Ladislaus Jagiello in Modern Polish Culture

This article deals with Polish representations of Władysław II Jagiełło, Grand Duke Lithuania, ruler the Crown Kingdom, founder Jagiellonian dynasty. Research on past has become one main fields memory studies in recent years. They allow us to look at historical events and their emblematic protagonists through prism successive emanations. The kaleidoscope images reflects changes social awareness collective a given political community. Jagiełło Battle Grunwald (1410), which is inseparably associated his reign, offer model case point. Among numerous those created nineteenth century have made lasting impression. At first, they took form literary works paintings, only later did appear journalism historiography. With time, transmogrified into grass-roots commemorative initiatives, most spectacular manifestation was jubilee 500th anniversary Grunwald, celebrated Kraków 1910. Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, Henryk Sienkiewicz Jan Matejko fulfilled role became part canon, imagination depended from then on, regardless changing configurations. In this way, important figures pantheon rulers, while distant experience Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth permanently grafted onto modelled imagination. observation also confirmed by twentieth-century portrayals films series.