Henrician Articles

Part of a series on the politics and government of Poland
Constitutions and major statutes of Poland
Neminem captivabimus acts (1430) Nihil novi act (1505) Henrician Articles (1573) Constitution of 3 May 1791 Warsaw Duchy Constitution (1807) Kingdom of Poland (1815) Organic Statute (1832) Small Constitution (1919) March Constitution (1921) August Novelization (1926) April Constitution (1935) Small Constitution (1947) People's Republic (1952) April Novelization (1989) Small Constitution (1992) Current Constitution (1997)
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Part of a series on the politics and government of Lithuania
Statutes and Constitutions of Lithuania
Neminem captivabimus acts, 1430 Casimir's Code, 1468 The First Statute, 1529 The Second Statute, 1566 Henrician Articles, 1573 The Third Statute, 1588 Constitution of 3 May 1791 Mutual Pledge of the Two Nations, 1791 Temporary Constitutions of 1918-1922 Constitution of 1922 Constitution of 1928 Constitution of 1938 Lithuanian SSR Constitution of 1940 Partisans Declaration of 1949 Lithuanian SSR Constitution of 1978 Temporary Basic Law of 1990 Current Constitution, 1992
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The Henrician Articles or King Henry's Articles (Polish: Artykuły henrykowskie; Lithuanian: Henriko artikulai;^[1] Latin: Articuli Henriciani) were a permanent contract between the "Polish nation" (the szlachta, or nobility, of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) and a newly-elected Polish king and Lithuanian grand duke upon his election to the throne. The document stated the fundamental principles of governance and constitutional law in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.^[2][3]

While pacta conventa comprised only the personal undertakings of the king-elect, the Henrician Articles were a permanent constitution that all kings-elect had to swear to respect.^[2][4]

The articles functioned essentially as the first constitution for Poland-Lithuania until the Constitution of 3 May 1791.^[2][3]