The
Renaissance in Poland (; literally: the Rebirth) lasted from the late 15th to the late 16th century and is widely considered to have been the Golden Age of
Polish culture. Ruled by the
Jagiellonian dynasty, the
Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (from 1569 part of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) actively participated in the broad European
Renaissance. The multi-national Polish state experienced a substantial period of cultural growth thanks in part to a century without major wars – aside from conflicts in the sparsely populated eastern and southern borderlands. The
Reformation spread peacefully throughout the country (giving rise to the
Polish Brethren), while living conditions improved, cities grew, and exports of agricultural products enriched the population, especially the nobility (
szlachta) who gained dominance in the new political system of
Golden Liberty.