TheLithuanian Council of Lords (Lithuanian:Ponų taryba) was the main permanent institution of central government in theGrand Duchy of Lithuania active in its capital city ofVilnius.[1]
It had originated from the advisory Council of the Grand Duke, established byVytautas the Great in the early 15th century. During the reign ofCasimir Jagiellon it was renamed to the Council of Lords. Under theUnion of Lublin of 1569, the Council formally became a constituent part of thePolish–LithuanianSenates (see alsoOffices in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), together with the Royal Council ofPoland, but it continued to operatede facto until the mid-17th century.[2][3]
The Council carried out the functions of the Grand Duke after his death and had a supreme authority in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania until a new Grand Duke was appointed, as well as organised his appointment. The first appointed ruler was Casimir Jagiellon, who in exchange expanded the council's powers significantly and approved theCasimir Code. The council was granted judicial powers and became an appellate instance, subordinate to the King and acting in the absence of him, who remained the chief justice. Casimir was followed by his sonAlexander who issued another privilege in 1492. According to the privilege of 1506 by his brotherSigismund the Old, the new laws could no longer be adopted and the existing could not be amended without the council's consent. The FirstLithuanian Statute of 1529 confirmed its administrative powers, as well as granted legislative powers, exercised together with the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The council's legislative powers were limited under the subsequent edition of the Lithuanian Statute of 1566, as a result of a growing role ofszlachta and its Sejms.
The Council carried out executive functions in the state since 1445 because the majority of Lithuanian Grand Dukes resided in Poland. It also convoked theLithuanian Seimas.
The council had 35 – 50 permanent members as of 1529. It consisted of the most prominent representatives of theLithuanian magnate families, as well as bishops,marshals andtreasurers. Theex officio members of the council were thevoivodes ofVilnius andTrakai,castellans ofVilnius andTrakai, theElder of Samogitia, theGrand Hetman of Lithuania and theGrand Chancellor of Lithuania. Since the 16th century, these members comprised a Secret Council which was ade facto core of the Council of Lords, dealing with all crucial state affairs, since the full membership of the council was rarely convened. A majority of the members were Roman Catholic ethnicLithuanians;[4] however, the influence ofRuthenian magnates was constantly increasing.
The highest ranked statesmen in the Lithuanian Council of Lords were voivodes ofVilnius andTrakai, while the Elders ofSamogitia (self-elected by theSamogitian nobility and confirmed by theGrand Duke of Lithuania) were the third most important.[5]
Seniūnas turėjo vaivados teises (Ponų Taryboje pagal rangą ėjo po Vilniaus ir Trakų vaivadų). Jį rinko žemaičių bajorai, didysis kunigaikštis tik tvirtino.