View source for Sigismund II Augustus

{{Short description|Ruler of Poland and Lithuania from 1529 to 1572}}
{{redirect|Sigismund II|the Prince of Anhalt-Dessau|Sigismund II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Sigismund II Augustus
| image        = Cranach the Younger Sigismund II Augustus.jpg
| caption      = Portrait by [[Lucas Cranach the Younger]], 1553
| succession   = [[King of Poland]]<br>[[Grand Duke of Lithuania]]
| reign        = {{plainlist|
*18 October/18 December 1529{{efn|Proclaimed Grand Duke on 18 October, proclaimed King on 18 December.}}{{snd}}7 July 1572 
}}
| reign-type   = 
| coronation   = 20 February 1530
| predecessor  = [[Sigismund I the Old]]
| regent       = Sigismund I the Old (1529-1548)
| reg-type     = Co-ruler
| successor    = [[Henry III of France|Henry of Valois]] ([[Interrex (Poland)|in 1573]])
| spouses      = {{Plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Elizabeth of Austria (1526–1545)|Elizabeth of Austria]]|1543|1545|end=d}}
* {{marriage|[[Barbara Radziwiłł]]|1547|1551|end=d}}
* {{marriage|[[Catherine of Austria (1533–1572)|Catherine of Austria]]|1553|1572|end=d}}
}}
| issue        = Barbara Woroniecka (illegitimate)
| birth_date   = 1 August 1520
| birth_place  = [[Kraków]], [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Poland]]
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|1572|7|7|1520|8|1|df=y}}
| death_place  = [[Knyszyn]], [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|Poland-Lithuania]]
| burial_date  = 10 February 1574
| burial_place = [[Wawel Cathedral]], Kraków, Poland
| house        = [[Jagiellon dynasty|Jagiellon]]
| house-type   = Dynasty
| father       = [[Sigismund I the Old]]
| mother       = [[Bona Sforza]]
| religion     = [[Roman Catholicism]]
| reign-type1  = 
| signature    = Sigismundus Augustus Rex.PNG
| alt          = A portrait of Sigismund II Augustus, in a black hat with a white feather, a white ruff on his neck, and an ornate gold chain around his neck.
}}
{{CS1 config|mode=cs1}}

'''Sigismund II Augustus''' ({{langx|pl|Zygmunt II August}}, {{langx|lt|Žygimantas Augustas}}; 1 August 1520 – 7 July 1572) was [[King of Poland]] and [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]], the son of [[Sigismund I the Old]], whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548. He was the first ruler of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] and the last male monarch from the [[Jagiellonian dynasty]].

Sigismund was elder of two sons of Italian-born [[Bona Sforza]] and Sigismund the Old, and the only one to survive infancy. From the beginning he was groomed and extensively educated as a successor. In 1529 he was chosen as king in ''[[vivente rege]]'' election while his father was still alive. Sigismund Augustus continued a tolerance policy towards minorities and maintained peaceful relations with neighbouring countries, with the exception of the [[Northern Seven Years' War]] which aimed to secure [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] trade. Under his patronage, culture flourished in Poland; he was a collector of tapestries from the [[Low Countries]] and collected military memorabilia as well as swords, armours and jewellery. Sigismund Augustus' rule is widely considered as the apex of the [[Polish Golden Age]]; he established the first regular [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Navy|Polish navy]] and the first regular [[Mail|postal service]] in Poland, known today as [[Poczta Polska]]. In 1569, he oversaw the signing of the [[Union of Lublin]] between Poland and the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]], which formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and introduced an [[elective monarchy]].

Sigismund Augustus married three times; his first wife, [[Elizabeth of Austria (1526–1545)|Elizabeth of Austria]], died in 1545 at just eighteen. He was then involved in several relationships with mistresses, the most famous being [[Barbara Radziwiłł]], who became Sigismund's second wife and Queen of Poland in spite of his mother's disapproval. The marriage was deemed scandalous and was fiercely opposed by the royal court and the [[Szlachta|nobility]]. Barbara died five months after her coronation, due to heavy illness. Sigismund finally wedded [[Catherine of Austria, Queen of Poland|Catherine of Austria]]. Neither marriage resulted in living children.

Sigismund Augustus was the last male member of the [[Jagiellonian dynasty]]. Following the death of his sister [[Anna Jagiellon|Anna]] in 1596 the Jagiellonian dynasty came to an end.

==Early life==
[[File:Lithuanian coin of Sigismund II Augustus with Lithuanian Vytis (Waykimas) and the Columns of Gediminas, minted in 1568.jpg|150px|thumb|left|A 1568 Lithuanian coin of Sigismund II Augustus with [[Vytis]] and the [[Columns of Gediminas]]]]
Sigismund Augustus was born in [[Kraków]] on 1 August 1520 to [[Sigismund I the Old]] and [[Bona Sforza]] of [[Milan]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Beem |first=Charles |title=Queenship in Early Modern Europe |publisher=Red Globe Press  |year=2020  |page=162}}</ref> His paternal grandparents were [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]], King of Poland, and [[Elizabeth of Austria (1436–1505)|Elizabeth of Austria]]. Sigismund's maternal grandparents, [[Gian Galeazzo Sforza]] and [[Isabella of Aragon, Duchess of Milan|Isabella of Aragon]], daughter of King [[Alfonso II of Naples]], both [[List of rulers of Milan|ruled]] the [[Duchy of Milan]] until Sforza's suspicious death in 1494.

Throughout his youth, Sigismund Augustus was under the careful watch of his mother, Bona. Being the only surviving legitimate male heir to the Polish throne throughout his father's reign, he was well educated and taught by the most renowned scholars in the country. It was also his mother's wish to name her son Augustus, after the first [[Roman Empire|Roman]] Emperor [[Augustus]]. However, this decision was met with Sigismund the Old's strong disapproval, who hoped for a lineage of Sigismunds on the Polish throne. Consequently, it was established that the child would bear two names to settle the conflict. The tradition of adopting Augustus as a second or middle name was also observed during the [[coronation]] of [[Stanisław August Poniatowski|Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski]] who became King Stanisław II Augustus in 1764.

On 18 October 1529, Sigismund Augustus was [[Gediminas' Cap#Coronations of Lithuanian monarchs|inaugurated]] as [[List of Lithuanian monarchs|Grand Duke of Lithuania]] and the ceremony was held in the [[Vilnius]] grand ducal [[Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania|palace]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Istorinė raida |url=https://www.valdovurumai.lt/lt/rumu-istorija/i/142/istorine-raida-2/ |website=Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania |access-date=23 April 2023 |language=lt}}</ref><ref name="Besala 2015 27">{{Cite book |last=Besala |first=Jerzy |title=Zygmunt August i jego żony. Studium historyczno-obyczajowe |publisher=Zysk i S-ka |year=2015 |isbn=978-83-7785-792-2 |edition=1st |page=27 |language=pl}}</ref> He was named King of Poland alongside his father on 18 December the same year.<ref name="Besala 2015 27"/>

In 1530, the ten-year-old Sigismund Augustus was crowned by [[Primate of Poland|Primate]] [[Jan Łaski (1456–1531)|Jan Łaski]] in accordance with the ''[[vivente rege]]'' law. Sigismund the Old hoped to secure his son's succession to the throne and maintain the [[Jagiellonian dynasty]]'s position in Poland. The move was crucial to silence the members of nobility who were against the Jagiellons and viewed the action as a step towards [[absolute monarchy|absolutism]]. The law was officially abolished by the [[Henrician Articles]], or the new constitution adopted between the nobles and the newly elected King [[Henry III of France|Henry of Valois]] in 1573.

Sigismund Augustus began his reign as the active Grand Duke of the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] in 1544 and initially opposed the [[Polish–Lithuanian union]], thus hoping to leave his throne to his heirs, as Lithuanian throne was hereditary, while Polish one was not, hence the grasp of Jagiellon dynasty on Poland was uncertain.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lukšaitė |first1=Ingė |last2=Matulevičius |first2=Algirdas |title=Žygimantas Augustas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/zygimantas-augustas/ |website=[[Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia]] |access-date=27 July 2021 |language=lt}}</ref>

==First marriage==
[[File:Cranach the Younger Elizabeth of Austria.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Elizabeth of Austria (1526–1545)|Queen Elizabeth]], by [[Lucas Cranach the Younger]]]]
When Sigismund Augustus was co-crowned, Chancellor [[Krzysztof Szydłowiecki]] organized a preliminary marriage treaty between the young king and [[Elizabeth of Austria (1526–1545)|Elizabeth of Austria]], daughter of King [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand of Bohemia and Hungary]]. The marriage was signed on 10–11 November 1530 in [[Poznań]], however, the arrangement was delayed by Queen [[Bona Sforza]], who detested the new bride. The treaty was renewed on 16 June 1538 in [[Wrocław]] by [[Johannes Dantiscus]] and the betrothal ceremony took place on 17 July 1538 in [[Innsbruck]]. Bona continued to lobby against the marriage and instead proposed [[Margaret of France, Duchess of Berry|Margaret of France]] to potentially form an alliance with the French against the [[Habsburgs]].

On 5 May 1543, Elizabeth's escorted convoy entered [[Kraków]] and was greeted with enthusiasm by both the nobles and the townsfolk. The same day 16-year-old Elizabeth married 22-year-old Sigismund Augustus, whom she met for the first time shortly before marriage vows.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://polishhistory.pl/sigismund-ii-augustus-a-renaissance-portrait-of-a-melancholic-man/ |title=SIGISMUND II AUGUSTUS: A RENAISSANCE PORTRAIT OF A MELANCHOLIC MAN |website=polishhistory.pl |author=Wojciech Stanisławski |date=7 July 2023 |access-date=19 January 2024}}</ref> The ceremony was performed at the [[Wawel Cathedral]] and the wedding continued for two weeks. Bona began to plot against the new queen. As a result, the newly wedded couple decided to reside in [[Vilnius]], far from the royal court.

[[File:Child armour of Žygimantas Augustas, exhibited in the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Child [[armour]] of Sigismund II Augustus, which was commissioned by [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Ferdinand I]] for his daughter's Elizabeth of Austria marriage with Sigismund II Augustus<ref>{{cite web |title=Intriguojanti vieno šedevro istorija – Žygimanto Augusto vaikiškų šarvų paroda |url=https://www.valdovurumai.lt/lt/naujienos/i/2635/intriguojanti-vieno-sedevro-istorija-zygimanto-augusto-vaikisku-sarvu-paroda/ |website=Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania |access-date=23 April 2023 |language=lt}}</ref>]]
Despite the initial euphoria demonstrated by royal subjects, the marriage was unsuccessful from the very beginning. Sigismund Augustus did not find Elizabeth attractive and continued to have extramarital affairs with several mistresses, the most famous being [[Barbara Radziwiłł]]. Elizabeth was also known to be timid, meek and apprehensive due to strict upbringing. The young and garrulous king was also repulsed by Elizabeth's newly diagnosed [[epilepsy]] and subsequent seizures. Only Sigismund the Old and some nobles showed compassion towards the new Queen, who was disregarded by her husband and scorned by Bona. Sigismund Augustus was indifferent to her health condition; when the seizures continued to intensify he abandoned Elizabeth and returned to Kraków to collect her [[dowry]]. He also sent for Ferdinand's doctors to travel the long distance from [[Vienna]] knowing that Elizabeth was ailing and deteriorating fast. She eventually died unattended and exhausted from the epileptic attacks on 15 June 1545 at the age of 18.

==Second marriage==
From the outset of his reign, Sigismund Augustus came into collision with the country's privileged [[Szlachta|nobility]], who had already begun curtailing the power of the great families. The ostensible cause of the nobility's animosity to the King was his second marriage, secretly contracted before his accession to the throne, with the [[Lithuanians|Lithuanian]] noblewoman and former mistress, [[Barbara Radziwiłł]], the daughter of [[Hetman]] [[Jerzy Radziwiłł]]. The marriage was announced by the king himself on 2 February 1548 in [[Piotrków Trybunalski]].

[[File:Cranach the Younger Barbara Radziwiłł.jpg|thumb|upright|Portrait of Barbara Radziwiłł by [[Lucas Cranach the Younger]], ca. 1553]]
The young and beautiful Barbara was despised by Queen Bona, who attempted to annul the marriage at any cost. The agitation was also abundant at Sigismund's first [[Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland|Sejm]] (parliament) sitting on 31 October 1548 where the deputies threatened to renounce their allegiance unless the new king repudiated Barbara. The nobles portrayed Barbara as an opportunistic prostitute that charmed the king for her own benefit. That perception was shared with Bona Sforza, who decisively eliminated all her rivals by any means to stay in power. The young monarch even considered [[abdication|abdicating]]. By 1550, when Sigismund summoned his second Sejm, the nobles had begun to be in his favor; the nobility was rebuked by Marshal [[Piotr Kmita Sobieński]], who accused them of attempting to unduly diminish the legislative prerogatives of the Polish Crown. Furthermore, Bona departed from [[Wawel Castle|Wawel]] and went to [[Mazovia]] where she established her own small courtly entourage.<ref>Duczmal (2012), p. 119</ref>

Unlike her predecessor, Barbara was disliked by the royal court and led a more secluded life with Sigismund Augustus, who was deeply in love with her. On the other hand, she was ambitious, intelligent, perceptive and had an exemplar taste in fashion. She always wore precious pearl necklaces when sitting for portraits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://historia.org.pl/2016/05/30/barbara-radziwillowna-wielka-milosc-zygmunta-augusta/|title=Barbara Radziwiłłówna – wielka miłość Zygmunta Augusta &#124; HISTORIA.org.pl – historia, kultura, muzea, matura, rekonstrukcje i recenzje historyczne|first=Milena|last=pisze|date=30 May 2016}}</ref> The mutual admiration between Sigismund and Barbara made the relationship "one of the greatest love affairs in Polish history".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wyborcza.pl/alehistoria/1,121681,17158033,Barbara_Radziwillowna_i_Zygmunt_August__Najwiekszy.html?disableRedirects=true|title=Wyborcza.pl|website=wyborcza.pl}}</ref> While still married to Elizabeth, Sigismund Augustus ordered the construction of a secret passage connecting the [[Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania|Royal Castle]] in Vilnius with the nearby Radziwiłł Palace so that the couple could meet frequently and discreetly.<ref name=d70>Duczmal (2012)</ref>

[[File:Zygmunt August I.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Portrait of Sigismund Augustus in armour, 1550s]]

Due to her unpopularity in Poland, Barbara often expressed her wish to reside permanently in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. To ease the situation, Sigismund Augustus provided a luxurious lifestyle and expensive gifts for his wife at Wawel Castle since her arrival in Kraków on 13 February 1549. The monarch also granted Barbara several provinces to administer and provide income. Although ambitious and bright, she showed lack of interest in political life, but had some influence over decisions made by Sigismund. This also caused an uproar among the nobility. To avoid an armed rebellion, Sigismund was forced to form an alliance with his former father-in-law, Emperor Ferdinand I. This allowed for Barbara's coronation as Queen of Poland on 7 December 1550 by Primate [[Mikołaj Dzierzgowski]]. Queen Bona eventually succumbed to her son's demand and accepted the marriage sending a messenger in 1551 who informed Barbara of her decision.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Besala |first=Jerzy |title=Zygmunt August i jego żony. Studium historyczno-obyczajowe |publisher=Zysk i S-ka |year=2015 |isbn=978-83-7785-792-2 |edition=1st |page=403 |language=pl}}</ref>

During their marriage, the Queen complained of poor health, particularly stomach and abdominal pain. After the coronation her condition deteriorated rapidly. She was tormented by strong fever, diarrhea, [[nausea]] and lack of appetite. After careful observation by hired medics, a lump was discovered on her stomach filled with pus. Sigismund Augustus gravely despaired and sent for doctors and even folk healers from the entire country. He personally tended to his sick wife despite her foul smell and dedicated himself when necessary; the king hoped to take Barbara to the hunting castle at [[Niepołomice]] and ordered to demolish the small city gate so her carriage could pass freely. However, Barbara died on 8 May 1551 in Kraków after continuous pain and agony. It was her dying wish that she'd be buried in Lithuania, her homeland. The body was transported to [[Vilnius Cathedral]], where she was finally buried on 23 June next to Elizabeth of Austria. Her death was a major blow to Sigismund; he often attended her coffin on foot while being transported to Vilnius in hot weather. Sigismund also became more serious and reserved; he avoided balls, temporarily renounced his mistresses and dressed in black until his death.

The cause of Barbara's death is debatable. Her opponents and family members suggested [[sexually transmitted disease]]s due to a number of affairs she had before marrying Sigismund. There were also persistent rumors that she was poisoned by Queen Bona Sforza, who had a long history of eliminating her rivals or enemies quickly and efficiently. However, contemporary historians and experts agree on [[Cervical cancer|cervical]] or [[ovarian cancer]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Frost |first=Robert |author-link= |date=2015 |title=The Oxford History of Poland-Lithuania. Volume I: The Making of the Polish-Lithuanian Union, 1385-1569 |url= |location= |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=437 |isbn=978-0-19-820869-3}}</ref>

It is possible that marriage resulted in two pregnancies as Barbara reportedly miscarried on 20 November 1547 and is speculated to be pregnant (and lost baby) in spring 1548.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Besala |first=Jerzy |title=Zygmunt August i jego żony. Studium historyczno-obyczajowe |publisher=Zysk i S-ka |year=2015 |isbn=978-83-7785-792-2 |edition=1st |pages=212, 237–238 |language=Polish}}</ref>

==Third marriage==
[[File:Cranach the Younger Catherine of Austria.jpg|thumb|upright|Portrait of Catherine of Austria by [[Lucas Cranach the Younger]].]]

The death of Queen Barbara Radziwiłł, five months after her coronation and under distressing circumstances, compelled Sigismund to contract a third, purely political union with his first cousin, the [[Habsburg monarchy|Austrian]] archduchess [[Catherine of Austria, Queen of Poland|Catherine]], to avoid an Austro-Russian alliance. She was also the sister of his first wife, Elizabeth, who had died within a year of her marriage to him, before his accession. Catherine, unlike previous queens, was considered dull and obese. Sigismund Augustus found her immensely unattractive despite accepting the marriage and organizing a pompous wedding ceremony on 30 July 1553. On the other hand, Catherine showed resentment towards Sigismund because of how he treated her sister, Queen Elizabeth. She accused him of negligence and indifference during her sudden illness, which caused premature death. The correspondence between the two remained purely formal and political for the remainder of their lives.

Since her coronation, Catherine acted as Austria's puppet at the Polish court; she was tasked with [[espionage]] and obtaining important information for the benefit of the Habsburgs. Sigismund Augustus was aware of the scheme, but, by marrying Catherine, he obtained a promise from Austria to stay neutral and abandon plans with [[Tsardom of Russia|Russia]]. This neutrality was undermined by Catherine's actions, who followed her father's policy and objected the return of [[John Sigismund Zápolya]] and [[Isabella Jagiellon]] (Sigismund's sister) to Hungary. She would conspire with the Habsburg envoys prior to an audience with the king. She would also dictate what and how the envoys should express their views. When Sigismund Augustus found out of Catherine's intrigues, he sent her to [[Radom]] and excluded her from political life.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marryingcultures.eu/research/elizabeth-catherine-austria |title=Elizabeth & Catherine of Austria |website=marryingcultures.eu |access-date=20 January 2024}}</ref>

As Sigismund lost all hope of children by his third bride, he was the last male Jagiellon in the direct line so the dynasty was threatened with extinction. He sought to remedy this by adultery with two of the most beautiful of his countrywomen, [[Barbara Giza]] (said to physically resemble late queen Barbara Radziwiłł) and [[Anna Zajączkowska]]. Barbara ultimately gave birth to a daughter, also named Barbara, whom Sigismund acknowledged as his child.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Borkowska |first=Urszula |title=Dynastia Jagiellonów w Polsce |publisher=PWN |year=2012 |isbn=978-83-01-16692-2 |page=565 |language=Polish}}</ref>

The King's marriage was a matter of great political import to [[Protestants]] and Catholics alike. The Polish Protestants hoped that he would divorce and remarry and thus bring about a breach with Rome at the very crisis of the religious struggle in Poland. He was not free to remarry until Catherine's death on 28 February 1572, but he followed her to the grave less than six months later.

His illegitimate daughter by Giza was adopted by her mother's new husband (Michał Woroniecki) and given her stepfather's surname.<ref>Borkowska, Urszula (2012). ''Dynastia Jagiellonów w Polsce'' (in Polish). PWN. p.&nbsp;565. {{ISBN|978-83-01-16692-2}}.</ref>

==Health and final years==
[[File:Death of Sigismund Augustus at Knyszyn.JPG|thumb|''Death of Sigismund II Augustus at [[Knyszyn]]'', by [[Jan Matejko]]]]
Unlike his father, Sigismund Augustus was frail and sickly. Shortly before turning 50, his health rapidly declined.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wilanow-palac.pl/przypadlosci_krola_zygmunta_augusta.html|title=Przypadłości króla Zygmunta Augusta|website=wilanow-palac.pl}}</ref> Being involved in many affairs and holding a large number of mistresses, historians agree that the king had [[venereal disease]] which caused him to have fertility issues.<ref name="auto1"/> By 1558 Sigismund had [[gout]] and since 1568 he also suffered from [[Kidney stone disease|kidney stones]], which triggered immense pain.<ref name="auto1"/> He employed numerous medics, healers or even [[Quackery|quack doctors]] and imported expensive [[ointment]]s from Italy. By the end of his life, the king was losing teeth and vigour, possibly due to [[tuberculosis]]. [[Antonio Maria Graziani]] recalls that Sigismund was unable to keep standing without a cane when greeting Cardinal [[Giovanni Francesco Commendone]].

During spring 1572, Sigismund Augustus became feverish. Untreated tuberculosis made him feeble and impotent, but he was able to travel to his private retreat in [[Knyszyn]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wilanow-palac.pl/smierc_krola_zygmunta_augusta.html|title=Śmierć króla Zygmunta Augusta|website=wilanow-palac.pl}}</ref> While at Knyszyn, he corresponded with his diplomats and nobles, highlighting that he was feeling well and hoped to recover. Great Marshal [[Jan Firlej]] denied these claims and reported that the king was bleeding severely due to [[tuberculosis|consumption]] and was troubled by pain in the chest and [[lumbar]].
[[File:Nagrobek Zygmunta Starego i Zygmunta Augusta.jpg|left|thumb|280x280px|Tomb of Sigismund II Augustus (above) in the [[Sigismund Chapel]] at [[Wawel Cathedral]] in Kraków, Poland. Below the tomb of his father, [[Sigismund I the Old]].]]
Sigismund died in Knyszyn on 7 July 1572 at 6pm, surrounded by a group of senators and envoys. The official cause of death given by the medics was consumption. His body placed on a [[catafalque]] and remained at the nearby [[Tykocin Castle]] until 10 September 1573 when it was transported back to Kraków through [[Warsaw]]. After transporting the remains of [[Barbara Radziwiłł]] from [[Kraków]] to [[Vilnius]], Sigismund was building a church in the [[Vilnius Castle Complex]] which should have served as his family's mausoleum, however it was still uncompleted in 1572.<ref>{{cite web |title=Šv. Onos ir Šv. Barboros bažnyčių pamatai – Vilniaus pilys |url=https://www.vilniauspilys.lt/sv-onos-ir-sv-barboros-baznyciu-pamatai/ |website=Vilniauspilys.lt |access-date=20 October 2021 |language=lt}}</ref> Consequently, he was laid to rest at the [[Wawel Cathedral]] on 10 February 1574. The stately funeral ceremony, attended by his sister [[Anna Jagiellon]], was the last spectacle of its kind in the Kingdom of Poland. No other Polish monarch was buried with such pomp and splendour. His death introduced an [[elective monarchy]] in Poland which lasted until the final [[Partitions of Poland|partition]] at the end of the 18th century.

Sigismund Augustus was the last male member of the [[Jagiellonian dynasty]]. The death of his childless sister, Anna, in 1596 marked the end of the dynasty.

In addition to his family connections, Sigismund II Augustus was allied to the [[Habsburg]]s as member of the [[Order of the Golden Fleece]].

==Reign==
[[File:Letter of Roxelane to Sigismond Auguste complementing him for his accession to the throne 1549.jpg|thumb|Letter from [[Roxelana|Hürrem Sultan]], wife of [[Suleiman the Magnificent]], to Sigismund Augustus, complimenting him on his accession to the throne, 1549]]
Sigismund's reign was marked by a period of temporary stability and external expansion. He witnessed the bloodless introduction of the Protestant [[Reformation]] into Poland and Lithuania, and the ''peero-cratic'' upheaval that placed most political power in the hands of the [[Szlachta|Polish nobility]]; he saw the collapse of the [[Knights of the Sword]] in the north, which led to the Commonwealth's acquisition of [[Duchy of Livonia|Livonia]] as a Lutheran duchy and the consolidation of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] power in the southeast. A less imposing figure than his father, the elegant and refined Sigismund II Augustus was nevertheless an even more effective statesman than the stern and majestic [[Sigismund I the Old]].

Sigismund II possessed to a high degree the tenacity and patience that seem to have characterized all the [[Jagiellon Dynasty|Jagiellons]], and he added to these qualities a dexterity and diplomatic finesse. No other Polish king seems to have so thoroughly understood the nature of the Polish [[Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland|Sejm]] and national assembly. Both the Austrian ambassadors and the papal legates testify to the care with which he controlled his nation. According to diplomats, everything went as Sigismund wished and he seemed to know everything in advance. He managed to obtain more funds from the Sejm than his father ever could, and at one of the parliament sittings he won the hearts of the assembled envoys by unexpectedly appearing in the simple grey coat of a [[Mazovia]]n lord. Like his father, a pro-Austrian by conviction, he contrived even in this respect to carry with him the nation, often distrustful of the [[Germans]]. He also avoided serious complications and skirmishes with the powerful Turks.

===Livonia===
{{main|Old Livonia|Duchy of Livonia|Livonian War}}
[[File:Steven van Herwijck, Sigismund II Augustus, 1520-1572, King of Poland 1548 (obverse), c. 1562, NGA 45436.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Medal obverse featuring Sigismund from 1562, [[National Gallery of Art]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]
During Sigismund Augustus' reign, Livonia was in political turmoil. His father, Sigismund I, permitted [[Albert, Duke of Prussia|Albert of Prussia]] to introduce the Protestant [[Reformation]] and secularize the southern part of the [[Teutonic Order State]]. Albert then established Europe's first Protestant state in the [[Duchy of Prussia]] in 1525, but under [[Treaty of Cracow|Polish suzerainty]]. However, his efforts to introduce Protestantism to the [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword]] in the northernmost part of the region was met with fierce resistance and divided the [[Livonian Confederation]]. When Albert's brother [[Wilhelm von Brandenburg|Wilhelm]] and [[Archbishopric of Riga|Archbishop of Riga]] attempted to implement a [[Church Order (Lutheran)|Lutheran church order]] in his [[diocese]], the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] estates rebelled and arrested both Wilhelm and his [[Coadjutor bishop|bishop coadjutor]], [[Christopher, Duke of Mecklenburg]].

As Prussia was a tributary state of the Polish Crown, Sigismund Augustus, a Catholic, was forced to intervene in favour of Protestant Albert and his brother Wilhelm. In July 1557 the Polish forces left for Livonia. The armed intervention proved to be successful; the Catholic Livonians surrendered and signed the [[Treaty of Pozvol]] on 14 September 1557. The agreement placed most Livonian territories under Polish protection and ''[[de facto]]'' became part of Poland. [[Gotthard Kettler]], the last Master of the Order, was granted the newly established [[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]]. Wilhelm was restored to his former position as archbishop on Sigismund's demand, with the Lutheran church order being enacted.

The incorporation of Courland into the Polish sphere of influence created an alliance which threatened Russia's plans of expanding into the [[Baltic coast]]. Sigismund directed the alliance against [[Ivan the Terrible]] to protect lucrative trade routes in Livonia, thus creating a new valid ''[[casus belli]]'' against the [[Tsardom of Russia|Russian Tsardom]]. On 22 January 1558, Ivan invaded the Baltic states and started the [[Livonian War]], which lasted 25 years until 1583. Russia's eventual defeat in the war legally partitioned Livonia between Poland ([[Latvia]], southern [[Estonia]]) and [[Sweden]] (central-northern Estonia). The Polish sector became subsequently known as [[Duchy of Livonia|Polish Livonia]] or ''Inflanty''; it was settled with colonists from Poland proper resulting in systematic [[polonisation]] of these lands.

===Northern Seven Years' War===
[[File:Royal armoury Stockholm 1.jpg|thumb|Parade [[armour]] of King Sigismund Augustus, made in [[Nuremberg]] by [[Kunz Lochner]], 1550s. [[Livrustkammaren]] in Stockholm.]]
When the [[Kalmar Union]] between Sweden and [[Denmark]] was disbanded in 1523 due to Swedish resentment of Danish tyranny, Baltic trade became threatened. The port city of [[Gdańsk]] (Danzig), Poland's wealthiest city, faced difficulties due to ongoing conflict on the sea and [[piracy]]. The capital, [[Kraków]], was also affected as the trade route from the Baltic ran through Gdańsk and along the [[Vistula]] river to the southern province of [[Lesser Poland]]. Gdańsk, which was privileged with its own army and government, resisted against Sigismund's order of sending privateers and creating the first Polish Admiralty in their city. Most of the deputies in the city council were merchants and tradesmen of German descent or [[Protestant]]s who were either politically leaning towards Sweden or fighting for the status of an independent '[[city state]]'. 11 Polish privateers sent by Sigismund were eventually executed, which greatly angered the king. Poland then joined Denmark against Sweden for Baltic domination.

The war ended as ''[[status quo ante bellum]]'' in 1570 with the [[Treaty of Stettin (1570)|Treaty of Stettin]], which was signed by Bishop [[Martin Kromer]] on behalf of Sigismund Augustus. However, the ineffective conflict did have its input in establishing Poland's first registered [[Navy of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|naval fleet]] (Naval Commission) in 1568.

===Union of Lublin===
{{main|Polish-Lithuanian union|Union of Lublin|Polonisation}}
Sigismund's most striking legacy may have been the [[Union of Lublin]], which united Poland and Lithuania into one state, the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]], jointly with German-speaking [[Royal Prussia]] and Prussian cities. This achievement might well have been impossible without the monarch's personal approach to politics and ability to mediate.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=1 |last=Bain |first=Robert Nisbet  |author-link=Robert Nisbet Bain  |wstitle=Sigismund II. |volume=25 |page=68}}</ref>

At first, the treaty was perceived as a threat to Lithuanian sovereignty. Lithuanian [[magnates]] were afraid of losing their powers, since the proposed union would lower their rank and status to an equivalent with [[petty nobility]] rather than wealthier Polish aristocracy. On the other hand, the unification would provide a strong alliance against Russian (Muscovite) attack from the east. Lithuania was ravaged by the [[Muscovite-Lithuanian Wars]] which endured for over 150 years. During the [[Muscovite-Lithuanian Wars#Second war (1500–1503)|Second War]], Lithuania lost {{convert|210000|sqmi|km2}} of its territory to Russia, and the final defeat in the [[Livonian War]] would result in the country's incorporation into the [[Tsardom of Russia|Russian Tsardom]]. Furthermore, the [[Polish people|Poles]] were reluctant to aid Lithuania without a ''[[quid pro quo]]''. The most vocal opponent of the union was Sigismund's brother-in-law, [[Mikołaj "the Red" Radziwiłł]] ({{langx|lt|Radvila Rudasis}}), who viewed the agreement as "peaceful [[annexation]] of Lithuania" by Poland. He also resisted [[polonisation]] policies which forced ethnic [[Lithuanians]] to change their names and native language to [[Polish language|Polish]] or [[Latin language|Latin]].

As another war with Russia loomed, Sigismund Augustus pressed the members of parliament (Sejm) for the union, gradually gaining more followers due to his persuasive abilities and auspicious diplomacy. The potential union agreement would lead to the eviction of Lithuanian landowners who opposed the transition of territory from multi-ethnic Lithuania to Poland. Such terms were causing an outrage among the most renowned members of Lithuanian upper classes, but Sigismund was decisive and ruthless in this matter. Moreover, the [[Union of Krewo|personal union]] between the two countries created by the marriage of [[Jadwiga of Poland|Jadwiga]] with [[Jogaila]] in 1385 was not entirely constitutional. Being the last male member of the Jagiellons, childless Sigismund sought to preserve his dynasty's legacy. The newly proposed constitutional union would create one large Commonwealth state, with one [[elective monarchy in Poland|elected monarch]] who would simultaneously reign over both domains.

[[File:Sigismund II August of Poland during Lublin Union in 1569.png|thumb|[[Union of Lublin]]; Sigismund stands in the center holding a [[crucifix]] among nobles, envoys and the [[clergy]].]]

The initial Sejm negotiations on unity in January 1569, near the Polish city of [[Lublin]], were futile. The right of Poles to settle and own land in the Grand Duchy was questioned by Lithuanian envoys. Following Mikołaj Radziwiłł's departure from Lublin on 1 March 1569, Sigismund announced the incorporation of then-Lithuanian [[Podlachia]], [[Volhynia]], [[Podolia]] and [[Kiev]] provinces into Poland, with strong approval from the local [[Ukrainians|Ruthenian]] (Ukrainian) [[gentry]]. Those historic regions, which once belonged to the [[Kievan Rus']], were disputed between Lithuania and Russia. However, the Ruthenian nobles were eager to capitalise on the political or economic potential offered by the Polish sphere and agreed to the terms. Previously, the [[Kingdom of Ruthenia]] or "Ukraine" was abolished in 1349, after Poland and Lithuania split modern-day Ukraine in the aftermath of the [[Galicia–Volhynia Wars]]. Now, under the Union of Lublin, all Ukrainian and Ruthenian territories which were alien in culture, customs, religion and language to the Polish people would be annexed by Catholic Poland. Strong [[westernisation]] and polonisation would follow, including the clandestine suppression of the Ukrainian [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] by future King [[Sigismund III]]. Ruthenia remained under Polish rule until the [[Khmelnytsky Uprising|Cossack uprisings against Polish domination]] and the [[Partitions of Poland]], when Ukraine was annexed by the [[Russian Empire]].

The Lithuanians were compelled to return to the Sejm negotiations under [[Jan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz|Jan Hieronim Chodkiewicz]] and continue negotiations. The Polish nobility once again pressed for the full incorporation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into Poland, however, the Lithuanians disapproved. The parties eventually agreed on a federal state on 28 June 1569 and on 1 July 1569 the Union of Lublin was signed at [[Lublin Castle]], thus establishing the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Sigismund Augustus [[ratification|ratified]] the unification act on 4 July, and henceforth governed one of the largest and multicultural countries of 16th-century Europe.

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in Poland|Reformation in Poland}}
[[File:Anonymous Sigismund II Augustus in armor.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Sigismund Augustus in armour, 1550s, [[Alte Pinakothek]]]]
In comparison to his staunchly Catholic father, Sigismund Augustus paid little attention to the matters of faith and religion.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=http://muzhp.pl/pl/c/1764/geneza-upadek-i-dziedzictwo-reformacji-w-polsce-wywiad-z-prof-januszem-t-maciuszka|title=Geneza, upadek i dziedzictwo reformacji w Polsce – wywiad z prof. Januszem T. Maciuszką – Muzeum Historii Polski|website=muzhp.pl}}</ref> Having a large number of mistresses before, during and after being married, he was viewed by the clergy as an adulterer and [[libertine]]. Sigismund was also reasonably tolerant towards minorities and supported nobles of different faith and nationality to be part of the national assembly, the Sejm. He continued his father's policies, but was more accepting of the Protestant [[Reformation]] in Poland (only to the status of a minority religion).<ref name="auto3"/> Several [[magnates]] converted to [[Calvinism]] or Lutheranism during the Reformation started by [[Martin Luther]] and [[John Calvin]], most notably [[Stanisław Zamoyski]], [[Jan Zamoyski]], [[Mikołaj Rej]], [[Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski]], [[Johannes a Lasco]] (Jan Łaski) and [[Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ekumenizm.wiara.pl/doc/478720.10-najwybitniejszych-polskich-kalwinistow|title=10 najwybitniejszych polskich kalwinistów|website=ekumenizm.wiara.pl|date=27 January 2003 }}</ref>

Throughout the 16th century, Frycz Modrzewski advocated for renouncing [[Papacy|Rome]]'s authority and establishing a separate and independent Polish Church. His initiative was chiefly inspired by the creation of the [[Church of England|Anglican Church]] by [[Henry VIII]] in 1534. Sigismund Augustus was lenient towards the idea, particularly due to the sudden spread of Protestantism among courtiers, advisors, nobles and peasants. Calvinism became especially popular among the upper classes as it promoted [[Democracy|democratic]] freedoms and called for rebellion against [[absolute monarchy|absolutism]], which the privileged Polish nobility favoured. During the 1555 Sejm session in [[Piotrków Trybunalski|Piotrków]], the nobles intensively discussed the rights of priests in the newly proposed Polish Church and demanded the abolition of [[celibacy]].<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://kurierhistoryczny.pl/artykul/krol-niczym-papiez-czyli-co-by-bylo-gdyby-powstal-polski-kosciol-narodowy,149|title=Król niczym papież, czyli co by było gdyby powstał Polski Kościół Narodowy|website=Kurier Historyczny}}</ref> Some Catholic bishops were supportive of the concepts and acknowledged the need for uniting Poland, Lithuania, Prussia and their [[vassals]] under a common religion. Sigismund agreed to the postulates, however, under the condition that [[Pope Paul IV]] agreed. Instead, Paul IV was enraged that such a proposition emerged for him to accept; he declined and refused to grant consent.<ref name="auto2"/> Facing potential [[excommunication]], the assembly were forced to abandon their plans. Nevertheless, Protestantism continued to flourish and spread. In 1565, the [[Polish Brethren]] came into existence as a [[Nontrinitarian]] [[sect]] of Calvinism.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://culture.pl/en/article/the-polish-brethren-the-first-reformed-peace-church-polands-first-banned-religion|title=The Polish Brethren: The First Reformed Peace Church & Poland's First Banned Religion|website=Culture.pl}}</ref>

One year after Sigismund's death the [[Warsaw Confederation]] was adopted as the first European act granting [[religious freedoms]]. Despite this, Protestantism in Poland ultimately declined during the fierce [[Counter-Reformation in Poland|Counter-Reformation]] measures under the despotic and arch-Catholic [[Sigismund III Vasa]], who ruled for nearly 45 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.infolotnicze.pl/2013/09/13/religijnosc-zygmunta-iii-wazy-a-polska-historiografia/2/|title=Religijność Zygmunta III Wazy a polska historiografia – Strona 2|website=infolotnicze.pl|date=23 June 2014 }}</ref> For instance, the Polish Brethren were banned, hunted down and its leaders executed.<ref name="auto4"/>

==Patronage==
{{main|Polish Golden Age|Poczta Polska}}
[[File:Tapestry with the royal monogram of Žygimantas Augustas (King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania), circa 1555 (2).jpg|thumb|Tapestry with Shield-Bearing [[Satyr]]s with the royal [[monogram]] ''S.A.'' (Sigismundus Augustus), woven in Brussels in about 1555]]
Sigismund Augustus carried on with the development of several royal residencies including [[Wawel Castle|Wawel]], [[Royal Palace of Lithuania|Vilnius Castle]], [[Niepołomice Castle|Niepołomice]] and the [[Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle]] in [[Warsaw]]. In the 1560s he acquired the [[Tykocin Castle]] and rebuilt it in Renaissance style.<ref name="bialystok_mus">{{cite book | author = Museum in Białystok | title = Rocznik białostocki (The Annual of Białystok)| year = 1991| page =75 | chapter =Volume 16 | publisher =[[Polish Scientific Publishers PWN]]| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=7QpFAAAAIAAJ }}</ref> During the reign of Sigismund Augustus the structure served as a royal residence with an impressive treasury and library as well as the main arsenal of the crown.<ref name="tykocin">{{cite web|url=http://www.tykocin.hg.pl/historia/zamek.php|title=Ruiny zamku|work=Ruins of the castle|publisher=tykocin.hg.pl|access-date=12 September 2010|language=pl}}</ref>

Sigismund Augustus was a passionate collector of jewels and [[gemstones]]. According to [[nuncio]] Bernardo Bongiovanni's relation, his collection was cached in 16 chests.<ref name="cynarski_aug">{{cite book | author =Stanisław Cynarski | title =Zygmunt August (Sigismund Augustus) | year = 1988| pages =198–199 | publisher =[[Ossolineum|National Ossoliński Institute]]| isbn = 83-04-02670-8|language=pl}}</ref> Among the precious items in his possession was [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]'s ruby of 80,000 [[Italian scudo|scudo]]s' worth, as well as the Emperor's diamond medal with [[Habsburgs]] Eagle on one side and two columns with a sign ''[[Plus ultra (motto)|Plus Ultra]]'' on the other side.<ref name="cynarski_aug" /> In 1571, after the death of his nephew [[John Sigismund Zápolya]], he inherited the ''[[Hungarian Crown]]'' used by some Hungarian monarchs. A ''[[Swedish Crown (Polish crown jewel)|Swedish Crown]]'' was also made for him.<ref name="crowns_angelfire">{{cite web  |author = Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska |url = https://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/Crowns.html |title = Poland's Crowns |work = [[Angelfire]] |access-date = 16 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="rozek">{{cite book | author = Michał Rożek | title = Polskie koronacje i korony (Polish coronations and crowns)| year = 1987 | page =80 | isbn = 83-03-01914-7|language=pl}}</ref> The Polish king treated those crowns as family keepsakes, and kept them in a private vault in the Tykocin Castle.<ref name="rozek" /> He had also a [[sultan]]'s sword of 16,000 [[ducat]]s' worth, 30 precious horse trappings<ref name="cynarski_aug" /> and 20 different private-use [[armour]]s.<ref name="scrolls_arm">{{cite web|author=Michał Lisiński|url=http://www.zwoje-scrolls.com/zwoje31/text08p.htm |title=Polonica w Szwecji|work=Polish mementos in Sweden|publisher=zwoje-scrolls.com |access-date=12 September 2010|language=pl}}</ref> The king's possession included a rich [[Jagiellonian tapestries|collection of tapestries]] (360 pieces), commissioned by him in [[Brussels]] in the years 1550–1560.<ref name="cynarski_aug" /><ref>{{cite book |author=Tadeusz Wojnowski|title=A Polish American's guide to Poland|year=1988|page=98|publisher=Interpress Publishers|isbn=83-223-1978-9}}</ref>

[[File:Sypniewski Feliks - Wreczenie Satyra Zygmuntowi Augustowi.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jan Kochanowski]] presents his work ''Satyr'' to Sigismund, an 1884 illustration by [[Feliks Sypniewski]]]]

The king enjoyed reading, especially short stories, poems and [[satire]]s. Under the influence of bishop [[Piotr Myszkowski (bishop)|Piotr Myszkowski]], Poland's then greatest writer and poet [[Jan Kochanowski]] joined the royal court in 1563. It is uncertain whether Sigismund and Kochanowski were friends, however, Kochanowski's correspondence clearly highlights that the two had close contact and he assisted the monarch at most important occasions, including military maneuvers in Lithuania in 1567.<ref name="auto5">{{Cite web|url=https://culture.pl/pl/tworca/jan-kochanowski|title=Jan Kochanowski &#124; Życie i twórczość &#124; Artysta|website=Culture.pl}}</ref> Kochanowski was also present during the signing of [[Lublin union|Lublin Union]] in 1569.<ref name="auto5"/>

Sigismund was fond of foreign craft-makers and employed Italian goldsmiths, jewellers and medalists, very much like his father. One of the more renowned figures brought to Poland was [[Jacopo Caraglio|Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio]].<ref name="auto7">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bSKlV94spt4C&q=zygmunt+august+caraglio&pg=PA114|title=Giammaria Mosca Called Padovano: A Renaissance Sculptor in Italy and Poland|first=Anne Markham|last=Schulz|date=5 November 2010|publisher=Penn State Press|isbn=978-0271044514|via=Google Books}}</ref> In Italy, Caraglio was one of the first reproductive [[printmaker]]s. In Poland, Sigismund tasked him with the production of [[Cameo (carving)|cameos]], medallions, coins and jewellery.<ref name="auto7"/> Numerous medals and roundels from this period feature the last members of the [[Jagiellonian dynasty]]. When Sigismund's mother Bona died in 1557, Sigismund had to collect his inheritance from the Italian estates.<ref name="auto6">{{Cite web|url=https://niezalezna.pl/87770-458-lat-temu-zygmunt-august-stworzyl-polska-poczte|title=458 lat temu Zygmunt August stworzył polską pocztę|date=18 October 2016|website=NIEZALEZNA.PL}}</ref> On 18 October 1558, the king granted the right to arrange the first regular Polish postal service operating from Kraków to [[Venice]], thus establishing [[Poczta Polska]] (Polish Post).<ref name="auto6"/> All maintenance costs were borne by the Crown and the post was mostly managed by Italians or Germans. Additional couriers travelled between Kraków, Warsaw and Vilnius. Since 1562, the postal route also encompassed [[Vienna]] and cities in the Holy Roman Empire, which enabled continuous correspondence with the Habsburgs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rp.pl/Rzecz-o-historii/308179855-Jak-to-z-poczta-w-Polsce-bywalo.html|title=Jak to z pocztą w Polsce bywało|website=rp.pl}}</ref><ref name="auto6"/>

In 1573, the [[Sigismund Augustus Bridge|first permanent bridge]] over the [[Vistula]] river in [[Warsaw]] and also the longest wooden bridge in Europe at the time was named in Sigismund's honour.

==Royal titles==
* Royal titles, in [[Latin]]: "''Sigismundus Augustus, Dei gratia rex Poloniae, magnus dux Lithuaniae, nec non terrarum Cracoviae, Sandomiriae, Siradiae, Lanciciae, Cuiaviae, Kiioviae, dominus hereditarius Russiae, Woliniae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Podlachiae, Culmensis, Elbingensis, Pomeraniae, Samogitiae, Livoniae etc. dominus et heres''."
* English translation: "Sigismund Augustus, by the Grace of God, King of [[Poland]], Grand Duke of [[Lithuania]], Lord and heir of the Lands of [[Kraków]], [[Sandomierz]], [[Sieradz]], [[Łęczyca]], [[Kuyavia]], [[Kiev]], Hereditary Lord of [[Ruthenia]], [[Volhynia]], [[Prussia]], [[Masovia]], [[Podlaskie]], [[Culmer Land]], [[Elbing]], [[Pomerania]], [[Samogitia]], [[Duchy of Livonia|Livonia]] etc. Lord and heir"

==Ancestry==
{{ahnentafel
|collapsed=yes |align=center
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
|1= 1. '''Sigismund II Augustus'''
|2= 2. [[Sigismund I the Old]]
|3= 3. [[Bona Sforza]]
|4= 4. [[Casimir IV the Jagiellonian|Casimir IV the Jagiellonian, King of Poland]]<ref name="Jurzak">{{Citation |last=Jurzak |first=Ryszard |year=2006 |url=http://genealog.home.pl/ |title=Władysław II Jagiełło |work=Dynastic Genealogy |access-date=27 September 2006 }}</ref>
|5= 5. [[Elisabeth of Austria (d. 1505)|Elizabeth of Austria]]<ref>{{cite book | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rbWZAgg9a5EC&pg=PA190 | chapter=Female Control of Dynastic Politics |first=Anna |last=Brzezińska | publisher=Central European University Press | title=The Man of Many Devices, who Wandered Full Many Ways | year=1999 | access-date=25 October 2012 | editor=Balázs Nagy |editor2=János M. Bak |editor3=Marcell Sebők |isbn=963911667X |page=190}}</ref>
|6= 6. [[Gian Galeazzo Sforza]]<ref name="WardProthero1911-2">{{cite book|editor-last1=Ward|editor-first1=Adolphus William|editor-last2=Prothero|editor-first2=George Walter|editor-last3=Leathes|editor-first3=Stanley Mordaunt|title=The Cambridge Modern History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vNQ8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA71|access-date=29 April 2018|volume=XIII|year=1911|publisher=Macmillan|page=71}}</ref>
|7= 7. [[Isabella of Naples]]<ref name="WardProthero1911-2"/>
|8= 8. [[Władysław II Jagiełło|Ladislaus II, King of Poland]]<ref name="Jurzak"/>
|9= 9. [[Sophia of Halshany]]{{sfn|Duczmal|2012|p=422}}
|10= 10. [[Albert II of Germany]]<ref name="NDB-Albrect-II">{{NDB|1|154|155|Albrecht II|Quirin, Heinz}}</ref>
|11= 11. [[Elizabeth of Luxembourg]]<ref name="EngelToth">{{in lang|hu}} Engel, Pál & Norbert C. Tóth: ''Itineraria Regum et Reginarum Hungariae (1382–1438)'', Budapest, Institute of History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2005, p. 279</ref>
|12= 12. [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]]<ref name="Ippolito">Antonio Menniti Ippolito, "Francesco I Sforza, duca di Milano", in ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani'', L, Roma 1998, pp.&nbsp;1–15.</ref>
|13= 13. [[Bona of Savoy]]<ref name="WardProthero1911-1">{{cite book|editor-last1=Ward|editor-first1=Adolphus William|editor-last2=Prothero|editor-first2=George Walter|editor-last3=Leathes|editor-first3=Stanley Mordaunt|title=The Cambridge Modern History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vNQ8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA67|access-date=29 April 2018|volume=XIII|year=1911|publisher=Macmillan|page=67}}</ref>
|14= 14. [[Alfonso II of Naples]]<ref name="WardProthero1911-2"/>
|15= 15. [[Ippolita Maria Sforza]]<ref name="Ippolito"/>
}}

==See also==
* [[History of Poland (1385–1569)]]
* [[History of Poland (1569–1795)]]
* [[List of Polish monarchs#Jagiellon Dynasty|List of Polish monarchs]]

==Citations and references==
{{Reflist}}
{{notelist-la}}

===Cited sources===
*{{cite book |last=Duczmal |first=Małgorzata |title=Jogailaičiai | location=Vilnius |year=2012 |publisher=[[Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras]] |isbn=978-5-420-01703-6 | language= lt |translator=Birutė Mikalonienė |translator2=Vyturys Jarutis}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sigismund II August of Poland}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-hou|[[Jagiellonian dynasty|House of Jagiellon]]|1 August|1520|7 July|1572|}}
{{S-reg}}
|-
{{S-bef
| rows = 2
| before = [[Sigismund I the Old]]
| as = sole ruler
}}
{{S-ttl
| title = [[King of Poland]]
| years = 1529–1572
| regent1 = [[Sigismund I the Old]]
| years1 = 1529–1548
}}
{{S-vac| rows=2 | next=[[Henry III of France|Henry]]}}
|-
{{S-ttl
| title = [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]]
| years = 1529–1572
| regent1 = [[Sigismund I the Old]]
| years1 = 1529–1548
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Monarchs of Lithuania}}
{{Monarchs of Poland}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sigismund 2 Augustus}}
[[Category:1520 births]]
[[Category:1572 deaths]]
[[Category:16th-century Polish monarchs]]
[[Category:Kings of Poland]]
[[Category:Grand dukes of Lithuania]]
[[Category:Jagiellonian dynasty]]
[[Category:People from Knyszyn]]
[[Category:Nobility from Kraków]]
[[Category:Polish Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:People of the Northern Seven Years' War]]
[[Category:Burials at Wawel Cathedral]]
[[Category:Sigismund II Augustus| ]]
[[Category:Sons of kings]]
[[Category:Sons of duchesses regnant]]
[[Category:Lithuanian landowners]]