[32] [Before Casimir the Great Red Russia formed an independent Principality (see p. 42, n. 1). The identity of Red Russia with Galicia has been assumed in the text for the sake of convenience. In reality Red Russia corresponds to present-day _Eastern_ Galicia, in which the predominating population is Little Russian or Ruthenian, while _Western_ Galicia, with Cracow, formed part of Little Poland. In addition Red Russia included a part of the present Russian Government of Podolia.] [33] Jan Dlugosz, called in Latin Johannes Longinus [author of _Historia Polonica_. He died in 1480]. [34] The recently published records of the court proceedings in the Cracow pogrom of 1407 show that its principal instigators were German artisans and merchants who resided in that city. [35] See p. 47 and p. 49. [36] [Written in Polish _Szlachta_, probably derived from the old German _slahta_, in modern German _Geschlecht_, meaning _tribe_, _caste_. The Polish Shlakhta was in complete control of the Diet, or _sejm_ (pronounced _saym_), from which the other estates, the peasants and burghers, were excluded almost entirely. In the course of time, the Shlakhta succeeded also in wresting the power from the king, who became a mere figurehead.] [37] [In Polish, _Warta_, a town in the province of Kalish. These conventions of the nobility assumed, in the fifteenth century, the character of a national parliament for the whole of Poland.] [38] [Lithuania was administered by starostas as Poland was by voyevodas (see p. 46, n. 1). The starostas--literally "elders"--were originally nobles holding an estate of the crown, which was given to them by the king for special services rendered to him. In the course of time they became, both in Lithuania and in Poland proper, governors of whole regions, taking over many of the functions of the voyevodas. The relationship between the two officers underwent many changes. On the effect of this change upon the jurisdiction of the Jews compare Bloch, _Die General-Privilegien der polnischen Judenschaft_, p. 35.] [39] [A semi-ecclesiastic, semi-military organization of German knights, which originated in Palestine during the Crusades, and was afterwards transferred to Europe to propagate Christianity on the eastern confines of Germany. The Order developed into a powerful state, which became a great menace to Poland.] [40] [In Polish _Nieszawa_, the meeting-place of the Diet of that year.] [41] More exactly _Kazimierz_, the Polish form for Casimir (the Great), after whom the town was named. CHAPTER III THE AUTONOMOUS CENTER IN POLAND AT ITS ZENITH (1501-1648) 1. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS