have disappeared, and been forgotten, the legend alone
survives.

* * *

Now, what has history to say?

Unquestionably, an historical kernel lies hidden in the legend. Neither
the Polish chronicles of those days nor Jewish works mention a Jewish
king of Poland; but from certain occurrences, hints can be gleaned
sufficient to enable us to establish the underlying truth. When Stephen
Bathori died, Poland was hard pressed. On all sides arose pretenders to
the throne. The most powerful aspirant was Archduke Maximilian of
Austria, who depended on his gold and Poland's well-known sympathy for
Austria to gain him the throne. Next came the Duke of Ferrara backed by
a great army and the favor of the Czar, and then, headed by the
crown-prince of Sweden, a crowd of less powerful claimants, so motley
that a Polish nobleman justly exclaimed: "If you think any one will do
to wear Poland's crown upon his pate, I'll set up my coachman as king!"
Great Poland espoused the cause of Sweden, Little Poland supported
Austria, and the Lithuanians furthered the wishes of the Czar. In
reality, however, the election of the king was the occasion for bringing
to a crisis the conflict between the two dominant families of Zamoiski
and Zborowski.

The election was to take place on August 18, 1587. The electors, armed
to the teeth, appeared on the place designated for the election, a
fortified camp on the Vistula, on the other side of which stood the
deputies of the claimants. Night was approaching, and the possibility of
reconciling the parties seemed as remote as ever. Christopher Radziwill,
the "castellan" of the realm, endeavoring to make peace between the
factions, stealthily crept from camp to camp, but evening deepened into
night, and still the famous election cry, "_Zgoda!_" (Agreed!), was not
heard.

According to the legend, this is the night of Saul Wahl's brief royalty.
It is said that he was an agent employed by Prince Radziwill, and when
the electors could not be induced to come to an agreement, it occurred
to the prince to propose Saul as a compromise-king. With shouts of "Long
live King Saul!" the proposal was greeted by both factions, and this is
the nucleus of the legend, which with remarkable tenacity has
perpetuated itself down to our generation. For the historical truth of
the episode we have three witnesses. The chief is Prince Nicholas
Christopher of Radziwill, duke of Olyka and Nieswiesz, the son of the
founder of this sti