Nation and Memory Polish History Week 4 1

2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven Outline Origins 2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven 4. From the Deluge to the Partitions of Poland 5. Conclusion 2

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966 Mieszko I (Piast dynasty) was baptised – Latin Church 997 Bishop Adalbert (Wojciech) dies – first national saint Polands 1000 Act of Gniezno, Otto III and Bolesław the Brave 1025 Bolesław crowned as first Polish King 1050 Polish court to Cracow 1126 Mazovian Prince Conrad invited the Order of Teutonic Knights to Northern Poland 1241 Mongol invasion, stopped in Silesia 4

2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven Outline Origins 2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven 4. From the Deluge to the Partitions of Poland 5. Conclusion 5

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1364 Cracow (Kraków) University founded 1333 Casimir the Great (III) crowned – golden era of Polish Middle ages, new towns, conquest of Southwest Rus 1364 Cracow (Kraków) University founded 1386 Personal Union between Grand Principality of Lithuania and Kingdom of Poland, Polish heiress Jadwiga marries Grandprince Jogaila (Jagiełło) of Lithuania (baptism of Lithuanians) 7

Grand Principality of Lithuania Lithuanians: pagan, baltic tribe (princes and knights: war lords of Medieval Europe) Elite: Lithuanian and Ruthenian knights Majority of population: Orthodox Ruthenians (Belarussians, Ukrainians) Peasants: Ruthenians and Lithuanians Court language: Court Slavonic Questions: why Latin Church and not Orthodox Church, why Poland and not Vladimir/Muscovy?

Conflict with Teutonic Order 1410 Battle of Grunwald (in German history: Tannenberg), Polish-Lithuanian troops defeat Teutonic Order 1466 Treaty of Toruń between Poland and Teutonic Order, Gdańsk to Poland, control of West Prussia 1525 Teutonic Order was secularized and became vassal of Poland

Battle of Grunwald 1410 (Jan Matejko, 1878)

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2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven Outline Origins 2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven 4. From the Deluge to the Partitions of Poland 5. Conclusion 13

Common Parliament (Sejm) Common Foreign Policy and Currency Union of Lublin 1569 United Kingdom of Poland and Grand Principality of Lithuania in one single state – the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth The monarch (King of Poland and Grand Prince of Lithuania) was elected by the Polish and Lithuanian nobility and crowned in Cracow Common Parliament (Sejm) Common Foreign Policy and Currency But separate administrations, judicial systems, finances, armies 14

An old Latin proverb proclaimed that the Polish Commonwealth was "heaven for the nobles, purgatory for the townsfolk, hell for the peasants, and paradise for the Jews."

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From: Norman Davies: God‘s Playground. A History of Poland. Vol 1 From: Norman Davies: God‘s Playground. A History of Poland. Vol 1. New York 1982 Wappen „Jelita“ 18

Prerogatives of the King (ca. 1600) Commands the Army Calls the banns of the nobility together, but needs the approval of the Sejm Is not responsible to the Sejm, but has to obey the Articuli Henriciani and the Pacta Conventa Supreme power off sessions of the Sejm Appoints ambassadors, but his right to give them directives is restricted Appoints high officials and commanders of the Army, but cannot easily dismiss them Appoints bishops Controls crownland and can give land as a feud no noblemen 19

Zerrissener Reichstag Liberum Veto Right of Resistance Confederation Zerrissener Reichstag Liberum Veto (Latin "free veto") was a parliamentary device in the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth that allowed any deputy of the Sejm to force an immediate end to the current session and nullify all legislation already passed during the session. The first time used in 1652. If the king violates ‚natural law‘, the Articuli Henriciani or the Pacta Conventa (de non praestanda-obedienta) does the nobility have the right to organise resistance against the king An alliance of noblemen, to act for national interests but also to act for particular interests, the King can be part of such a confederation Parliament, which finishes a session period without having made any decisions, without a law having passed – because of use of Liberum Veto 20

Social structure of Poland-Lithuania, 1600 Norman Davies: God‘s Playground. A History of Poland. Vol 1. New York 1982 21

2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven Outline Origins 2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven 4. From the Deluge to the Partitions of Poland 5. Conclusion 22

Wars 1576-1699 1576-1582 War against Moscow 1600-1611 War against Sweden (Zebrzydowski-Rebellion 1606/7) 1609-1619 War against Moscow 1582 Victory: Gain of Livland and Polock Polish victories, but no changes Victory, Peace of Deulina, Gain of Smolensk and Chernigov 1620-1621 War against Ottoman Empire 1621-1629 War against Sweden 1632-1634 War against Moscow, Conflict with Sweden No changes Defeat: Peace of Altmark, Sweden gains some coastal cities Victory: Renewal of Deulina Sweden gives coastal cities back, confirmation of Polish rule in Livland 1648-1654 Cossack Uprising 1654-1655 War against Moscow 1655-1660 War against Sweden (Potop – Deluge) 1658-1667 War against Moscow 1665-1666 Lubomirski Uprising 1672-1676, 1683-1699 Wars against Ottoman Empire Mostly defeats, some victories Stopped 1660 Peace of Oliva: Status quo, Loss of Livland Defeat: Peace of Andrusovo: Loss of leftbank Ukraine with Kiev Defeat and Victory: Loss and Regain of Podolia and part of rightbank Ukraine 23

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August the Strong, King of Poland, Elector of Saxony King Jan III Sobieski 25

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Peter the Great, painting by Paul Delaroche (1797-1856) Charles XII of Sweden Peter the Great, painting by Paul Delaroche (1797-1856) 27

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1657 Treaty of Wehlau: Independence of Duchy of Prussia 1699-1721 Great Northern War 1717 Silent Sejm: Start of Russian Protectorate 1730 Russia, Prussia, Austria agree to uphold status quo in Poland 1733-35 War of succession 1764 Stanislaw August Poniatowski 1768-1772 Confederation of Bar against Russia (and King) 1772 First Partition of Poland

Catherine II (the Great) of Russia Painting by Johann Baptist Lampi, 1794 Friedrich II, der Große (Frederik the Great) of Prussia Painting by Antoine Pesne, 1745 Maria Theresia of Austria Ölgemälde von Martin van Meytens, 1747-49 30

Rejtan or Poland‘s Fall (1772), Jan Matejko 1866 31

1772-1791 Reform efforts culminating in Great or Four- Year-Sejm (1788-1791) 32

Constitution of May 3rd, 1791 Catholic confession – state religion, other confessions/religions tolerated Nobility: liberties and rights confirmed Towns and burghers: habeas corpus, right to buy land, access to many offices, not represented in Parliament (Sejm) Peasants: legal protection, rights and possessions guaranteed, new foreign settlers completely free Division of power: Executive (King and government), Legislation (Sejm), independent judicial system King from House Wettin (Saxony) – new ruling family Army: Polish people/nation has to defend herself – people‘s army 33

Confederation of Targowica (against reforms, appealing to Catherine II for help - 1792 Second Partition of Poland 34

1795 Third Partition of Poland 1794 Kosciuszko uprising 1795 Third Partition of Poland After the Battle of Racławice (1794), painting by Jan Matejko (end of 19th c.) 35

2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven Outline Origins 2. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3. The Nobleman‘s Heaven 4. From the Deluge to the Partitions of Poland 5. Conclusion 36

Why was Poland partitioned and what can be done to regain independence? God’s Punishment – Sins Evilness of Prussia, Austria, Russia – Break of international law Weakness of old Polish Constitution – Anarchy, not Liberty Guilt of noble factions - treason Oppression of peasants Polish Backwardness Back to Catholic values, support Catholic Church, pray and live virtuous life Uprisings, waiting for international crisis, European war Restitution of May Constitution 1791, liberal Constitution, stronger government Fight against traitors, replacement of nobility in national leadership Liberation of peasants, (National) Education of Peasants Modernisation, Polish Middle Class, Organic Work

Suchodolski: The death of Józef Poniatowskis at Leipzig