I congratulate My Lady and Protector… Festive wishes in the correspondence of the informers of Elżbieta Sieniawska née Lubomirska (dec. 1729), wife of the Kraków castellan

Abstract

Festive greetings in the correspondence of informants to Elżbieta z Lubomirskich Sieniawska (d. 1729), castellaness of Krakow, constitute an incredibly important source for studying the mentality and cliental relationships of the Saxon period. The article is devoted to analyzing occasional wishes sent by informants to the castellaness of Krakow, focusing not only on their content but also on the pattern of creating holiday bouquets and the frequency and reasons for their delivery. Through thoughtful expressions, various social strata expressed respect and loyalty to their patrons, thereby constructing early modern systems of interpersonal communication. The article contributes to further research on the history of Old Polish language and ancient customs, presenting a synthesis of holiday wishes sent to Elżbieta Sieniawska. The letters and gazettes used in the study indicate that the custom of well-wishing to benefactors strengthened trust in informational services and played a significant role in social relations.