The book studies political transition from dynastic reign to elective monarchy in sixteenth-century Poland-Lithuania. The political transition is viewed in the context of the great phenomena of early modern Europe, e.g. Reformation and state formation process.

Miia Ijäs is a Finnish historian who completed her doctoral degree at the University of Tampere. She is specialized in the political history of Central Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea area during the modern and early modern periods.

«Ijäs liefert eine kenntnisreiche Studie, die ein gutes Gegenmittel gegen das alte Narrativ der Geschichte der „Adelsrepublik“ darstellt.» (Damien Tricoire, Zeitschrift für Historische Forschung 44/2017)

Contents: The Alleged Outsider of European Developments – Early Modern State Formation - in Theory and in Practice – Identification of the Forthcoming Change – Preparations for the Transition – Between Alternatives: the Royal Elections of 1573 and 1575 – The Confirmation of Polish-Lithuanian Statehood – Conclusions: The Polish-Lithuanian Transition Period of the 1560s and 1570s in the Context of European State Formation Processes.