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History of Poland in the early modern period (1569–1795)

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3202: 1005: 2779: 2543: 2897: 1236: 1516: 3045: 1308: 2266: 3144: 2700: 2954: 2659: 1607: 958: 1772: 2863: 2878: 2848: 1064: 2742:(1709). Poland, which after having suffered extensive damages from wars had only recently returned to its 1650 population level, was once again completely razed to the ground by the armies of Sweden, Saxony, and Russia. Two million people died as a result of the war and disease epidemics. Cities were reduced to rubble, and cultural losses were immense. After the Swedish defeat Augustus II regained the throne with Russian backing, but the Russians proceeded to annex Livonia after driving the Swedes from it. 1129: 2817:'s death, and was elected King of Poland by a minority sejm with the support of Russian troops. Augustus III was a puppet of Russia, and during his reign foreign armies criss-crossed the land. He was uninterested in the affairs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which he viewed mostly as a source of funds and resources for strengthening his power in Saxony. During his 30-year reign, he spent less than 3 years in Poland, delegating most of his powers and responsibilities to Count 2036: 2596:. Throughout Europe political commentators unanimously called it a terrible failure. Many Polish nobles regarded the veto as a constructive instrument, to be used as a weapon against the presumably tyrannical aspirations of the monarchy. The long-term result was a weak state that could not compete with its neighbors, especially Prussia and Russia. Inevitably Poland was partitioned among them and the nobles lost all their political rights as well as their nation state. 2082:
raids, plague epidemics, and mass murders of civilians. Most of Poland's cities were reduced to rubble, and the nation's economic base was decimated. The war had been paid for by large-scale minting of worthless currency, causing runaway inflation. Religious feelings had also been inflamed by the conflict, ending tolerance of non-Catholic beliefs. Henceforth, the Commonwealth would be on the strategic defensive facing hostile and increasingly more powerful neighbors.
1904: 3076: 22: 458: 1407: 886: 144: 2441: 470: 3450: 2176: 2696:. Augustus II virtually bought the election. Augustus hoped to make the Polish throne hereditary for the House of Wettin, and to use his resources as Elector of Saxony to impose some order on the chaotic Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. However, he was soon distracted from his internal reform projects and became preoccupied by the possibility of external conquests. 2364: 3019:. The Confederation was a league of Polish nobles that fought against the King and Russian forces until 1772, to revoke the Empress' mandate. The Confederation's warfare and defeat provoked in part a partition of the Commonwealth (seizure of its outer territories) by its neighbors. Although Catherine initially opposed partition, King 3249:
however, no state actively opposed the final annexations. In the long term, the dissolution of Poland-Lithuania upset the traditional European balance of power, dramatically magnifying the influence of Russia and paving the way for the powerful Germany that would emerge in the nineteenth century with
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Passage of the constitution alarmed many nobles, some of whom would lose considerable stature under the new order. In autocratic states such as Russia, the democratic ideals of the new constitution also threatened the existing order, and the prospect of Polish recovery threatened to end domination of
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ruled in times of turmoil, and Augustus II soon recovered the throne, forcing him into exile. He was elected king again following the death of Augustus in 1733, with the support of France and Polish nobles, but not of Poland's neighbors. After the military intervention by Russian and Saxon troops, he
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on Jews. The exports and imports by the nobility were tax-free. The disorganized and increasingly decentralized nature of tax gathering and the numerous exceptions from taxation meant that the king and the state had insufficient revenue to perform military or civilian functions. At one point the king
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whenever it impinged on their perceived interests, was another contributor to the downfall. There were two kinds of taxes, those levied by the Crown and those levied by legislative assemblies. The Crown raised both customs duties and taxes on land, transportation, salt, lead, and silver. Sejm raised
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wars episode inflicted irremediable damage and contributed heavily to the ultimate demise of the state. Held responsible for the greatest disaster in Polish history, John Casimir abdicated in 1668. The population of the Commonwealth had been reduced by a staggering 1/3, by military casualties, slave
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was their basic tool. It required unanimity in sejm and permitted even a single deputy not only to block any measure but to cause dissolution of a sejm and submission of all measures already passed to the next sejm. Foreign diplomats, using bribery or persuasion, routinely caused the dissolution of
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and founded the aggressive, militaristic Prussian state, which would eventually form nucleus of a united Germany. The victor from Poltava, Tsar Peter the Great declared Russia to be the guardian of the Polish-Lithuanian Republic's territorial integrity. This effectively meant that the Commonwealth
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The first partition in 1772 did not directly threaten the stability of the Polish-Lithuanian state. Poland still retained extensive territory that included the Polish heartlands. Moreover, the shock of the annexations made clear the dangers of decay in government institutions, creating a body of
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Unlike Spain and Sweden, great powers that were allowed to settle peacefully into secondary status at the periphery of Europe at the end of their time of glory, Poland endured its decline at the strategic crossroads of the continent. Lacking central leadership and impotent in foreign relations,
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called "the first constitution of its kind in Europe". Conceived in the liberal spirit of the contemporaneous document in the United States, the constitution recast Poland-Lithuania as a hereditary monarchy and got rid of many of the eccentricities and antiquated features of the old system of
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against powerful Russian armies was fought in 1792 with some measure of success, but the irresolute Stanislaw August, who did not believe in the possibility of defeating the Russian Empire, capitulated, defecting to the Targowica Confederation. Arguing that Poland had fallen prey to radical
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exhibited a preference for foreign candidates who would not found another strong dynasty. This policy produced monarchs who were either ineffective or in constant debilitating conflict with the nobility. The kings of alien origin were initially unfamiliar with the internal dynamics of the
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added their own constant manipulations and bickering and authority eroded from the government's center. Eventually foreign states had taken advantage of the vacuum and replaced the nobility of the Commonwealth as the real arbiter of royal elections and of overall power in Poland-Lithuania.
2935:, as king of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Partially confounding expectations that he would be an obedient servant of his former mistress, Stanislaw August encouraged a modernization of his realm's dysfunctional political system and achieved a temporary moratorium on use of the 2506:
in Poland and marched on Saxony, compelling Augustus to give up his crown and turning Poland into a base for the Swedish army. Poland was again devastated by the armies of Sweden, Russia, and Saxony. Its major cities were destroyed and a third of the population killed by the war and
2162:). The society consisted of the upper stratum (8% nobles, 1% clergy), townspeople and the peasant majority. Various nationalities/ethnicities or linguistic groups were present, including Poles, Germans, Jews, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Lithuanians, Armenians and Tatars, among others. 3403: 793:. During the later part of the 18th century the Commonwealth recovered economically, developed culturally and attempted fundamental internal reforms. The reform activity provoked hostile reaction and eventually military response on the part of the neighboring powers. The 2000:
agreed to recognize him as king after he promised to drive out the Russians. However, the Swedish troops embarked on an orgy of looting and destruction, which caused the Polish populace to rise up in revolt. The Swedes overran the remainder of Poland except for Lwów and
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Several decades before the loss independence, intellectuals began to reconsider the role of the veto and the nature of Polish liberty, arguing that Poland had not been progressing as fast as the rest of Europe because of a lack of political stability. The exposure to
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in sejm (1764–1766). This threatened to increase the strength of central government and brought displeasure in the foreign capitals that preferred an inert, pliable Poland. Displeased Catherine encouraged religious dissension in Poland-Lithuania's substantial
1885:, but the Polish-Lithuanian empire ended up "fatally wounded". The easternmost parts of its territory were effectively lost to Russia, which resulted in a long-term shift in the balance of power. In the short-term the country was weakened at the moment of the 623:. The beginning of the Commonwealth coincided with the period of Poland's greatest territorial expansion, power, civilizational advancement and prosperity. The Polish–Lithuanian state had become an influential player in Europe and a vital cultural entity, 2833:(1762–1796), Russia intensified its manipulation of Polish affairs. Prussia and Austria, the other powers surrounding the Republic, also took advantage of internal religious and political bickering. The neighboring states divided up the country in 1648:
As a result, in the eastern territories of the Kingdom the Polish-speaking landed nobility dominated over the peasantry, whose great majority was neither Polish nor Catholic. Moreover, the decades of peace brought huge colonization efforts to
2608:, or nation; a nation in which all people, not just the nobility, should enjoy the rights of political liberty. The reform movement came too late to save the state, but helped to form the coherent nation, able to survive the long period of 1750:
Władysław IV aimed to achieve many military goals, including conquests of Russia, Sweden and Turkey. His reign is that of many small victories, few of them bringing anything worthwhile to the Commonwealth. He was once elected a Russian
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was now included in the selection process and adjustments were made to the constitutional system. The power of the monarch was further circumscribed in favor of the expanding noble class, which sought to ensure its future domination.
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were a mixture of Catholics and Protestants and used both the German and Polish languages. The rest of Poland and most of Lithuania remained overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, while Ukraine and some parts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
2527:, who had been in revolt against Poland since 1699. Later on, the Tsar frustrated an attempt by Prussia to gain territory from Poland (despite Augustus' approval of this). After the Great Northern War, Poland became an effective 3134:
classes). Although never fully implemented, the Constitution of May 3 gained a cherished position in the Polish political heritage; tradition marks the anniversary of its passage as the country's most important civic holiday.
1474:. Sigismund, however, opposed his son's accession as tsar, as he hoped to obtain the Russian throne for himself. Two years later the Poles were driven out of Moscow and Poland lost an opportunity for a Polish-Russian union. 2494:(an industrialized area) with Poland, a country rich in mineral resources. The King however lacked skill in foreign policy and became entangled in a war with Sweden. His allies, the Russians and the Danes, were repelled by 649:
circles. The disagreements over and the difficulties with the assimilation of the eastern Ruthenian populations of the Commonwealth had become clearly discernible; an attempt to settle the issue was made in the religious
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of Ukraine with the Commonwealth as an equal partner (1658) and Polish military successes in 1660–1662. This was not enough to keep eastern Ukraine. Under the pressure of continuing Ukrainian unrest and the threat of a
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of Prussia, interested in territorial gains and in neutralizing Austria's threatening military position, promoted a partition scheme that would be favorable to the interests of all three partitioning states. Emperor
2821:. Augustus III's uninvolved reign facilitated political anarchy and further weakened the Commonwealth, while the neighboring Prussia, Austria and especially Russia were becoming increasingly dominant in its affairs. 3098:, the concept of democratic institutions for all classes was accepted in the more progressive circles of Polish society. Education reform included the establishment of the first ministry of education in Europe (the 2375:, making the once powerful Commonwealth vulnerable to foreign interference and intervention. In the late 17th century Poland-Lithuania had virtually ceased to function as a coherent and genuinely independent state. 991:
the noble electors wanted more power for themselves and less for the monarch, although there were practical limits to how much the kings could be constrained. A semi-permanent power struggle resulted, to which the
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With the Commonwealth engaged on its northern and eastern borders with nearly constant conflicts against Sweden and Russia, its armies were spread thin. The southern wars culminated in the Polish defeat at the
3106:. Landholders emancipated large numbers of peasants, although there was no official government decree. Polish cities and business enterprises, in decline for many decades, were revived by the influence of the 2585:. During the reign of Peter the Great (1682–1725), the Commonwealth fell under the dominance of Russia, and by the middle of the 18th century Poland-Lithuania had been made a virtual protectorate of its 1755:, but never had any control over Russian territories. Like his father, Władysław was involved in Swedish dynastic ambitions. He failed to strengthen the Commonwealth or prevent the crippling events of the 39: 2557:
In the 18th century, the powers of the monarchy and the central administration became mostly formal. Kings were denied opportunity to provide for elementary requirements of defense and finance, and
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Commonwealth, had remained distracted by the politics of their native countries, and often inclined to subordinate the interests of the Commonwealth to those of their own country and ruling house.
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Under heavy Russian pressure, the unhappy sejm introduced religious toleration and Orthodox and Protestant equality with Catholics in 1767. Through the Polish nobles that Russia controlled (the
1799:, the groundwork for which was laid down by the two previous Vasa kings. In 1660, John Casimir was forced to renounce his claims to the Swedish throne and acknowledge Swedish sovereignty over 2094:
in 1660, John Casimir finally renounced his claims to the Swedish crown, which ended the feud between Sweden and the Commonwealth and the accompanying string of wars between those countries (
755:) and manipulation by foreign interests. The "ruling" nobility class fell under control of a handful of powerful families with established territorial domains. The reigns of two kings of the 2024:, the Poles and Lithuanians had driven the Swedes from the Commonwealth's territory by 1657. The armies of Frederick William intervened and were also defeated. Frederick William's rule over 2738:) in Warsaw, he occupied Saxony and drove Augustus II from the throne. Augustus was forced to cede the crown from 1704 to 1709, but regained it when Tsar Peter defeated Charles XII at the 2426:
became increasingly focused on guarding their own "liberties" and blocked any policies designed to strengthen the nation or build a powerful army. Beginning in 1652, the fatal practice of
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For the next quarter century, Poland was often a pawn in Russia's campaigns against other powers. When John III died in 1697, 18 candidates vied for the throne, which ultimately went to
1881:, proved disastrous for the Commonwealth. The Cossacks, allied with the Tatars, defeated the forces of the Commonwealth in several battles, the Commonwealth scored a major victory at 1930:(1618–1648), the following two decades subjected the nation to one of its worst trials ever. This colorful but ruinous interval, the stuff of legend and popular historical novels of 3269: 3264: 3259: 827:, considered the first in modern Europe. The constitutional reform generated strong opposition from conservative circles in the Commonwealth's upper nobility and from Catherine II. 338: 328: 318: 1637:, which included members of Polish and non-Polish origin alike. Generally speaking, the ethnically non-Polish noble families of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania gradually adopted the 2996:
power were guaranteed as unalterable parts of this new constitution. Poland was however also compelled to sign a treaty of guarantee with Russia, where Catherine was imposed as
1590:, when the forces of the Polish magnates clashed with the forces backed by the Ottoman Empire and occasionally the Habsburgs, all competing for the domination over that region. 3130:
in parliament; provided a separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; and established "people's sovereignty" (for the noble and
737:, suffered devastating population losses, massive damage to its economy and social structure. The government became ineffective because of large scale internal conflicts (e.g. 680:. It had also become a playground of internal conflicts, in which the kings, powerful magnates and factions of nobility were the main actors. The Commonwealth fought wars with 86: 3284: 3009: 2214:
as king, believing that as a non-foreigner he would further the interests of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was the first ruler of Polish origin since the last of
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Beginning in the 17th century, because of the deteriorating state of internal politics and government and destructive wars, the nobles' democracy gradually declined into
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John Casimir, a broken, disillusioned man, abdicated the Polish throne on 16 September 1668 amid internal anarchy and strife and returned to France, where he joined the
1543:
stood in the way of the Ottoman plans of European conquests. Since the second half of the 16th century, the Polish-Ottomans relations were worsened by the escalation of
3194:. To the west, Prussia received an area that became known as South Prussia, nearly twice the size of its First Partition gains along the Baltic, as well as the port of 1273:, Sigismund III was determined to win the Swedish crown and bring Sweden back to Catholicism. Subsequently, Sigismund III involved Poland in unnecessary and unpopular 946:, which were various further personal obligations of the chosen king. From that point, the king was effectively a partner with the nobility, a top member of the diet ( 2676:
Augustus II the Strong, also known as Frederick Augustus I, was an over-ambitious ruler. In the contest for the crown of the Commonwealth he defeated his main rival,
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Sigismund III Vasa failed to strengthen the Commonwealth or to solve its internal problems; he concentrated on futile attempts to regain his former Swedish throne.
3174:. Empress Catherine was happy to use this opportunity; enlisting Prussian support, she invaded Poland under the pretext of defending Poland's ancient liberties. A 864:. Kościuszko emancipated and enrolled in his army many peasants, but the hard-fought insurrection ended in suppression by the forces of Russia and Prussia. The 72: 2402:
to stop further parliamentary proceedings for the given session. This greatly weakened the central authority of Poland and paved the way for its destruction.
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as king. Her marriage with Henry was to further legitimize Henry's rule, but less than a year after his coronation, Henry fled Poland to succeed his brother
2297:'s most famous achievement was the decisive contribution by the Commonwealth's forces led by him to the defeat of the Ottoman Empire's army in 1683, at the 1846:
of Poland. Internally, the process of disintegration started. The nobles, making their own alliances with foreign powers, pursued independent policies; the
2008:
Poland-Lithuania rallied to recover most of its losses from the Swedes. In exchange for breaking the alliance with Sweden, Frederick William, the ruler of
54: 2072:) now belonged to Russia. Kiev was also leased to Russia for two years, but never returned and eventually Poland recognized Russian control of the city. 842:, convinced of the futility of resistance, capitulated by joining the Targowica Confederation. Russia and Prussia in 1793 arranged for and executed the 3198:(Gdańsk). Poland's neighbors thus reduced the Commonwealth to a rump state and signaled their intention to abolish it altogether at their convenience. 291: 1269:
of Poland. He annoyed the Polish nobles by deliberately dressing in Spanish and other Western European styles (including French hosiery). An ardent
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Prussia at its core. For the Poles, the Third Partition began a period of continuous foreign rule that would endure for well over a century.
2722:(1699). A Cossack revolt that had begun in 1699 was suppressed by the Russians. Augustus tried unsuccessfully to regain the Baltic coast from 3190:
The Second Partition was far more injurious than the first. Russia received a vast area of eastern Poland, extending southward nearly to the
79: 1208: 718:, fighting protracted wars with the Ottoman Empire, revived the Commonwealth's military might once more, in the process helping decisively 3230:. Kościuszko's ragtag insurgent armies won some initial successes, but they eventually fell before the superior forces of Russian General 2339:
in 1686. On other fronts John III was even less successful, including agreements with France and Sweden in a failed attempt to regain the
4935: 4369: 3735: 3064:. King Stanisław August supported the progressive elements in the government and promoted the ideas of foreign political figures such as 2433:
inconvenient sessions of sejm. Of the 37 sejms in 1674–96, only 12 were able to enact any legislation. The others were dissolved by the
1004: 500: 3000:(guarantor) of the Polish political system. The system could not be changed without Russia's approval, and thus the Commonwealth became 281: 3310: 4298: 1993: 1435:
and later also Russia. In 1598, Sigismund tried to defeat Charles with a mixed army from Sweden and Poland, but was defeated in the
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For ten years between 1619 and 1629, the Commonwealth was at its greatest geographical extent in history. In 1619, the Russo-Polish
2797:(Gdańsk), and again forced to leave the country. For the rest of his life Leszczyński became a successful and popular ruler in the 2508: 1463: 1451: 1397: 2604:
ideas gave Poles further reason to reconsider concepts such as society and equality, and this led to discovery of the idea of the
2308:, but the successful battle eliminated that possibility and marked the turning point in a 250-year struggle between the forces of 4930: 3613: 4210: 3514: 3497: 3241:
Much of Europe condemned the dismemberment as an international crime without historical parallel. Amid the distractions of the
2479:(1699). This partial success did little to mask the internal weakness and paralysis of the Polish–Lithuanian political system. 1482: 1428: 1366:. In 1607, the Polish nobility threatened to suspend the agreements with their elected king but did not attempt his overthrow. 3648: 3484: 3350: 1358:, then becoming prevalent in the rest of Europe, and his goal of reacquiring the throne of Sweden for himself, resulted in a 225: 4940: 3699: 3679: 3653: 2242: 1726: 1510: 522: 428: 373: 260: 2778: 4884: 3996: 3916: 3725: 3586: 2670: 2621: 1200: 3537:
2 vol. Columbia U. Press, 1982. 1,189 pp.; highly detailed, well-written narrative but criticized by some specialists
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appealed to Empress Catherine for help and in May 1792 the Russian army entered the territory of the Commonwealth. The
608: 2862: 2677: 1818:, including Warsaw, the capital; and the King, abandoned or betrayed by his subjects, had to seek temporary refuge in 4001: 3943: 3694: 3689: 3684: 3671: 3434: 3377: 2877: 2847: 2609: 1633:", to be Polish was much less an indication of ethnicity than of rank; it was a designation largely reserved for the 1335:
of the Commonwealth. In order to further Catholicism, the Uniate Church (acknowledging papal supremacy but following
403: 393: 383: 363: 105: 4869: 4464: 4056: 4031: 3931: 3369: 3099: 2986:, Catherine forced a sejm constitution (comprehensive legislation), which undid Poniatowski's reforms of 1764. The 2912: 2253:
and most of Ukraine from 1672 to 1673. Wiśniowiecki was a passive monarch who readily played into the hands of the
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The Commonwealth forces retrieved most of the lost provinces. At the end of Báthory's reign, Poland ruled two main
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rebellion directed against Russia and the Polish king. It was brought under control and followed in 1772 by the
798: 4681: 4514: 4452: 3175: 3154: 1113:, led the Polish army in a decisive campaign and forced Russia to return territories previously taken, gaining 835: 616: 43: 1598:
in 1620. The Commonwealth was forced to renounce all claims to Moldavia, Transylvania, Wallachia and Hungary.
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border warfare, which turned the entire border region between the Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire into a
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coast. From then on, Poland's link to the Baltic Sea was bordered on both sides by two provinces of the same
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Stanisław August's process of renovation reached its climax when, after three years of intense debate, the "
3102:). Taxation and the army underwent thorough reform, and central executive government was established as the 3044: 2257:. He was unable to cope with his responsibilities and with the different quarreling factions within Poland. 846:, which left the country with critically reduced territory, practically incapable of independent existence. 2532: 2114: 1709:) there were 100 Lipka Tatar settlements with mosques in Poland. In 1672, the Tatar subjects rose up in an 1454:
brought Poland at times close to a conquest of Russia and the Baltic coast during the Time of Troubles and
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By the 18th century, outside commentators routinely ridiculed the ineffectiveness of sejms, blaming the
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made treaties directly with foreign sovereigns. Attempts at reform were stymied by the determination of
2511:. The Swedes finally withdrew from Poland and invaded Ukraine, where they were defeated by the Russians 4904: 4899: 4355: 4268: 4200: 4083: 3730: 3715: 3640: 3184: 3183:, then at high tide in France, Russia and Prussia abrogated the Constitution of May 3, carried out the 3167: 3082:
has just been adopted. Jan Matejko crowded onto this painting numerous personalities of the reform era.
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in 1795, erasing the Commonwealth of Two Nations from the map and pledging to never allow its return.
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Poland-Lithuania became a chattel of the ambitious kingdoms that surrounded it, an immense but feeble
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and he could not find a partner there. When Báthory died, there was a year-long interregnum. Emperor
4874: 4628: 4589: 4303: 4180: 4061: 4011: 3889: 3796: 3771: 3465: 3246: 3235: 3033: 2967: 2883: 2853: 2838: 2662: 2445: 2394:. Poland's weakness was exacerbated by an unworkable parliamentary rule which allowed each deputy in 2179: 1017: 988: 899: 865: 813: 794: 597: 211: 2931:
of Russia dictated the election of a member of the Czartoryski clan, her former favorite and lover,
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The decline leading to foreign domination had begun in earnest several decades after the end of the
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was the Commonwealth's last great military commander; he was active and effective in the continuing
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took place; the Commonwealth ceded to Sweden most of Livonia, which the Swedes had invaded in 1626.
3842: 3806: 3786: 2159: 1694: 1666: 1619: 1340: 1289: 620: 2758:; it had remained in this condition for the duration of its existence (until 1795). The policy of 2265: 940:, the first post-Jagiellon king), which were the basis of the political system of Poland, and the 4879: 4537: 4021: 3991: 3899: 3776: 3658: 3095: 2943: 2290: 2099: 1796: 1658: 1595: 1401: 1348: 1301: 1274: 942: 831: 823:
was convened by Stanisław August in 1788. The Sejm's landmark achievement was the passing of the
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During the 18th century, the Polish-Lithuanian federation became subject to manipulations by
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to the diet. This event marked the beginning of the period known as the "Nobles' Democracy" (
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faction. The Czartoryskis entered into collaboration with the Russians, and in 1764 Empress
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upon the helpless Commonwealth, under the pretext of quelling anarchy and restoring order.
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into Poland, using it then as the base of his operations. Installing a puppet ruler (King
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started the chain of events that would involve the Commonwealth in more than a century of
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Reforms and partitions during the reign of Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–1795)
2746: 2719: 2476: 2348: 2103: 1997: 1916: 1898: 1843: 1606: 1524: 1494: 1320: 1266: 1048: 957: 937: 782: 642: 532: 527: 242: 3234:. In the wake of the insurrection of 1794, Russia, Prussia, and Austria carried out the 1288:
The first few years of Sigismund's reign (until 1598) saw Poland and Sweden united in a
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Polish affairs by Poland's neighbors. In 1792, Polish conservative factions formed the
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in 1793, and placed the remainder of the country under occupation by Russian troops.
3103: 3069: 3029: 2997: 2958: 2905: 2798: 2763: 2739: 2693: 2681: 2627: 2512: 2452: 2406: 2391: 2328: 2317: 2294: 2286: 2270: 2254: 2215: 2118: 2052: 2021: 1912: 1878: 1771: 1740: 1682: 1674: 1536: 1520: 1458:, but military burden imposed by the ongoing rivalry also along other frontiers (the 1443: 1355: 1204: 1099: 1095: 984: 980: 972: 911: 805: 790: 719: 715: 711: 681: 593: 518: 132: 3955: 3494: 3419: 2630:'s death, the Polish-Lithuanian throne was occupied for seven decades by the German 1481:(1618–1648), which ravaged everything to the west, especially Prussia. In 1618, the 1470:
in 1610. The office of tsar, then vacant in Russia, was offered to Sigismund's son,
4778: 4693: 4638: 4608: 4559: 4519: 4502: 4492: 4427: 4399: 4123: 4006: 3986: 3894: 3279: 2340: 2298: 2276: 2138: 2077: 2025: 2009: 1978: 1943: 1886: 1858: 1815: 1760: 1486: 1447: 1411: 1393: 1378: 1370: 1282: 1192: 723: 706:, which raged through core Polish lands. Warfare with the Cossacks and Russia left 703: 232: 2546:
Administrative division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1789, before the
1946:, for the magnitude and suddenness of its hardships. The emergency began when the 4818: 4793: 4581: 4564: 4409: 4331: 4243: 4190: 4165: 4160: 3581: 3518: 3501: 3325: 3314: 3158: 2983: 2711: 2647: 2516: 2332: 2091: 1970: 1958: 1710: 1698: 1638: 1556: 1455: 1316: 1270: 1063: 778: 759: 638: 627: 604: 583: 572: 564: 536: 4066: 3012:, and the Polish king became to a significant degree an executor of their will. 2718:
and western Ukraine and concluded the long series of Polish-Turkish wars by the
2577:(1733–63) only one of the thirteen sejm sessions ran to an orderly adjournment. 1106:
was besieged by Polish forces. The city was not captured, but Báthory, with his
4768: 4758: 4753: 4748: 4728: 4718: 4633: 4576: 4469: 4432: 4286: 4128: 3791: 3015:
This situation provoked in 1768 a Catholic uprising and civil war known as the
2963: 2924: 2759: 2730:. After Augustus' allies were defeated, Sweden's king Charles XII marched from 2631: 2586: 2566: 2468: 2456: 2383: 2379: 2327:
For the Commonwealth there was no big payoff for the Turkish victories and the
2305: 2246: 2155: 2151: 2128: 2124: 1908: 1670: 1662: 1642: 1615: 1548: 1459: 1344: 1336: 1328: 1184: 1044: 1013: 774: 727: 689: 685: 651: 612: 577: 474: 174: 169: 3538: 3086:
Polish intellectuals studied and discussed Enlightenment philosophers such as
1822:. As a result of the wars with the Cossacks and Russia, the Commonwealth lost 4924: 4864: 4663: 4336: 4228: 3884: 3454: 3122: 2207: 2142: 2069: 2017: 1831: 1324: 1219: 1180: 1161: 669: 646: 462: 247: 3032:
and then Empress Catherine agreed, and in 1772 Russia, Prussia, and Austria
1215:
became the Commonwealth's next king, the first of the three rulers from the
1128: 1087:(1576–1586) counts among the few more highly regarded elective kings. 1047:, the sole heir to the crown, convinced the Sejm to elect the French prince 4823: 4653: 4524: 4442: 4170: 3127: 3065: 3005: 2937: 2755: 2582: 2528: 2428: 2415: 2399: 2395: 2309: 1839: 1722: 1690: 1579: 1416: 1244: 1110: 1091: 1081: 947: 751: 624: 164: 3471: 2035: 1953:
rose in revolt and declared an independent state based in the vicinity of
4808: 4686: 4671: 4643: 4479: 4133: 3131: 3087: 2689: 2515:. Augustus was able to reclaim his throne with Russian support, but Tsar 2331:
had to cede territories to Russia in return for promised aid against the
1931: 1552: 1532: 1187:
alliance with Russia, which he considered necessary for his anti-Ottoman
1137: 915: 895: 556: 159: 1427:
Sigismund desire to reclaim the Swedish throne drove him into prolonged
849:
Reformers and patriots were soon preparing for a national insurrection.
4571: 4118: 3528: 3404:"Browse | Cornell University Library Making of America Collection" 3180: 3114: 2131: 1985:. Taking advantage of Poland's preoccupation in the east and weakness, 1903: 1623: 1490: 1293: 1277:
during which the diet refused him money and soldiers and Sweden seized
1173: 1145: 820: 710:
divided, with the eastern part, lost by the Commonwealth, becoming the
544: 2688:. To ensure his success in becoming the Polish king he converted from 2531:
of Russia for the rest of the 18th century. The wide-ranging European
1657:
and nobles. The tensions were aggravated by the conflicts between the
592:, albeit in intense, and at times destabilizing, competition with the 4618: 3191: 3075: 2440: 2409:. Insufficient and ineffective taxation, virulently contested by the 2372: 2335:
and Turks. Poland had previously formally relinquished all claims to
1780: 1583: 4347: 3214:, the final military attempt to preserve the Polish-Lithuanian state 2911:
More enlightened Poles realized by now that reforms were necessary.
1618:
nor Polish. This circumstance resulted from the federation with the
1373:
came into effect, whereby Russia conceded Commonwealth control over
854: 21: 4828: 4623: 3222:, a great Polish revolt, broke out in 1794 under the leadership of 3051:, the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Portrait by 2992: 2524: 2463:
with a heavy cavalry charge. Poland's important role in aiding the
2451:
The Commonwealth's last martial triumph occurred in 1683 when King
2293:. Sobieski was elected as another "Piast" (of Polish family) king. 2203: 2065: 2043:(dark green) forever changed the balance of power in Eastern Europe 1827: 1736: 1702: 1634: 1626: 1575: 1544: 1527:
compelled to kneel before King Sigismund III Vasa in Warsaw in 1611
1374: 1107: 920: 695:
The situation, however, soon radically deteriorated. From 1648 the
655: 588: 3591: 2762:
was to exercise political control over Poland in cooperation with
2304:
The Ottomans, if victorious, would have likely become a threat to
1377:
and several other border territories. In 1629, the Swedish-Polish
950:), and was constantly supervised by a group of upper-rank nobles, 872:, and in 1795 the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ceased to exist. 4698: 4509: 3508:
The Polish-Lithuanian Monarchy in European Context, c. 1500-1795.
3453:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
2788:
Seen as a puppet of Sweden during his first stint on the throne,
2731: 2715: 2558: 2520: 2472: 2352: 2250: 2147: 1981:
overran the entire eastern part of the Commonwealth (Ukraine) to
1947: 1819: 1800: 1795:, the last of the Vasas, was dominated by the culmination in the 1678: 1650: 1587: 1567: 1420: 1406: 1278: 1188: 1153: 1133: 1118: 1114: 993: 967: 707: 2923:
and promoted a broad reform program; their main rivals were the
2653: 1784: 885: 535:
beginning in approximately 1500 AD and lasting until around the
3622: 3195: 2773: 2460: 2321: 2283: 2032:, although Poland retained the right of succession until 1773. 2002: 1990: 1578:. This started a series of conflicts that would soon spread to 1467: 1254: 1216: 1149: 668:, suffered from dynastic distractions during the reigns of the 549: 3368:(History of Poland 1505–1764), Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe ( 1989:
intervened. Most of the Polish nobility along with the Polish
1614:
The population of Poland-Lithuania was neither overwhelmingly
143: 3571: 3345:, p. 24, 2003 New Haven & London, Yale University Press, 3226:, a military officer who had rendered notable service in the 2313: 2165: 1706: 1177: 1103: 1072: 987:
made the constitutional system much more unstable. With each
611:, a more closely merged continuation of the already existing 55:"History of Poland in the early modern period" 1569–1795 2316:
Ottoman Empire. Over the 16 years following the battle (the
2137:
gradually advanced. By the 18th century, the populations of
2971: 2891: 2336: 2187: 2175: 2170: 2020:
nobility went over to the side of the Swedes. Under Hetman
1982: 1954: 1862: 1823: 1804: 1752: 1747:
obtained new privileges, mainly exemption from income tax.
1387: 1157: 552: 1462:
and Sweden) prevented this from being accomplished. After
1164:
trade. Both cities were among the largest in the country.
1080:
The able and militarily as well as domestically assertive
910:
in 1572 ended the nearly two centuries of the rule of the
3270:
History of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1764–1795)
3265:
History of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1648–1764)
3260:
History of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1648)
2654:
Augustus II the Strong (1697–1706, 1709–1733)
2573:. Because of the chaos sown by the veto provision, under 1677:. In the west and north of the country, cities had large 3285:
Ambassadors and envoys from Russia to Poland (1763–1794)
2774:
Stanisław Leszczyński (1706–1709, 1733–1736)
1743:; wars with Russia and Turkey weakened the country; and 1203:, tried to claim the Polish throne, but was defeated at 702:
engulfed the south and east, and was soon followed by a
3539:
online excerpts and search at Amazon.com; vol 1 to 1795
2841:
in 1795 wiped Poland-Lithuania from the map of Europe.
2745:
Augustus II was helpless when, in 1701, the Elector of
2068:, according to which eastern Ukraine (left bank of the 1347:
in 1596. The Uniates drew many followers away from the
2966:
dramatically tried to prevent the legalization of the
2363: 2320:), the Turks would be permanently driven south of the 1531:
The Commonwealth viewed itself as the "bulwark of the
1026:
In its periodic opportunities to fill the throne, the
836:
defensive war fought by the forces of the Commonwealth
3587:
300 maps of Poland and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
3170:
and appealed for Russian assistance in restoring the
2615: 586:
was ruled by the "free and equal" Polish nobility or
3572:
Commonwealth of Diverse Cultures: Poland's Heritage
3060:opinion favorable to reform along the lines of the 2809:Also Elector of Saxony (as Frederick Augustus II), 2749:proclaimed himself sovereign "King in Prussia," as 2589:, retaining only a theoretical right to self-rule. 1868: 1810:Under John Casimir, the Cossacks grew in power and 1763:that devastated the Commonwealth from 1648 onward. 770:, brought the Commonwealth further disintegration. 46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 3418: 3138: 2535:, named after the conflict over the succession to 880: 664:The Commonwealth, assertive militarily under King 2726:. He allied with Denmark and Russia, provoking a 1450:," Poland failed to capitalize on the situation. 1319:embarked on an ideological counter-offensive and 1230: 870:undertaken again by all three partitioning powers 773:The Polish-Lithuanian state was dominated by the 641:embarked on an ideological counter-offensive and 4922: 2414:a land tax, a city tax, a tax on alcohol, and a 2260: 2085: 2060:, the Commonwealth and Russia signed in 1667 an 2016:independent sovereign, while much of the Polish 1926:Although Poland-Lithuania was unaffected by the 1766: 1716: 1601: 781:. This foreign control reached its climax under 3126:government. The new constitution abolished the 2490:, his reign presented the opportunity to unite 2486:, who then converted to Catholicism. Ruling as 2012:, was released from his vassalage and became a 1167: 637:gains accompanied by religious toleration, the 2226:was a son of a controversial but popular with 2171:Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki (1669–1673) 2049:thirteen-year struggle over control of Ukraine 1842:successfully renounced its formal status as a 1653:, which heightened tensions between peasants, 1629:populations predominated. In the days of the " 1058: 1034: 853:, chosen as its leader, on March 24, 1794, in 4363: 3607: 3236:third and final partition of Poland-Lithuania 2829:From the early years of the reign of Empress 2241:His reign was not successful. Michael lost a 866:third and final partition of the Commonwealth 494: 2358: 3525:Heart of Europe: A Short History of Poland. 1351:in the Commonwealth's eastern territories. 914:in Poland. It was followed by a three-year 4370: 4356: 3614: 3600: 3307:, State University of New York at Buffalo 2444:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth before the 2419:secretly and illegally sold crown jewels. 2324:, never to threaten Central Europe again. 2166:Native kings; wars with the Ottoman Empire 983:and its replacement with a non-hereditary 918:period, during which the Polish nobility ( 875: 501: 487: 3393:(History of Poland 1505–1764), p. 192-193 3305:The reign of the Vasa dynasty (1587-1668) 2804: 1892: 1253:was King of Poland 1587–1632 and King of 106:Learn how and when to remove this message 3527:Oxford University Press, 1984. 511 pp. 3200: 3142: 3074: 3043: 3008:. The real power in Poland lay with the 2982:) and Russian Minister to Warsaw Prince 2952: 2895: 2892:Russian protectorate and First Partition 2777: 2698: 2680:, who was supported by France, and King 2657: 2541: 2439: 2362: 2264: 2174: 2039:The loss of lands to Russia in the 1667 2034: 1902: 1770: 1605: 1514: 1429:military adventures waged against Sweden 1405: 1388:Commonwealth wars with Sweden and Moscow 1306: 1234: 1209:War of the Polish Succession (1587–1588) 1127: 1062: 1003: 956: 884: 3559:The Polish-Lithuanian State, 1386-1795. 1973:, and after the Cossacks concluded the 4923: 3535:God's Playground: A History of Poland. 3416: 2946:population, which had lost the rights 2367:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1701 2273:Sending Message of Victory to the Pope 1869:Khmelnytsky Uprising (1648–1654) 1812:at times were able to defeat the Poles 1610:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1620 1570:of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1311:The Commonwealth at its maximum extent 4377: 4351: 3595: 3561:U. of Washington Press, 2001. 374 pp. 3485:Bibliography of the history of Poland 3110:, especially in mining and textiles. 2206:), disappointed with the rule of the 2062:agreement in the village of Andrusovo 1961:and the Ottoman Empire. Their leader 1838:(1667). During John Casimir's reign, 1731:During the reign of Sigismund's son, 1191:. Russia however was heading for its 785:, and involved at that time also the 654:. On the military front, a series of 2471:was rewarded with some territory in 1231:Sigismund III Vasa (1587–1632) 1140:did research on historical costumes. 932:Each king had to sign the so-called 844:Second Partition of the Commonwealth 749:), corrupted legislative processes ( 44:adding citations to reliable sources 15: 4885:History of the Mediterranean region 3621: 3425:. Oxford University Press. p.  3039: 2671:Jean-Pierre Norblin de La Gourdaine 2622:Personal union of Poland and Saxony 2539:, was fought from 1733–1735. 2261:John III Sobieski (1674–1696) 2234:, known for his actions during the 1767:John Casimir Vasa (1648–1668) 1717:Władysław IV Vasa (1632–1648) 1121:. In 1582, the war ended with the 814:First Partition of the Commonwealth 13: 3478: 3053:Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder 2616:Commonwealth–Saxony personal union 1907:Occupation of the Commonwealth by 1354:Sigismund's attempts to introduce 1094:(1558–1582), fought between 735:almost constant warfare until 1720 14: 4967: 3672:Partitions, duchies and kingdoms 3565: 2194:Following the abdication of King 1791:The reign of Władysław's brother 1059:Stephen Báthory (1576–1586) 1035:Henry of Valois (1573–1574) 797:of 1764 resulted in the reign of 4870:Bibliography of European history 4465:Fall of the Western Roman Empire 4057:Upper Silesian Industrial Region 3552:Historical Dictionary of Poland. 3448: 3370:Polish Scientific Publishers PWN 3100:Commission of National Education 2876: 2861: 2846: 2523:in 1710. He also suppressed the 1830:, and all the areas east of the 1523:and Polish hegemony: Abdicated 1500: 1398:Polish–Muscovite War (1605–1618) 1225: 971:(on 6 July 1572, the end of the 468: 456: 142: 20: 4895:History of Western civilization 4498:Christianity in the Middle Ages 3491:The Cambridge History of Poland 3139:Destruction of Poland-Lithuania 2678:François Louis, Prince of Conti 2291:warfare with the Ottoman Empire 1485:became hereditary ruler of the 1419:(1536-1612) was a preacher and 881:Non-hereditary royal succession 733:The Commonwealth, subjected to 31:needs additional citations for 4936:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 4931:Early modern history of Poland 4739:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 4682:Christianity in the modern era 4453:Christianity in late antiquity 3554:Scarecrow Press, 2003. 291 pp. 3410: 3396: 3383: 3355: 3330: 3319: 3297: 2919:, sought to abolish the fatal 2243:war against the Ottoman Empire 1816:Swedes occupied much of Poland 609:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1: 4890:History of the European Union 3342:The Reconstruction of Nations 3290: 3034:forced the terms of partition 2714:of Russia, Augustus won back 2086:Commonwealth after the Deluge 1602:Religious and social tensions 1452:Military campaigns undertaken 1296:an internal lake. However, a 1257:1592–1599. He was the son of 1136:1576–1586. For his paintings 571:) or "Nobles' Commonwealth" ( 3495:online edition vol 1 to 1696 3049:Stanisław August Poniatowski 2933:Stanisław August Poniatowski 2902:Stanisław August Poniatowski 2805:August III (1733–1763) 2533:War of the Polish Succession 2509:a plague outbreak in 1702-13 2484:Frederick Augustus of Saxony 2115:Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686 1893:The Deluge (1648–1667) 1877:, by far the largest of the 1727:Polish–Ottoman War (1633–34) 1559:supported the appearance of 1511:Polish–Ottoman War (1633–34) 1168:War of the Polish Succession 799:Stanisław August Poniatowski 7: 4941:History of Poland by period 4849:Russian invasion of Ukraine 4460:Crisis of the Third Century 3838:Central European Initiative 3649:Prehistory and protohistory 3545:Poland: A Historical Atlas. 3253: 3210:, 4 April 1794, during the 3119:Constitution of May 3, 1791 3080:Constitution of May 3, 1791 2959:Rejtan - The Fall of Poland 2212:Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki 2184:Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki 1323:claimed many converts from 954:from sejm's upper chamber. 825:Constitution of May 3, 1791 645:claimed many converts from 226:Prehistory and protohistory 10: 4972: 4905:Military history of Europe 4900:Maritime history of Europe 3543:Pogonowski, Iwo Cyprian. 3506:Butterwick, Richard, ed. 3482: 3389:Józef Andrzej Gierowski – 3185:Second Partition of Poland 3168:Confederation of Targowica 3155:Polish–Russian War of 1792 2869:Second Partition of Poland 2703:Augustus II the Strong by 2619: 2437:of one person or another. 2351:in 1699, Poland recovered 2058:Turkish-Tatar intervention 1987:Charles X Gustav of Sweden 1977:with Russia in 1654, Tsar 1965:defeated Polish armies in 1896: 1720: 1713:against the Commonwealth. 1685:beliefs. According to the 1504: 1391: 1172:Stephen Báthory planned a 1152:(Gdańsk), controlling the 894:of 1569. Oil on canvas by 525:. Historians use the term 449:Timeline of Polish history 4875:Genetic history of Europe 4857: 4662: 4478: 4418: 4385: 4316: 4267: 4219: 4104: 4091: 4082: 3977: 3968: 3828: 3819: 3757: 3748: 3708: 3639: 3630: 3547:Hippocrene, 1987. 321 pp. 3510:Palgrave, 2001. 249 pp. 3466:Federal Research Division 3391:Historia Polski 1505–1764 3366:Historia Polski 1505–1764 2968:First Partition of Poland 2884:Third Partition of Poland 2854:First Partition of Poland 2359:Decay of the Commonwealth 1705:in 1557–8, on his way to 1669:) churches following the 1572:intervened in the affairs 1555:. A constant threat from 1466:, Polish forces occupied 1464:prolonged war with Russia 979:The disappearance of the 900:National Museum in Warsaw 3833:Administrative divisions 2990:and other old abuses of 2117:, the Commonwealth lost 1695:Suleiman the Magnificent 1620:Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1535:" and together with the 821:Great, or Four-Year Sejm 621:Grand Duchy of Lithuania 607:of 1569 constituted the 4880:History of Christianity 4032:Regional GDP per capita 3574:(in Polish and English) 3529:excerpt and text search 3493:(two vols., 1941–1950) 3417:Davies, Norman (1996). 3362:Józef Andrzej Gierowski 3096:Enlightenment in Poland 3094:. During the period of 2813:inherited Saxony after 2349:peace with the Ottomans 2202:, the Polish nobility ( 2160:Church Slavonic liturgy 1741:revolted against Poland 1667:Church Slavonic liturgy 876:Early elective monarchy 832:Targowica Confederation 319:Early elective monarchy 286:10th century–1385 4956:18th century in Poland 4951:17th century in Poland 4946:16th century in Poland 4704:Grand Duchy of Tuscany 4299:Orders and decorations 3215: 3162: 3083: 3062:European Enlightenment 3056: 2980:Confederation of Radom 2975: 2908: 2785: 2707: 2673: 2640:Augustus II the Strong 2554: 2502:. Charles installed a 2448: 2368: 2355:and parts of Ukraine. 2280: 2191: 2053:attempted formal union 2044: 1923: 1788: 1611: 1553:semi-permanent warzone 1528: 1507:Moldavian Magnate Wars 1483:Elector of Brandenburg 1424: 1312: 1247: 1141: 1102:and Poland-Lithuania, 1077: 1023: 976: 903: 576: 568: 4784:Industrial Revolution 3280:List of Polish nobles 3275:List of Polish rulers 3204: 3146: 3108:Industrial Revolution 3078: 3047: 2956: 2950:in the 16th century. 2899: 2790:Stanisław Leszczyński 2783:Stanisław Leszczyński 2781: 2736:Stanisław Leszczyński 2724:Charles XII of Sweden 2702: 2661: 2545: 2496:Charles XII of Sweden 2443: 2366: 2268: 2220:Sigismund II Augustus 2178: 2135:Greek Catholic Church 2096:War against Sigismund 2038: 1906: 1774: 1687:Risāle-yi Tatar-i Leh 1681:minorities, often of 1609: 1518: 1409: 1343:) was created at the 1310: 1238: 1176:alliance against the 1131: 1123:Truce of Jam Zapolski 1066: 1007: 975:rule), by Jan Matejko 964:Sigismund II Augustus 960: 908:Sigismund II Augustus 888: 569:Demokracja szlachecka 202:Territorial evolution 4839:European debt crisis 4834:European integration 4774:Age of Enlightenment 4614:Republic of Florence 4211:World Heritage Sites 3153:, fought during the 3017:Confederation of Bar 2962:. In September 1773 2705:Marcello Bacciarelli 2669:in 1697, painted by 2569:", most notably the 2236:Khmelnytsky Uprising 2102:(1600–1629) and the 1975:Treaty of Pereyaslav 1875:Khmelnytsky Uprising 1757:Khmelnytsky Uprising 1199:' brother, Archduke 1012:at Zenith of Power. 700:Khmelnytsky Uprising 555:in 1505 transferred 40:improve this article 4804:Revolutions of 1848 4734:Early modern France 4515:Anglo-Saxon England 4420:Classical antiquity 3951:Political prisoners 3228:American Revolution 3220:Kościuszko Uprising 3212:Kościuszko Uprising 3207:Battle of Racławice 3010:Russian ambassadors 2831:Catherine the Great 2720:Treaty of Karlowitz 2565:to preserve their " 2477:Treaty of Karlowitz 2279:, 12 September 1683 2232:Jeremi Wiśniowiecki 2230:military commander 2198:and the end of the 2100:Polish–Swedish wars 1998:Brandenburg-Prussia 1899:Second Northern War 1865:. He died in 1672. 1836:Treaty of Andrusovo 1689:(an account of the 1477:Poland escaped the 1437:Battle of Stångebro 1402:Polish–Swedish wars 1321:Counter-Reformation 1302:warfare with Sweden 1298:rebellion in Sweden 1267:Sigismund I the Old 1076:, siege of the city 1055:as King of France. 783:Catherine the Great 739:Lubomirski's Rokosz 643:Counter-Reformation 548:act adopted by the 292:Jagiellonian period 238:Bronze and Iron Age 4910:Crusading movement 4814:Russian Revolution 4649:Hundred Years' War 4545:Maritime republics 4448:Early Christianity 4438:Hellenistic period 4395:Paleolithic Europe 3580:2011-06-24 at the 3550:Sanford, George. 3517:2008-05-04 at the 3500:2008-02-13 at the 3372:), Warszawa 1986, 3313:2010-06-24 at the 3303:Peter K. Gessner, 3245:and its attendant 3224:Tadeusz Kościuszko 3216: 3163: 3150:Battle of Zieleńce 3121:, which historian 3084: 3057: 2976: 2948:guaranteed to them 2917:Czartoryski family 2909: 2819:Heinrich von Brühl 2795:besieged in Danzig 2786: 2708: 2674: 2610:Partitioned Poland 2559:aristocratic clans 2555: 2500:Great Northern War 2459:from the gates of 2449: 2388:Kingdom of Prussia 2369: 2281: 2210:monarchs, elected 2192: 2111:Truce of Andrusovo 2045: 2041:Truce of Andrusovo 1963:Bohdan Khmelnytsky 1957:, allied with the 1938:, became known as 1936:Henryk Sienkiewicz 1924: 1887:invasion by Sweden 1854:shook the throne. 1789: 1777:Bohdan Khmelnytsky 1635:landed noble class 1631:Republic of Nobles 1612: 1541:Republic of Venice 1529: 1446:went through its " 1425: 1333:Eastern Christians 1313: 1265:, the daughter of 1251:Sigismund III Vasa 1248: 1241:Sigismund III Vasa 1213:Sigismund III Vasa 1183:. He proposed an 1160:, controlling the 1142: 1078: 1024: 977: 934:Henrician Articles 904: 851:Tadeusz Kościuszko 787:Kingdom of Prussia 475:History portal 364:Partitioned Poland 329:Deluge and decline 4918: 4917: 4844:COVID-19 pandemic 4789:French Revolution 4764:Habsburg monarchy 4744:Cossack Hetmanate 4724:Portuguese Empire 4714:Absolute monarchy 4709:Thirty Years' War 4604:Holy Roman Empire 4529:Bulgarian Empire 4488:Early Middle Ages 4405:Bronze Age Europe 4379:History of Europe 4345: 4344: 4312: 4311: 4234:Ethnic minorities 4078: 4077: 3964: 3963: 3917:Political parties 3863:Foreign relations 3815: 3814: 3744: 3743: 3700:Poland since 1989 3533:Davies, Norman. 3523:Davies, Norman. 3421:Europe: A History 3351:978-0-300-10586-5 3243:French Revolution 3232:Alexander Suvorov 3104:Permanent Council 3070:George Washington 3030:Habsburg monarchy 2906:Bernardo Bellotto 2799:Duchy of Lorraine 2754:became a Russian 2740:Battle of Poltava 2710:In alliance with 2694:Roman Catholicism 2628:John III Sobieski 2519:decided to annex 2467:to roll back the 2465:European alliance 2453:John III Sobieski 2407:Jagiellon dynasty 2329:rescuer of Vienna 2318:Great Turkish War 2216:Jagiellon dynasty 2196:John Casimir Vasa 2119:left-bank Ukraine 2022:Stefan Czarniecki 1994:Frederick William 1928:Thirty Years' War 1879:Cossack uprisings 1733:Władysław IV Vasa 1701:during a stay in 1675:Cossack uprisings 1521:Times of Troubles 1479:Thirty Years' War 1444:Tsardom of Russia 1360:rebellion of the 1096:Ivan the Terrible 985:elective monarchy 973:Jagiellon dynasty 912:Jagiellon dynasty 862:national uprising 806:Bar Confederation 791:Habsburg monarchy 789:and the Austrian 777:from the time of 716:John III Sobieski 557:legislative power 511: 510: 463:Poland portal 440: 439: 412: 411: 347: 346: 300: 299: 268:Early Middle Ages 116: 115: 108: 90: 4963: 4779:Great Divergence 4694:Age of Discovery 4639:Late Middle Ages 4609:High Middle Ages 4520:Byzantine Empire 4503:Christianization 4493:Migration Period 4428:Classical Greece 4400:Neolithic Europe 4372: 4365: 4358: 4349: 4348: 4325: 4089: 4088: 4070: 3997:Economic history 3987:Balcerowicz Plan 3975: 3974: 3826: 3825: 3762:Cities and towns 3755: 3754: 3695:Communist Poland 3675: 3667: 3637: 3636: 3616: 3609: 3602: 3593: 3592: 3575: 3557:Stone, Daniel. 3469: 3452: 3451: 3441: 3440: 3424: 3414: 3408: 3407: 3400: 3394: 3387: 3381: 3359: 3353: 3334: 3328: 3323: 3317: 3301: 3040:National revival 2944:Eastern Orthodox 2880: 2865: 2850: 2587:eastern neighbor 2552:Second Partition 2548:May Constitution 2498:, beginning the 2343:. Only when the 2341:Duchy of Prussia 2299:Battle of Vienna 2277:Battle of Vienna 2222:, died in 1572. 2113:of 1667 and the 1852:Jerzy Lubomirski 1697:by an anonymous 1596:Battle of Cecora 1487:Duchy of Prussia 1448:Time of Troubles 1412:Sermon of Skarga 1394:Time of Troubles 1379:Truce of Altmark 1371:Truce of Deulino 1341:Slavonic liturgy 1275:wars with Sweden 1193:Time of Troubles 1156:River trade and 704:Swedish invasion 523:Late Middle Ages 515:early modern era 503: 496: 489: 473: 472: 471: 461: 460: 459: 436: 425: 424: 404:Communist Poland 360: 359: 339:Three partitions 315: 314: 278: 277: 273:Christianization 190:Military history 146: 136: 118: 117: 111: 104: 100: 97: 91: 89: 48: 24: 16: 4971: 4970: 4966: 4965: 4964: 4962: 4961: 4960: 4921: 4920: 4919: 4914: 4853: 4819:Interwar period 4794:Napoleonic Wars 4658: 4629:Mongol invasion 4582:Crown of Aragon 4474: 4414: 4410:Iron Age Europe 4381: 4376: 4346: 4341: 4328: 4321: 4308: 4263: 4215: 4181:Public holidays 4100: 4074: 4068: 4062:Venture capital 3960: 3890:Law enforcement 3811: 3797:Protected areas 3740: 3704: 3673: 3665: 3626: 3620: 3582:Wayback Machine 3573: 3568: 3519:Wayback Machine 3502:Wayback Machine 3487: 3481: 3479:Further reading 3461:Country Studies 3458: 3449: 3445: 3444: 3437: 3415: 3411: 3402: 3401: 3397: 3388: 3384: 3360: 3356: 3335: 3331: 3324: 3320: 3315:Wayback Machine 3302: 3298: 3293: 3256: 3159:Wojciech Kossak 3141: 3128:individual veto 3117:" produced the 3042: 2984:Nicholas Repnin 2894: 2887: 2881: 2872: 2866: 2857: 2851: 2835:three partition 2827: 2807: 2776: 2728:war with Sweden 2712:Peter the Great 2656: 2648:House of Wettin 2642:, and his son, 2624: 2618: 2567:golden freedoms 2517:Peter the Great 2446:First Partition 2361: 2312:Europe and the 2263: 2173: 2168: 2092:Treaty of Oliva 2088: 1901: 1895: 1871: 1797:war with Sweden 1769: 1729: 1721:Main articles: 1719: 1673:and by several 1639:Polish language 1604: 1513: 1505:Main articles: 1503: 1404: 1392:Main articles: 1390: 1349:Orthodox Church 1317:Catholic Church 1233: 1228: 1170: 1085:Stephen Báthory 1061: 1049:Henry of Valois 1039:In April 1573, 1037: 1022:By Jan Matejko. 938:Henry of Valois 891:Union of Lublin 883: 878: 855:Cracow (Kraków) 830:The nobility's 779:Peter the Great 743:John II Casimir 714:'s dependency. 666:Stephen Báthory 639:Catholic Church 628:Western culture 617:Crown of Poland 605:Union of Lublin 537:Napoleonic Wars 507: 469: 467: 457: 455: 451: 442: 441: 434: 422: 414: 413: 408:1945–1989 398:1939–1945 388:1918–1939 384:Second Republic 378:1914–1918 368:1795–1918 357: 349: 348: 343:1764–1795 333:1648–1764 323:1572–1648 312: 302: 301: 296:1385–1572 263: 253: 252: 228: 218: 217: 216: 154: 134: 127: 112: 101: 95: 92: 49: 47: 37: 25: 12: 11: 5: 4969: 4959: 4958: 4953: 4948: 4943: 4938: 4933: 4916: 4915: 4913: 4912: 4907: 4902: 4897: 4892: 4887: 4882: 4877: 4872: 4867: 4861: 4859: 4855: 4854: 4852: 4851: 4846: 4841: 4836: 4831: 4826: 4821: 4816: 4811: 4806: 4801: 4796: 4791: 4786: 4781: 4776: 4771: 4769:Russian Empire 4766: 4761: 4759:British Empire 4756: 4754:Dutch Republic 4751: 4749:Swedish Empire 4746: 4741: 4736: 4731: 4729:Spanish Empire 4726: 4721: 4719:Ottoman Empire 4716: 4711: 4706: 4701: 4696: 4691: 4690: 4689: 4679: 4674: 4668: 4666: 4660: 4659: 4657: 4656: 4651: 4646: 4641: 4636: 4634:Serbian Empire 4631: 4626: 4621: 4616: 4611: 4606: 4601: 4579: 4574: 4569: 4568: 4567: 4562: 4557: 4552: 4542: 4541: 4540: 4535: 4527: 4522: 4517: 4512: 4507: 4506: 4505: 4495: 4490: 4484: 4482: 4476: 4475: 4473: 4472: 4470:Late antiquity 4467: 4462: 4457: 4456: 4455: 4445: 4440: 4435: 4433:Roman Republic 4430: 4424: 4422: 4416: 4415: 4413: 4412: 4407: 4402: 4397: 4391: 4389: 4383: 4382: 4375: 4374: 4367: 4360: 4352: 4343: 4342: 4340: 4339: 4334: 4327: 4326: 4318: 4317: 4314: 4313: 4310: 4309: 4307: 4306: 4301: 4296: 4295: 4294: 4284: 4279: 4273: 4271: 4265: 4264: 4262: 4261: 4256: 4251: 4246: 4241: 4236: 4231: 4225: 4223: 4217: 4216: 4214: 4213: 4208: 4203: 4198: 4193: 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3589: 3584: 3567: 3566:External links 3564: 3563: 3562: 3555: 3548: 3541: 3531: 3521: 3512:online edition 3504: 3483:Main article: 3480: 3477: 3476: 3475: 3443: 3442: 3435: 3409: 3395: 3382: 3354: 3337:Timothy Snyder 3329: 3318: 3295: 3294: 3292: 3289: 3288: 3287: 3282: 3277: 3272: 3267: 3262: 3255: 3252: 3140: 3137: 3041: 3038: 2970:in the Polish 2964:Tadeusz Rejtan 2925:Potocki family 2893: 2890: 2889: 2888: 2882: 2875: 2873: 2867: 2860: 2858: 2852: 2845: 2826: 2823: 2806: 2803: 2775: 2772: 2655: 2652: 2632:Prince-elector 2620:Main article: 2617: 2614: 2469:Ottoman Empire 2422:The nobles or 2360: 2357: 2333:Crimean Tatars 2306:Western Europe 2262: 2259: 2190:fields in 1669 2172: 2169: 2167: 2164: 2156:Greek Catholic 2152:Greek Orthodox 2125:Polish culture 2106:(1655–1660)). 2087: 2084: 1959:Crimean Tatars 1897:Main article: 1894: 1891: 1870: 1867: 1768: 1765: 1718: 1715: 1711:open rebellion 1671:Union of Brest 1663:Greek Catholic 1616:Roman Catholic 1603: 1600: 1557:Crimean Tatars 1502: 1499: 1460:Ottoman Empire 1456:False Dimitris 1389: 1386: 1345:Synod of Brest 1337:Eastern ritual 1329:Union of Brest 1292:that made the 1290:personal union 1261:of Sweden and 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1201:Maximilian III 1169: 1166: 1060: 1057: 1036: 1033: 1018:Royal election 1014:Golden Liberty 981:ruling dynasty 943:pacta conventa 882: 879: 877: 874: 808:of 1768 was a 795:royal election 775:Russian Empire 760:Wettin dynasty 747:confederations 724:deliver Vienna 690:Ottoman Empire 652:Union of Brest 633:Following the 613:personal union 578:Rzeczpospolita 519:Polish history 509: 508: 506: 505: 498: 491: 483: 480: 479: 478: 477: 465: 444: 443: 438: 437: 431: 429:Third Republic 423: 420: 419: 416: 415: 410: 409: 406: 400: 399: 396: 390: 389: 386: 380: 379: 376: 370: 369: 366: 358: 355: 354: 351: 350: 345: 344: 341: 335: 334: 331: 325: 324: 321: 313: 308: 307: 304: 303: 298: 297: 294: 288: 287: 284: 276: 275: 270: 264: 259: 258: 255: 254: 251: 250: 245: 240: 235: 229: 224: 223: 220: 219: 215: 214: 209: 207:Jewish history 204: 199: 198: 197: 187: 182: 177: 172: 167: 162: 156: 155: 152: 151: 148: 147: 139: 138: 129: 128: 121: 114: 113: 28: 26: 19: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 4968: 4957: 4954: 4952: 4949: 4947: 4944: 4942: 4939: 4937: 4934: 4932: 4929: 4928: 4926: 4911: 4908: 4906: 4903: 4901: 4898: 4896: 4893: 4891: 4888: 4886: 4883: 4881: 4878: 4876: 4873: 4871: 4868: 4866: 4865:Art of Europe 4863: 4862: 4860: 4856: 4850: 4847: 4845: 4842: 4840: 4837: 4835: 4832: 4830: 4827: 4825: 4822: 4820: 4817: 4815: 4812: 4810: 4807: 4805: 4802: 4800: 4797: 4795: 4792: 4790: 4787: 4785: 4782: 4780: 4777: 4775: 4772: 4770: 4767: 4765: 4762: 4760: 4757: 4755: 4752: 4750: 4747: 4745: 4742: 4740: 4737: 4735: 4732: 4730: 4727: 4725: 4722: 4720: 4717: 4715: 4712: 4710: 4707: 4705: 4702: 4700: 4697: 4695: 4692: 4688: 4685: 4684: 4683: 4680: 4678: 4675: 4673: 4670: 4669: 4667: 4665: 4664:Modern period 4661: 4655: 4652: 4650: 4647: 4645: 4642: 4640: 4637: 4635: 4632: 4630: 4627: 4625: 4622: 4620: 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3711: 3707: 3701: 3698: 3696: 3693: 3691: 3688: 3686: 3683: 3681: 3678: 3676: 3670: 3668: 3664:Early Modern 3662: 3660: 3657: 3655: 3652: 3650: 3647: 3646: 3644: 3642: 3638: 3635: 3633: 3629: 3624: 3617: 3612: 3610: 3605: 3603: 3598: 3597: 3594: 3588: 3585: 3583: 3579: 3576: 3570: 3569: 3560: 3556: 3553: 3549: 3546: 3542: 3540: 3536: 3532: 3530: 3526: 3522: 3520: 3516: 3513: 3509: 3505: 3503: 3499: 3496: 3492: 3489: 3488: 3486: 3473: 3467: 3463: 3462: 3456: 3455:public domain 3447: 3446: 3438: 3436:0-19-820171-0 3432: 3428: 3423: 3422: 3413: 3405: 3399: 3392: 3386: 3379: 3378:83-01-03732-6 3375: 3371: 3367: 3363: 3358: 3352: 3348: 3344: 3343: 3338: 3333: 3327: 3322: 3316: 3312: 3309: 3306: 3300: 3296: 3286: 3283: 3281: 3278: 3276: 3273: 3271: 3268: 3266: 3263: 3261: 3258: 3257: 3251: 3248: 3244: 3239: 3237: 3233: 3229: 3225: 3221: 3213: 3209: 3208: 3203: 3199: 3197: 3193: 3188: 3186: 3182: 3177: 3176:defensive war 3173: 3169: 3160: 3156: 3152: 3151: 3145: 3136: 3133: 3129: 3124: 3123:Norman Davies 3120: 3116: 3111: 3109: 3105: 3101: 3097: 3093: 3089: 3081: 3077: 3073: 3071: 3067: 3063: 3054: 3050: 3046: 3037: 3035: 3031: 3027: 3022: 3018: 3013: 3011: 3007: 3003: 2999: 2995: 2994: 2989: 2985: 2981: 2973: 2969: 2965: 2961: 2960: 2955: 2951: 2949: 2945: 2940: 2939: 2934: 2930: 2926: 2922: 2918: 2915:, led by the 2914: 2907: 2903: 2898: 2885: 2879: 2874: 2870: 2864: 2859: 2855: 2849: 2844: 2843: 2842: 2840: 2836: 2832: 2822: 2820: 2816: 2812: 2802: 2800: 2796: 2791: 2784: 2780: 2771: 2769: 2765: 2761: 2757: 2752: 2748: 2743: 2741: 2737: 2733: 2729: 2725: 2721: 2717: 2713: 2706: 2701: 2697: 2695: 2691: 2687: 2683: 2679: 2672: 2668: 2664: 2660: 2651: 2649: 2645: 2641: 2637: 2633: 2629: 2623: 2613: 2611: 2607: 2603: 2602:Enlightenment 2597: 2595: 2590: 2588: 2584: 2578: 2576: 2572: 2568: 2564: 2560: 2553: 2549: 2544: 2540: 2538: 2534: 2530: 2526: 2522: 2518: 2514: 2510: 2505: 2501: 2497: 2493: 2489: 2485: 2480: 2478: 2474: 2470: 2466: 2462: 2458: 2454: 2447: 2442: 2438: 2436: 2431: 2430: 2425: 2420: 2417: 2412: 2408: 2403: 2401: 2400:vetoing power 2397: 2393: 2390:, France and 2389: 2385: 2381: 2376: 2374: 2365: 2356: 2354: 2350: 2346: 2342: 2338: 2334: 2330: 2325: 2323: 2319: 2315: 2311: 2307: 2302: 2300: 2296: 2292: 2288: 2287:John Sobieski 2285: 2278: 2274: 2272: 2267: 2258: 2256: 2252: 2248: 2244: 2239: 2237: 2233: 2229: 2225: 2221: 2217: 2213: 2209: 2205: 2201: 2197: 2189: 2185: 2181: 2177: 2163: 2161: 2157: 2153: 2149: 2144: 2143:Royal Prussia 2140: 2139:Ducal Prussia 2136: 2133: 2130: 2126: 2122: 2120: 2116: 2112: 2107: 2105: 2101: 2098:(1598–1599), 2097: 2093: 2083: 2080: 2079: 2073: 2071: 2070:Dnieper River 2067: 2063: 2059: 2054: 2050: 2042: 2037: 2033: 2031: 2027: 2023: 2019: 2015: 2011: 2010:Ducal Prussia 2006: 2004: 1999: 1995: 1992: 1988: 1984: 1980: 1976: 1972: 1968: 1964: 1960: 1956: 1952: 1949: 1945: 1941: 1937: 1933: 1929: 1922: 1918: 1914: 1910: 1905: 1900: 1890: 1888: 1884: 1880: 1876: 1866: 1864: 1861:and became a 1860: 1855: 1853: 1849: 1845: 1841: 1837: 1833: 1832:Dnieper River 1829: 1825: 1821: 1817: 1813: 1808: 1806: 1802: 1798: 1794: 1787: 1786: 1782: 1778: 1773: 1764: 1762: 1758: 1754: 1748: 1746: 1742: 1738: 1734: 1728: 1724: 1714: 1712: 1708: 1704: 1700: 1699:Polish Muslim 1696: 1692: 1688: 1684: 1680: 1676: 1672: 1668: 1664: 1660: 1656: 1652: 1646: 1644: 1640: 1636: 1632: 1628: 1625: 1621: 1617: 1608: 1599: 1597: 1591: 1589: 1585: 1581: 1577: 1573: 1569: 1564: 1562: 1558: 1554: 1550: 1546: 1542: 1538: 1534: 1526: 1522: 1517: 1512: 1508: 1501:Southern wars 1498: 1496: 1492: 1488: 1484: 1480: 1475: 1473: 1469: 1465: 1461: 1457: 1453: 1449: 1445: 1440: 1438: 1434: 1430: 1422: 1418: 1414: 1413: 1408: 1403: 1399: 1395: 1385: 1382: 1380: 1376: 1372: 1367: 1365: 1363: 1357: 1352: 1350: 1346: 1342: 1338: 1334: 1330: 1327:circles. The 1326: 1322: 1318: 1309: 1305: 1303: 1299: 1295: 1291: 1286: 1284: 1280: 1276: 1272: 1268: 1264: 1260: 1259:John III Vasa 1256: 1252: 1246: 1243:, painted by 1242: 1237: 1226:House of Vasa 1223: 1221: 1220:House of Vasa 1218: 1214: 1210: 1206: 1202: 1198: 1194: 1190: 1186: 1182: 1179: 1175: 1165: 1163: 1162:Daugava River 1159: 1155: 1151: 1147: 1139: 1135: 1130: 1126: 1124: 1120: 1116: 1112: 1109: 1105: 1101: 1097: 1093: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1082:Transylvanian 1075: 1074: 1070: 1065: 1056: 1054: 1050: 1046: 1042: 1032: 1029: 1021: 1019: 1015: 1011: 1006: 1002: 999: 995: 990: 986: 982: 974: 970: 969: 965: 959: 955: 953: 949: 945: 944: 939: 936:(named after 935: 930: 927: 923: 922: 917: 913: 909: 906:The death of 901: 897: 893: 892: 887: 873: 871: 867: 863: 859: 856: 852: 847: 845: 841: 837: 833: 828: 826: 822: 817: 815: 811: 807: 802: 800: 796: 792: 788: 784: 780: 776: 771: 769: 765: 761: 758: 754: 753: 748: 744: 740: 736: 731: 729: 725: 721: 717: 713: 709: 705: 701: 698: 693: 691: 687: 683: 679: 675: 674:Sigismund III 671: 667: 662: 660: 657: 653: 648: 644: 640: 636: 631: 629: 626: 622: 618: 614: 610: 606: 601: 599: 595: 591: 590: 585: 581: 579: 574: 570: 566: 562: 558: 554: 551: 547: 546: 540: 538: 534: 530: 529: 524: 520: 516: 504: 499: 497: 492: 490: 485: 484: 482: 481: 476: 466: 464: 454: 453: 452: 450: 446: 445: 432: 430: 427: 426: 418: 417: 407: 405: 402: 401: 397: 395: 392: 391: 387: 385: 382: 381: 377: 375: 372: 371: 367: 365: 362: 361: 353: 352: 342: 340: 337: 336: 332: 330: 327: 326: 322: 320: 317: 316: 311: 306: 305: 295: 293: 290: 289: 285: 283: 280: 279: 274: 271: 269: 266: 265: 262: 257: 256: 249: 248:Polish tribes 246: 244: 241: 239: 236: 234: 231: 230: 227: 222: 221: 213: 210: 208: 205: 203: 200: 196: 193: 192: 191: 188: 186: 183: 181: 178: 176: 173: 171: 168: 166: 163: 161: 158: 157: 150: 149: 145: 141: 140: 137: 131: 130: 125: 120: 119: 110: 107: 99: 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: 67: 64: 60: 57: –  56: 52: 51:Find sources: 45: 41: 35: 34: 29:This article 27: 23: 18: 17: 4824:World War II 4677:Early modern 4654:Kalmar Union 4525:Papal States 4443:Roman Empire 4282:Coat of arms 4221:Demographics 4171:Polish names 4141:Folk beliefs 4114:Architecture 4052:Unemployment 3992:Central bank 3868:Human rights 3848:Constitution 3690:World War II 3663: 3558: 3551: 3544: 3534: 3524: 3507: 3490: 3460: 3420: 3412: 3398: 3390: 3385: 3365: 3357: 3340: 3332: 3326:Soldier Khan 3321: 3304: 3299: 3240: 3217: 3205: 3189: 3171: 3164: 3147: 3112: 3085: 3066:Edmund Burke 3058: 3021:Frederick II 3014: 3006:protectorate 3001: 2991: 2988:liberum veto 2987: 2977: 2957: 2938:liberum veto 2936: 2929:Catherine II 2921:liberum veto 2920: 2910: 2900:Election of 2837:stages. The 2828: 2811:Augustus III 2808: 2787: 2756:protectorate 2744: 2709: 2675: 2644:Augustus III 2625: 2605: 2598: 2594:liberum veto 2593: 2591: 2583:buffer state 2579: 2575:Augustus III 2571:liberum veto 2570: 2562: 2556: 2529:protectorate 2504:puppet ruler 2481: 2450: 2435:liberum veto 2434: 2429:liberum veto 2427: 2423: 2421: 2410: 2404: 2377: 2370: 2326: 2322:Danube River 2303: 2282: 2275:, after the 2269: 2240: 2227: 2208:Vasa dynasty 2193: 2123: 2108: 2104:Northern War 2089: 2076: 2074: 2051:included an 2046: 2026:East Prussia 2013: 2007: 1939: 1925: 1872: 1859:Jesuit order 1856: 1840:East Prussia 1809: 1803:and city of 1793:John Casimir 1790: 1775: 1749: 1744: 1730: 1723:Smolensk War 1693:written for 1691:Lipka Tatars 1686: 1647: 1613: 1592: 1580:Transylvania 1565: 1530: 1495:German state 1476: 1441: 1426: 1417:Piotr Skarga 1410: 1383: 1368: 1361: 1353: 1314: 1287: 1249: 1245:Martin Kober 1185:anti-Ottoman 1171: 1143: 1111:Jan Zamoyski 1092:Livonian War 1089: 1079: 1067: 1038: 1027: 1025: 1010:The Republic 1008: 997: 978: 961: 941: 931: 925: 919: 905: 889: 848: 829: 818: 809: 803: 772: 768:Augustus III 752:liberum veto 750: 732: 694: 678:Władysław IV 663: 661:took place. 632: 602: 587: 543: 541: 539:in 1800 AD. 531:to refer to 528:early modern 526: 521:follows the 514: 512: 447: 421:Contemporary 394:World War II 310:Early Modern 309: 282:Piast period 180:Coat of arms 165:Polonization 102: 93: 83: 76: 69: 62: 50: 38:Please help 33:verification 30: 4809:World War I 4799:Nationalism 4687:Reformation 4672:Renaissance 4644:Black Death 4577:Kievan Rus' 4480:Middle Ages 4254:Health care 4206:Video games 4146:Folk dances 3982:Agriculture 3922:Politicians 3721:Demographic 3680:World War I 3674:(1795–1918) 3666:(1569–1795) 3654:Middle Ages 3088:Montesquieu 2913:One faction 2751:Frederick I 2747:Brandenburg 2690:Lutheranism 2667:Augustus II 2537:Augustus II 2488:Augustus II 2398:to use his 2345:Holy League 2245:, with the 2132:East Slavic 2121:to Russia. 1983:Lwów (Lviv) 1917:Brandenburg 1883:Berestechko 1739:in Ukraine 1624:East Slavic 1533:Christendom 1207:during the 1138:Jan Matejko 1090:During the 996:and lesser 916:interregnum 896:Jan Matejko 838:ended when 764:Augustus II 730:onslaught. 635:Reformation 433:1989– 374:World War I 261:Middle Ages 160:Polonophile 133:History of 96:August 2012 4925:Categories 4572:Viking Age 4387:Prehistory 4201:Traditions 4151:Literature 4069:(currency) 3912:Parliament 3853:Corruption 3291:References 3181:Jacobinism 3172:status quo 3148:After the 3115:Great Sejm 3004:a Russian 2815:his father 2513:at Poltava 2455:drove the 2347:concluded 2249:occupying 2109:After the 2030:recognized 2018:Protestant 2005:(Gdańsk). 1561:Cossackdom 1433:Charles IX 1421:polemicist 1356:absolutism 1331:split the 1325:Protestant 1294:Baltic Sea 1146:Baltic Sea 1108:Chancellor 1053:Charles IX 1043:'s sister 745:and other 647:Protestant 630:eastward. 580:szlachecka 545:Nihil novi 533:the period 66:newspapers 4619:Feudalism 4590:Catalonia 4259:Languages 4249:Education 4176:Name days 4047:Transport 3927:President 3880:Judiciary 3858:Elections 3782:Mountains 3750:Geography 3192:Black Sea 3132:bourgeois 3026:Joseph II 2998:protector 2839:third one 2646:, of the 2310:Christian 2255:Habsburgs 1948:Ukrainian 1942:, or the 1934:laureate 1848:rebellion 1781:Tugay Bey 1627:Ruthenian 1584:Wallachia 1566:In 1595, 1537:Habsburgs 1525:Vasili IV 1519:Russia's 1472:Władysław 1263:Catherine 1174:Christian 1041:Sigismund 962:Death of 659:uprisings 625:spreading 596:and then 594:Jagiellon 559:from the 243:Antiquity 233:Stone Age 212:Statehood 4858:See also 4829:Cold War 4624:Crusades 4594:Valencia 4332:Category 4239:Refugees 4186:Religion 3907:Military 3821:Politics 3731:Military 3726:Economic 3716:Cultural 3709:By topic 3659:Monarchs 3641:Timeline 3578:Archived 3515:Archived 3498:Archived 3380:, p. 239 3311:Archived 3254:See also 3092:Rousseau 3002:de facto 2993:szlachta 2684:'s son, 2682:John III 2665:of King 2663:Election 2563:szlachta 2550:and the 2525:Cossacks 2424:szlachta 2416:poll tax 2411:szlachta 2295:John III 2271:Sobieski 2228:szlachta 2204:szlachta 2180:Election 2127:and the 2066:Smolensk 2014:de facto 1951:Cossacks 1921:Cossacks 1919:and the 1828:Smolensk 1759:and the 1745:szlachta 1737:Cossacks 1703:Istanbul 1683:reformed 1659:Orthodox 1622:, where 1576:Moldavia 1568:magnates 1539:and the 1375:Smolensk 1364:(gentry) 1362:szlachta 1271:Catholic 1181:Ottomans 1134:magnates 1028:szlachta 1020:in 1573. 998:szlachta 994:magnates 989:election 952:senators 926:szlachta 921:szlachta 898:, 1869, 858:declared 840:the King 810:szlachta 741:against 688:and the 619:and the 598:elective 589:szlachta 185:Monarchs 124:a series 122:Part of 4699:Baroque 4598:Majorca 4510:Francia 4323:Outline 4304:Polonia 4269:Symbols 4196:Theatre 4129:Cuisine 4106:Culture 4096:Lawyers 4084:Society 4042:Tourism 4027:Poverty 4012:Exports 3970:Economy 3802:Regions 3772:Islands 3767:Forests 3632:History 3028:of the 2768:Prussia 2764:Austria 2732:Livonia 2716:Podolia 2521:Livonia 2475:by the 2473:Podolia 2392:Austria 2373:anarchy 2353:Podolia 2314:Islamic 2251:Podolia 2224:Michael 2150:) were 2148:Belarus 2090:In the 1834:by the 1820:Silesia 1801:Livonia 1651:Ukraine 1643:culture 1588:Hungary 1545:Cossack 1489:on the 1442:As the 1283:Prussia 1279:Livonia 1217:Swedish 1205:Byczyna 1197:Mathias 1189:crusade 1178:Islamic 1154:Vistula 1148:ports: 1132:Polish 1119:Polotsk 1115:Livonia 1069:Báthory 968:Knyszyn 728:Turkish 726:from a 720:in 1683 712:Tsardom 708:Ukraine 697:Cossack 656:Cossack 615:of the 600:kings. 582:). The 435:present 80:scholar 4586:Aragon 4565:Amalfi 4550:Venice 4538:Second 4337:Portal 4277:Anthem 4124:Cinema 4067:Złoty 4022:Mining 4007:Energy 3895:Police 3807:Rivers 3736:Postal 3623:Poland 3472:Poland 3457:. 3433:  3376:  3349:  3196:Danzig 2886:(1795) 2871:(1793) 2856:(1772) 2760:Russia 2636:Saxony 2626:After 2492:Saxony 2461:Vienna 2386:, the 2384:Russia 2380:Sweden 2284:Hetman 2200:Deluge 2158:(both 2129:Uniate 2003:Danzig 1991:vassal 1979:Alexis 1944:Deluge 1913:Russia 1909:Sweden 1814:; the 1761:Deluge 1735:, the 1679:German 1665:(both 1491:Baltic 1468:Moscow 1431:under 1400:, and 1255:Sweden 1150:Danzig 1100:Russia 686:Sweden 682:Russia 672:kings 573:Polish 565:Polish 550:Polish 356:Modern 153:Topics 135:Poland 126:on the 82:  75:  68:  61:  53:  4555:Genoa 4533:First 4244:Crime 4229:Poles 4191:Sport 4166:Names 4161:Music 4156:Media 3777:Lakes 3157:. By 2904:, by 2686:Jakub 2606:naród 2457:Turks 2247:Turks 2078:potop 2064:near 1940:potop 1932:Nobel 1779:with 1707:Mecca 1549:Tatar 1239:King 1104:Pskov 1073:Psków 757:Saxon 584:state 87:JSTOR 73:books 4560:Pisa 4292:list 4287:Flag 4134:Wine 3944:List 3932:List 3873:LGBT 3431:ISBN 3374:ISBN 3347:ISBN 3247:wars 3218:The 3090:and 3068:and 2972:Sejm 2793:was 2766:and 2396:sejm 2337:Kiev 2188:Wola 2154:and 2141:and 2075:The 2047:The 2028:was 1971:1652 1969:and 1967:1648 1955:Kiev 1873:The 1863:monk 1844:fief 1824:Kiev 1805:Riga 1785:Lwów 1753:tsar 1725:and 1661:and 1655:Jews 1641:and 1586:and 1509:and 1339:and 1315:The 1281:and 1158:Riga 1117:and 1045:Anna 948:sejm 868:was 819:The 804:The 766:and 676:and 670:Vasa 603:The 561:king 553:diet 542:The 513:The 195:Wars 175:Name 170:Flag 59:news 4119:Art 4002:EEZ 3885:Law 3427:699 2692:to 2634:of 2186:on 2182:of 1996:of 1850:of 1783:at 1574:of 1098:of 1071:at 966:at 722:to 517:of 42:by 4927:: 4596:, 4592:, 4588:, 3470:- 3464:. 3429:. 3364:– 3339:, 3072:. 2801:. 2770:. 2650:. 2638:, 2612:. 2382:, 2301:. 2238:. 2218:, 1915:, 1911:, 1889:. 1826:, 1807:. 1645:. 1582:, 1563:. 1497:. 1439:. 1415:. 1396:, 1304:. 1285:. 1222:. 1211:. 1125:. 1016:. 860:a 801:. 762:, 692:. 684:, 575:: 567:: 4600:) 4584:( 4371:e 4364:t 4357:v 3615:e 3608:t 3601:v 3474:. 3468:. 3439:. 3406:. 3161:. 3055:. 2974:. 2146:( 1547:- 1423:. 902:. 502:e 495:t 488:v 109:) 103:( 98:) 94:( 84:· 77:· 70:· 63:· 36:.

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History of Poland

Polonophile
Polonization
Flag
Name
Coat of arms
Monarchs
Military history
Wars
Territorial evolution
Jewish history
Statehood
Prehistory and protohistory
Stone Age
Bronze and Iron Age
Antiquity
Polish tribes

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