Gentry of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Gentry in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were the noble landowning class who held significant political and social influence. They owned estates, had the right to participate in local and national governance through elected officials, and enjoyed privileges like tax exemptions. Their status was hereditary, passing from generation to generation, and they often played key roles in shaping the Commonwealth’s laws and policies. While they valued their independence, their power was balanced by the broader political structure, which included laws like the liberum veto, giving the gentry a central role in the Commonwealth’s political system from the 16th to 18th centuries.