▁vo iv odes ▁of ▁Vil nius , ▁Tra ka i , ▁and ▁other ▁vo iv odes hips . ▁The ▁privile ge ▁also ▁prohib ited ▁s elling ▁various ▁state ▁and ▁church ▁positions ▁to ▁nob ility . ▁ ▁In ▁turn , ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁was ▁limited ▁from ▁explo iting ▁conflicts ▁between ▁higher ▁and ▁lower ▁nob ility ▁and ▁prof iting ▁by ▁s elling ▁the ▁positions . ▁This ▁privile ge ▁also ▁sign ified ▁that ▁city ▁residents ▁could ▁not ▁become ▁officials . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 0 6 ▁Sig ism und ▁I ▁the ▁Old ▁confirmed ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁L ords ▁in ▁state ▁politics ▁and ▁limited ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁positions ▁within ▁the ▁noble ▁class . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 5 5 7 , ▁Sig ism und ▁II ▁August us ▁initi ated ▁the ▁Wal lach ▁reform , ▁which ▁completed ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁ser f dom . ▁The ▁implementation ▁of ▁ser f dom ▁dep riv ed ▁the ▁pe as ants ▁of ▁land ▁ownership ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁personal ▁rights , ▁making ▁the ▁ser fs ▁completely ▁dependent ▁on ▁nobles . ▁ ▁Union ▁of ▁Lub lin ▁in ▁ 1 5 6 9 ▁created ▁the ▁new ▁state , ▁the ▁Polish – L ith uan ian ▁Commonwealth . ▁The ▁nob ility ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁elect ▁a ▁common ▁r uler ▁for ▁Poland ▁and ▁Lith u ania . ▁ ▁The ▁Third ▁Stat ute ▁of ▁Lith u ania , ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 5 8 8 , ▁further ▁expanded ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁nob ility . ▁La ws ▁could ▁be