circa 1350 The Privy Council, forerunner of the Senate, is formed. Its members are the highest-ranking state officials, landed dignitaries and bishops (Lords of the Council). The king follows their advice in conducting all the affairs of the kingdom.

1382 Beginning of the general assemblies of the whole kingdom, i.e. of the Privy Council together with district officials, landed gentry and representatives of chapters and cities. They meet to elect a king and to approve taxes. The Sejm grew out of these assemblies.

1453 The first mention of proceedings at the general assembly in two chambers: the Lords of the Council (Senate) and district deputies. Appointment to the king of four permanent members- resident of the Privy Council.

circa 1450 The tradition of convening the full Privy Council outside of general assemblies (Sejm) ceases. The king goes into council with some Senators only.

1493 Formation of the Sejm as a national body, passing laws with the agreement of three institutions: the king, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.

1501 In Mielnik, King Alexander I is forced by senators to grant them supreme authority in affairs of state, but after his coronation, he refuses to affirm this privilege.

1505 The Nihil Novi Constitution grants equal rights to the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies in making the laws.

1510 The Sejm decrees that an affront to a senator is the equivalent of lese-majeste

1529 Mazovia becomes part of the Kingdom of Poland and Mazovian senators join the Senate.

First half of 16th century The permanent formation of the Senate. It is composed of Roman Catholic diocesan bishops, provincial governors, lesser and greater castellans, ministers (grand chamberlain, chancellor, deputy chancellors, grand treasurer and court speaker) appointed for life by the king. The order of precedence of seats in the Senate is laid down; the Primate is the first senator of the kingdom; the Cracow castellan is the first lay senator; the grand chamberlain is first dignitary. The Senate's competence is set out: participation in legislative work, foreign policy, and the Sejm Court. Senate debates are presided over by the king, in the person of the grand chamberlain and during the king's absence, by the Primate. Senators vote, i.e. express their opinion, and the king sums up.

1537 The leaders of the Executive Movement put forward the concept of the Senate as guardian of landowners' rights and freedoms, a concept contradictory to that of King Zygmunt I, who saw the Senate as an advisory body, the mainstay of royal rule.

The Senate's position weakens in favour of the Chamber of Deputies. Inclusion in the Senate of senators from the Kingdom of Prussia, which had kept its autonomy since 1466. The Polish-Lithuanian Union of Lublin: the Royal and Lithuanian Senates merge to form the Senate of the Commonwealth of Two Peoples. After the Union, the Senate comprises 142 senators, 15 bishops, 35 provincial governors, 31 greater castellans, 47 lesser castellans and 14 ministers.

1573 The role of the Senate during the interregnum takes shape: the Primate, as interrex, deputies for the king. During the electoral assembly, the Senate holds separate debates, but senators vote together with landowners from their provinces. The Primate nominates the new king and the royal grand chamberlain announces his election.

1573 New Articles (Artykuły Henrykowskie) affirm and confer new rights on the Senate. The king must not conduct any affairs of the Republic without the Senate, in particular receive and despatch foreign envoys, levy an army, convoke the Sejm or enter into marriage. The king must have four senators in constant attendance to advise him and oversee government.

1576 The Senate is authorised to reprimand the King, when he breaks the law.

1588 Senators from Livonia enter the Senate.

First half of the 17th century The Senate's importance grows under King Zygmunt III and King Władysław IV. The tradition of summoning senators to convocations other than the Sejm is revived. The king bases his government on what was called the Little Senate and was a group of trusted senators.

1607 Implementation of the previously neglected rights of senators-resident: their resolution are to be recorded and read out in the Sejm.

1631, 1632 The Senate uses its right to veto Constitutions adopted by the Chamber of Deputies.

1635 The Senate expands to include senators from the newly-created Czernihow Province in trans-Dnieper Ukraine.

Second half of the 17th century The Senate's importance lessens as a result of rivalry between the magnates.

1669 The landowners shoot at senators, angered by their machinations during the king's election.

1677 A Sejm debate is halted by a senator for the first time (sisto activitatem).

1717 The king is obliged to implement the resolutions of the senators-resident.

1768 The cardinal laws: "the power of legislating for the Republic in three estates, to wit the royal, senatorial and knightly, as it has been until now, so it should remain for ever." The grand commanders and field commanders [hetman] of the army enter the Senate.

1773 Beginning of the Confederate Sejms, during which the Senate and the Sejm hold joint debates.

1775 Abolition of the king's senators-resident, who are replaced by the Permanent Council, which is composed of both senators and Sejm deputies and headed by the king.

1790 The Uniate Metropolitan of Kiev enters the Senate.

1791 The Third of May Constitution curtails the Senate's importance in favour of the Chamber of Deputies. The king is demoted from a separate parliamentary estate to president of the Senate. The Senate loses the right to initiate legislation, retaining only the right of veto to suspend political, civil and penal laws passed by the Sejm deputies. On other matters, the votes of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies are counted together. King Stanisław August's successors are to appoint senators from among candidates selected by the Regional Councils (Sejmiki).

1793 The Sejm in Grodno annuls the Third of May Constitution and institutes joint debates of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, i.e. a single-chamber Sejm.

1794 The Kościuszko Uprising: the Supreme National Council announces a Sejm to be convened after the victorious uprising, "to proclaim a national Constitution".

1807 - 1815 The Senate of the Duchy of Warsaw: a second chamber of the Sejm, subordinate to the Chamber of Deputies and composed of bishops, provincial governors and castellans, is presided over by a president appointed by the monarch, or by the monarch himself.

1815 - 1831 The Senate of the Congress Kingdom of Poland: one of the three Sejm estates, on an equal footing with the Chamber of Deputies, it is composed of bishops, provincial governors, castellans and princes of the imperial blood. It is presided over by a president of the Senate appointed by the king.

1921 The March Constitution revives the Senate as the second "national body in the field of legislation" alongside the Sejm, but with limited powers, with the right of veto to delay Bills passed by the Sejm, the right to demand written answers from the government and to elect a state president in conjunction with the Sejm (National Assembly). The Senate consists of 111 senators elected for provincial constituencies. Its term is five years, and it is headed by a senate speaker.

1922 - 1927 Senate of the first term. Its speaker is Witold Trąmpczynski, a lawyer, speaker of the Constituent Sejm.

1926 Failed attempt by the Senate to take advantage of the August amendments to the Constitution to consolidate its powers, i.e. by achieving the right to initiate legislation.

1928 - 1930 Senate of the second term. Its speaker is Professor Julian Szymański.

1930 - 1935 Senate of the third term. Its speaker is Władysław Raczkiewicz.

1935 The April Constitution increases the powers of the Senate at the expense of the Sejm, but makes both chambers subordinate to the President. There are 96 senators, a third of whom are appointed by the president and two-thirds elected by the so-called "elite" citizens of particular merit, education and social standing. The Senate and Sejm take only an indirect part in the election of a president.

1935 - 1938 Senate of the fourth term. Its speaker is Colonel Aleksander Prystor.

1938 - 1939 Senate of the fifth term. Its speaker is Lieutenant Bogusław Miedziński.

1939 The president of the Republic of Poland dissolves the Sejm and the Senate on 2nd November, and on 1st December orders elections to both chambers to be held 60 days after the end of the war.

1946 The communist authorities in Poland announce the abolition of the Senate on the basis of the falsified results of the so-called National Referendum held on 30th June by order of the National People’s Council (KRN).

1989 Elections to the Senate of the first term, the first free and democratic elections in post-war Poland, are held on 4th June. Citizens aged 18 years and over can vote; candidates must be over 21 years of age. Professor Andrzej Stelmachowski is elected as speaker at the first sitting of the Senate on 4th July. There are 100 senators. Under the Constitution, the Senate was to have had a four-year term. It was dissolved together with the Sejm, when the latter decided to dissolve itself in October 1991.

1991 Elections to the Senate of the second term are held on 27th October. At the first sitting on 26th November, Professor August Chełkowski is elected speaker. The second term is cut short by the President's decision to dissolve the Sejm in May 1993.

1993 Elections to the Senate of the third term are held on 19th September. At the first sitting on 15th October, Adam Struzik is elected its speaker.

1997 Elections to the Senate of the fourth term are held on 21th September. At the first sitting on 21th October, Alicja Grześkowiak is elected speaker.

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Pietrzak, October 1997