On November 17, 1370, Louis I of Hungary was crowned King of Poland at Wawel Cathedral. This was made possible through succession agreements with Casimir the Great, who had no male heir. This event initiated a personal union between Poland and Hungary, creating the largest state entity in Central Europe at that time.

Louis I of Hungary's accession to the Polish throne in 1370 marked a watershed moment in medieval Polish history. This Hungarian ruler from the House of Anjou succeeded his uncle Casimir the Great based on earlier succession agreements.

Louis of Hungary ascended to the Polish throne as the first monarch simultaneously ruling two kingdoms - Poland and Hungary. His coronation opened a new chapter in Polish history and initiated a period of personal union between these states. These events significantly influenced later Polish-Hungarian relations and the shaping of the power system in Central Europe.

Casimir the Great ruled Poland from 1333 to 1370, introducing numerous modernization reforms and strengthening the state's position. His reign was characterized by intensive economic and territorial development of the country.

In the final period of his reign, Casimir the Great focused on internal reforms and law codification. The monarch initiated the construction of 50 defensive castles and city fortifications, developing the state's defense system. New cities (110) and villages (1000) were established, while existing centers received location privileges. In 1364, the king founded the Kraków Academy, the first university on Polish lands.

Achievements of the final years of reign	Number
Built castles	50
Established cities	110
Established villages	1000

Casimir the Great had no legitimate male heir, which forced him to regulate the matter of throne succession. The succession agreements of 1339 and 1355 designated Louis of Hungary as the future ruler of Poland. This decision was based on close family ties - Louis was Casimir's nephew, the son of Elizabeth of Poland. These arrangements were confirmed at the assembly in Kraków in 1369, where Polish nobles accepted the Hungarian monarch's candidacy.

Date	Event
1339	First succession agreement
1355	Second succession agreement
1369	Kraków assembly - succession confirmation

Louis of Hungary gained the Polish throne through a carefully planned diplomatic strategy. This process involved years of international negotiations and building alliances with Polish nobility.

The succession agreements concluded in Buda in 1355 guaranteed Louis of Hungary the right to the Polish crown. The document signed by Casimir the Great specified detailed conditions for throne inheritance:

• Transfer of full royal power to Louis after Casimir's death

• Maintaining territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Poland

• Commitment to respect the rights and privileges of Polish nobility

• Maintaining administrative separation between Poland and Hungary

• The Privilege of Koszyce of 1374 reducing tax to 2 grosze per łan

• Guarantee of appointing only local nobility to territorial offices

• Commitment not to impose new taxes without nobility's consent

• Ensuring compensation for participation in military expeditions abroad

Year	Event
1355	Conclusion of succession agreement in Buda
1369	Kraków assembly confirming succession
1370	Louis's coronation as King of Poland
1374	Issuing of the Privilege of Koszyce

The coronation of Louis of Hungary as King of Poland took place on November 17, 1370, at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków. The ceremony occurred just a few days after the death of Casimir the Great, emphasizing the smooth succession and stability of royal power.

Archbishop Jarosław Bogoria of Skotniki from Gniezno performed the coronation ceremony according to traditional ritual. The ceremony was attended by:

• Church dignitaries from Poland and Hungary
• Nobility representatives from both kingdoms
• Delegates from neighboring states
• Representatives of royal cities

The ceremonial included:

• Anointing with holy oils

• Placement of the Piast crown

• Presentation of royal insignia

• Taking the coronation oath

• Appointed regents to govern Poland during his absence:

• Elizabeth of Poland (his mother)

• Otto of Pilica (Starosta General)

• Confirmed privileges of Polish nobility

• Appointed new state officials

• Organized a system of governance from two centers of power:

• Buda (capital of Hungary)

• Kraków (capital of Poland)

Administrative Aspect	Number
Number of regents	2
Starosta Generals	1
Main centers of power	2
Days from Casimir's death to coronation	5

Louis of Hungary's accession to the throne in 1370 introduced significant changes in the power structure of the Kingdom of Poland. The new ruler initiated a series of constitutional reforms affecting relations between the monarch and nobility.

The union of Poland and Hungary under personal union created the largest state entity in 14th-century Central Europe. The territory united under Louis's scepter stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea, covering 800,000 km². The union strengthened the diplomatic position of both kingdoms in relations with neighboring states such as Bohemia, Austria, and Venice.

Aspect of the Union	Numerical Data
Area of united kingdoms	800,000 km²
Number of capitals	2 (Kraków, Buda)
Duration of union	12 years (1370-1382)

1. Reduction of land tax from 12 to 2 groszy
2. Appointment of land offices exclusively by local nobility
3. Exemption of nobility from the obligation to build royal castles
4. Compensation for losses incurred in military expeditions abroad
5. Prohibition of combining the offices of voivode, castellan, and starosta in one voivodeship

The Angevin heritage in Poland was shaped during the reign of Louis of Hungary and his successors. This period brought fundamental changes to the social and legal structure of the Kingdom of Poland.

Elizabeth of Poland exercised regency power in Poland from 1370-1375 on behalf of her son Louis of Hungary. As regent, she introduced 3 key administrative reforms:

• Establishment of starosta district system to manage individual territories

• Reorganization of the royal treasury through introduction of a new tax collection system

• Establishment of royal courts in major cities: Kraków, Poznań, and Sandomierz

• Guaranteeing the succession of the Polish crown to Louis of Hungary's daughters through the Privilege of Košice in 1374

• Establishing the precedent of female succession to the throne for the first time in Polish history

• Introduction of the viritim election system, giving nobility the right to choose the ruler from among Angevin dynasty candidates

Year	Event	Significance
1374	Privilege of Košice	Guarantee of succession for Louis's daughters
1375	Assembly at Košice	Confirmation of Angevin succession rights
1382	Death of Louis	Beginning of succession crisis

• Louis of Hungary became King of Poland in 1370, and his coronation took place on November 17 at Wawel Cathedral, just days after the death of Casimir the Great.
• Louis's ascension to the throne was possible due to earlier succession agreements from 1339 and 1355, made with Casimir the Great, who had no male heir.
• As the first ruler in history, he simultaneously governed two kingdoms - Poland and Hungary, creating a personal union covering a territory of 800,000 km².
• The most important document of his reign was the Privilege of Košice from 1374, which significantly reduced noble taxes and guaranteed a series of privileges to Polish nobility.
• During the king's absence in Poland, regents ruled the country, primarily his mother Elizabeth of Poland, who introduced significant administrative reforms.

The ascension of Louis of Hungary to the Polish throne in 1370 was a landmark event in the history of both countries. Careful diplomatic preparations and succession agreements ensured a smooth transfer of power after the death of Casimir the Great.

The personal union between Poland and Hungary created a powerful state organism reaching from the Baltic to the Adriatic Sea. The Privilege of Košice from 1374 significantly strengthened the position of Polish nobility by introducing important constitutional changes.

Louis of Hungary's twelve-year reign influenced the future of the Polish Kingdom by shaping its social and legal structure for centuries to come. His rule opened a new chapter in the history of medieval Central Europe.