The Artistic and Ideological Framework of Funerary and Mourning Ceremonies for Polish Monarchs in the 16th Century: A Study on Reconstructing the Visual Aspects of Funeral Rites

The issue of royal deaths, along with studies on the ceremonial framework, the artistic and ideological aspects of their funerals, the rituals of power succession, and the public manifestation of dynastic power, represents a significant area of research in contemporary humanities. This article explores the origins and evolution of mourning and funeral ceremonies for Polish monarchs, and subsequently, based on various sources, examines the fixed and variable elements of the funerals of Sigismund I the Old (r. 1507–1548), Sigismund II Augustus (r. 1548–1572), and Stephen Báthory (r. 1575–1586), which followed a ceremonial protocol established in 1548. Additionally, it addresses the challenges of reconstructing the visual aspects of these ceremonies, with particular attention paid to their artistic and ideological components and their connections to the funerary traditions of other European rulers.