„All Captains of His Majesty”. The Quarter Army between 1589–1591

Abstract

The article discusses the strength and functioning of the quarter army (pol. wojsko kwarciane) between 1589–1591. At the time in question a large Tatar inva- sion was in progress, which resulted in the rapid enlargement of the entire Crown army. Huge tax increases were introduced due to the prospect of an offensive war against the Ottoman Empire. The rapidly expanding army did not receive its due pay, leading to the first army confederation (pol. konfederacja wojskowa) in his- tory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Consequently, there was a reduction of the quarter army.