Kalmar War

This struggle had begun the year before Duke Stefanik of Mieczyslaw had been elected in the 1612 szlachta Diet.

Stefanik was hard pressed to remain neutral between the great powers of Sigismund III Vasa (now also King of Sweden), MOSCOW, the remnants of the Zolotaya Orda were still active in the south, and the Habsburg Family conflict (30 Years War) placing the Duke in the impossible position of having to present some sort of support to many sides of different wars.

Mercenaries were able to satisfy the League's demands, MOSCOW was again pressured by northern enemies, and once again Mieczyslaw, stood aside as those forces mustered across their lands. The pressures to remain neutral could not be overcome as Sigismund III Vasa was able to call-up the entire Ducal armies during the expansion of the Kalmar War.

The Danes were overcome and their tenuous policy of union failed, after 1617 the wars resumed and the conquest of Livonia saw the Russians loose all access to the Baltic in 1629.

In 1630, upon return from a trip to meet with other Germanic Electors, Duke Stefanik died suddenly. The continuing foreign conflicts (30 Years War) saw that many of the szlachta nobility were away from Mieczyslaw. No Diet could be called immediately to satisfy the replacement of the Duke.



In his place Bishop Dobry of Coronet had been named Cardinal and before travelling to ROME he chose to remain in a role of 'regent' until the szlachta Diet could be formed.