Leitsch, W: Sigismund III. von Polen und Jan Zamoyski

In August of 1587, the Polish nobility chose the Swedish Prince Sigismund as king, primarily because his mother stemmed from the Polish imperial family of Jagellonen. Zamoyski was both Imperial Chancellor and Chief Imperial Hetman. Immediately after the crowning of Sigismund III (December 27, 1587) he was granted nearly dictatorial special powers by the imperial diet. Sigismund had only a title, Zamoyski the power. However, the chancellor desired both, and therefore attempted to make the king's life in Poland intolerable in order to provoke his return to Sweden. He tormented the demagogue for five years, staging an intensive propaganda campaign in which his demand that Sigismund annex Estonia to the Polish Kingdom from the Swedish realm played an important role. Zamoyski attempted to ruin Sigismund's reputation. Although Zamoyski did not become king and Sigismund remained in Poland, in the long term the activities of Zamoyski caused the reputation of the monarchy to suffer, which had lasting effects for Poland's fate.