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The first elective kings

The first royal election was held in the spring of 1573. The contenders to the throne of Poland included Ivan IV the Terrible Tsar of Muscovy, Archduke Ernest Habsburg, and Henri de Valois, brother of Charles IX of France. Henri won, but turned out a bad choice. He did not understand the country he was expected to rule and as soon as he learnt of his brother's death, he fled from Poland after only four months, to assume the throne of France as Henri III. After a new interregnum lasting a year, the nobility elected Anna, sister of Sigismundus Augustus, to be the new monarch. She was required to marry the successful candidate in the royal election, Stephen Batory (István Báthory) of Transylvania. Batory proved an energetic ruler. After a swift campaign, he successfully conclued the conflict with Russia for the contested territory of Livonia. He also managed to put internal affairs in order and strengthen the royal powers.

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