CALENDAR. JANUARY 3, 1661 365 years ago, the first edition of “Merkurius Polski Ordynaryjny”, considered to be the first Polish periodical printed newspaper, was published in Krakow. This event initiated the development of the news press in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was a breakthrough in the history of Polish public communication. “Merkurius Polski” was created in the realities of a country devastated by the Swedish Deluge and ongoing armed conflicts. The magazine was informative and political in nature and was published at the inspiration of the royal court while King John II Casimir was in Krakow. The newspaper reported on domestic and foreign events, with particular emphasis on military, diplomatic and court affairs. An interesting fact is that “Merkurius Polski” served as an early tool of state propaganda. The magazine was intended to shape the opinion of the nobility on key political issues, especially plans to strengthen royal power and reform the political system. Therefore, it was not a neutral information message, but a consciously edited voice in the current public debate. The newspaper was published irregularly, initially in Kraków and then in Warsaw, and was printed in Polish, which significantly expanded its audience. In an era when information circulated mainly in the form of letters and oral reports, “Merkuriusz Polski” introduced a new quality – systematic, printed news available to a wider stratum of noble society. Although the magazine ceased publication in 1661, its importance was lasting. “Merkurius Polski” initiated the tradition of the Polish press and became a symbol of the Republic of Poland’s entry into the modern information culture of the 17th century.

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