Silva Rerum | 29.01.2013 The circumstance of the election Jan III, were diametrically different than those accompanying the election of Jan Korybut Wiśniowiecki. Therefore, there was surely no necessity to appeal to divine factor of the election. It does not mean, however that Jan III was not mentioned among the kings predicted in a miraculous way. The panegyric picture of the King included his image as of a ruler, embellished with signs accompanying his birth, and presented him as the King predicted for the Republic by divine intervention. This stream of propaganda associated with the coronation of Jan III Sobieski was preserved by the historians, active at the time of the King.
On the sources of the legend of Jan III Sobieski is the Prophecy on Succession of Polish Kings, recorded not at the time of his coronation, but after his death, under the ruling of August II. In this context we should mention “The Supplement of Annual Events” by Jesuit Jan Kwiatkiewicz )1630-1703, it is representative of the erudite historical school. The work published in 1703 was the continuation of “Annual Church Events” and delivers the interpretation of the Prophecy on Succession of Pollish Kings, also in relation to the election of Jan III Sobieski. The author, who identifies the King under symbolic name “Manuscongregatorum” interpreted his symbolic name in relation to his military successes, also the one before the election. For the interpretation of antequem on the basis of events before the election, he also added the ones that happened long after the election. In both cases these were the victories against the Turks and Tatars, achieved at the times when he was holding the position of Commander-in-Chief (among others, the Khotyn victory) as well as when he was victorious as a monarch (Vienna victory). The significance and influence of this text can be testified by the fact that it was rewritten, with minor alterations, to the historical work by Franciszek Pułaski “Annotaci of Seyms in Warsaw and Grodno”, as well as elections and coronations of their majesties Polish Kings” written after 1733 and edited posthumously in Lublin in 1740. Another author, quoting the same text omitted, however, such detailed interpretation of prophetic name of Jan III and did not include the list of The king's victories in his edition. Comparing these two published prophecies only in the part relating to the King indicates that also the Prophecy on the Succession of Polish Kings was utilized by the authors of contemporary Polish history to form the memory of dead rulers. Neither did Jan Kwiatkowski avoid concealment. Interpreting the symbolic name of Jan III Sobieski he did not mention the fact, that in the political polemic Jakub and Aleksander Sobieski were mentioned as Diversicolor (or Diversicoloris) in 1696.
“Let us quote, how Jan III and some other king elected before him were foreseen by the prophetic spirit long before, by Stanisłąw Rescjusz the abbot of Jędrzejów, who died and was buried in Naples on a mission. The abbot lived Before the King Henryk Walezjusz of French origin, whom he predicted to be the King of Poland by referring to him as Flosvallis. The name was invented from French lily, Depicted on the emblem of France, and thus the word Flos and his name Valesius. And thus the praesagium VallisFlos. After Walezjusz, the next King was described in the following words. NominisCorona referred to Stefan Batory, as Stefan in Greek denotes the crown. After Stefan, the next King was described as Exulfortunatus, a happy man in Exile. And so Zugmunt III was elected, expatriated from Sweden his hereditary kingdom together with his father Jan the King of Sweden, by Eric, and was here in Poland only transitionally. He was elected the King and happily ruled for 40 years. Then the next King was to be his son Władysław IV, and this was also predicted by the abbot in these words: Gloria succedens, Succeding glory. As the name Władysław means the one who rules the fame. Jan Kazimierz, the successor was referred to as Manipulissterilis – a sterile bunch, which not only was a reference to his coat of arm Jagiellons' Bunch, but also denoted the fact that he left the throne without an heir. With no less success did he predict the Prince Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, elected the King After Jan Kazimierz – Sidusnoctisbreve, who occupied the throne for a short time – only for 5 years. Then the throne was taken by Jan III, the former Commander-in Chief, and the King was called Manus Congregationis, the Hand of the congregation, that is of the army that put into his hand the victories of Stryjów, Nemiryv and Lausza against the Tatars, and in Khotyn against the Turks, and joined the Emperors army in Vienna. Jan's successor, the King August II, the abbot of Jedrzejów described long before, calling him Diversicoloris, of different colours, which referred to August the Saxon and Ludwik Konty, one of whom was to capture the throne. The King August was also seen as a glorious change from the Saxon-that is Lutheran religion into the Catholic one. The succeeding King is referred to as Solus biceps – the one with two heads. Sonitusapum, buzzing of Bees and Custosvigilantium, the Guard of the vigilant etc. Other nicknames will be translated in some years when the results of the elections are revealed” – Jan Kwiatkiewicz, Supplement of Annual Ecclesiastic Events, 1706, p. 967.