsaw somewhere during spring 1636. In June of that year, Władysław sent
Jerzy Ossoliński to the Imperial Court, to work on improving the Imperial-Commonwealth relations. The king's trusted confessor, father Walerian Magni (of
Franciscan religious order), and voivode
Kasper Doenhoff arrived in
Regensburg () on 26 October 1636 with consent and performed negotiations. The Archduchess'
dowry was agreed for 100,000
zlotys, the Emperor also promised to pay the dowries of both of
Siegmund III's wives:
Anna and
Konstance. Additionally, the son of Władysław and Cecilia Renata was to obtain the
duchy of Opole and
Racibórz in Silesia (
Duchy of Opole and Racibórz). However, before everything was confirmed and signed, Ferdinand II died and Ferdinand III backed away from giving the Silesian duchy to the son of Władysław. Instead, a dowry was awarded to be secured by the
Bohemian estates of
Třeboň. On 16 March 1637, a "family alliance" was signed between the Habsburgs and the Polish-Lithuanian branch of the House of Vasa. Władysław promised not to sign any pacts against the Habsburgs, and to transfer his rights to the Swedish throne in case of his line's extinction; in return, Habsburg promised to support his efforts to regain the Swedish crown, and to transfer to him some territory in case of gains in a war against the Ottomans. The marriage took place in 1637, on 12 September. The next few years were similarly unsuccessful with regard to his plans. Eventually, he tried to bypass the opposition in the Sejm with secret alliances, dealings, and intrigues, but did not prove successful. Those plans included schemes such as supporting the Holy Roman Emperor's raid on Inflanty in 1639, which he hoped would lead to a war; an
attempted alliance with Spain against France in 1640–1641, and in 1641–1643, with Denmark against Sweden. On the international scene, he attempted to mediate between various religious factions of Christianity, using the tolerant image of the Commonwealth to portray himself as the neutral mediator. He organized a conference in
Toruń (Thorn) that began on 28 January 1645, but it failed to reach any meaningful conclusions. After Cecilia's death in 1644, the ties between Władysław and the Habsburgs were somewhat loosened. In turn, the relations with France improved, and eventually Władysław married the French princess
Ludwika Maria Gonzaga de Nevers, daughter of
Charles I Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, in 1646. Władysław's last plan was to orchestrate a major war between the European powers and the Ottoman Empire. The border with the Empire was in a near-constant state of low-level warfare; some historians estimate that in the first half of the 17th century, Ottoman raids and wars resulted in the loss (death or enslavement) of about 300,000 Commonwealth citizens in the borderlands. The war, Władysław hoped, would also solve the problem of unrest among the
Cossacks, a militant group living in Ukraine, near the Ottoman border, who could find worth in such a campaign, and turn their attention to fighting for the Commonwealth, instead of against it. As usual, he failed to inspire the nobility, rarely willing to consider sponsoring another war, to agree to this plan. He received more support from foreign powers, from Rome, Venice and Muscovy. With the promise of funds for the war, Władysław started recruiting troops among the Cossacks in 1646. The opposition of the Sejm, demanding that he dismiss the troops, coupled with Władysław's worsening health, crippled that plan as well. Władysław still did not give up, and attempted to resurrect the plan in 1647, and with the support of magnate
Jeremi Wiśniowiecki (who organized military exercises near the Ottoman border), attempted unsuccessfully to provoke the Ottomans to attack. On 9 August 1647, his young son,
Sigismund Casimir, then seven years old, suddenly fell ill and died; the death of his only legitimate heir to the throne was a major blow to the king, whose grief prevented his attendance at the boy's funeral held in
Kraków.
Death ' studio While hunting near
Merkinė in early 1648, Władysław suffered from a case of
gallstones or
kidney stones. The King's condition supposedly worsened as he was given the incorrect medication to treat the ailment. Being aware that these might be his final days, the King had his
last will dictated and then received his
last rites. Władysław died around 02:00 at night on 20 May 1648. His heart and
viscera were interred in the Chapel of
St. Casimir of
Vilnius Cathedral. As he had no legitimate male heirs, he was succeeded by his half-brother
John II Casimir Vasa.
Character Władysław has been described as outgoing and friendly, with a sense of humor, optimistic, a "people's person", and able to charm many of those who interacted with him. On the other hand, he had a short temper and when angered, could act without considering all consequences. Władysław was criticized for being a spendthrift; he lived lavishly, spending more than his royal court treasury could afford. He also dispensed much wealth among his
courtiers, who were seen by people farther from the court as taking advantage of the king. He has also been known to maintain several mistresses throughout his life, including during his married period.
Patronage of King Władysław IV, held at the
Kunsthistorisches Museum in
Vienna One of the king's most substantial achievements was in the cultural sphere; he became a notable patron of the arts. Władysław was a connoisseur of the arts, in particular, theater and music. He spoke several languages and enjoyed reading historical literature and poetry. He collected paintings and created a notable gallery of paintings in the
Warsaw Royal Castle. Władysław assembled an important collection of Italian and
Flemish Baroque paintings, much of which were lost in the wars after his death. He sponsored many musicians and in 1637, created the first
amphitheater in the palace, the first theater in Poland, where during his reign, dozens of operas and ballets were performed. He is credited with bringing the very
genre of opera to Poland. Władysław's attention to theater contributed to the spread of this art form in Poland. He was also interested in poetry, as well as in
cartography and historical and scientific works; he corresponded with
Galileo. Notable painters and engravers Władysław supported and who attended his royal court included Peter Paul Rubens,
Tommaso Dolabella,
Peter Danckerts de Rij,
Wilhelm Hondius,
Bartłomiej Strobel, and Christian Melich. His royal orchestra was headed by
kapellmeister Marco Scacchi, seconded by
Bartłomiej Pękiel. One of the most renowned works he ordered was the raising of the
Sigismund's Column in Warsaw. The column, dedicated to his father, was designed by the Italian-born architect Constantino Tencalla and the sculptor Clemente Molli, and cast by Daniel Tym. He was less interested in decorative architecture; he supported the construction of two palaces in Warsaw –
Kazanowski Palace and
Villa Regia. Among other works sponsored by or dedicated to him is
Guido Reni's
The Rape of Europa. == Assessment ==