LADISLAS, VLADISLAS, VLADISLAL TILADISLAS, different forms of a name frequently occurring in the histories of Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, and Servia.—VLADISLAS I. of Poland, surnamed Lokietek (the short)—oue of those princes who appear to he raised up during a period of intestine confusion and disorganization, for the purpose of show ing how powerful is the influence of one great mind—was ruler of the small province of Cracow, at a time when Poland was subdivided into countless small independencies. Vladislas united them in 1319; and the further to increase the•stability of the govern ment, he reduced the privileges of the higher nobles, removed the council of prelates and magnates, replacing it by a popular assembly ; ha greatly improved the administra tion of justice, and furthered commerce and II. and VLADTSLAS HT. See JAGELLONS.—VLADISLAS IV. (1(i32-48), while yet a youth, was elected czar of Russia in 1610, but was prevented by his father, Sigismund, from accepting the crown.
He was a wise and politic prince, yet it was under his reign that Sweden, Russia, and Turkey commenced to nibble at the outlying provinces. He strove manfully to remedy the peculiar defects of the Polish constitution. but they were too deeply rooted: and though he sought to end the oppression of the dissidents, and took the part of the Cossacks against those nobles who had deprived them of their rights, so weak was the royal authority that his support availed them nothing. The Cossacks. maddened by deprivation of their liberties, the imposition of new taxes, and the persecuting zeal of the Roman Catholic -clergy, rose in rebellion, annihilated the Polish army, and put themselves under the rule of Russia. At this critical moment, Vladislas died.