By choosing the example of the Polish-Lithianian Commonwealth in the 16th century, Markus Osterrieder examines continuities and transformations in the perception, description and evaluation of images of peace, war and hostility. The study reflects the whole European context and is based on an approach in mental and consciousness history. General mental and social changes are either discussed in form of evolutionary changes or of anthropological constants. The study offers also a substantial contribution to the debate on the fixation of the border between the Middle Ages and Modern Times in Eastern Europe as well as on the position of Eastern Europe in the Europe of the Humanism, Renaissance and Reformation.