The full name of Poland is " Polish Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth" For a person unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Polish language, it probably causes a very understandable misunderstanding. What does this one mean? Rzeczpospolita, and why is Poland called this way and not otherwise?
What does it mean?
Seriously, the term “Rzeczpospolita” (Rzeczpospolita) is just a polonized copy of the Latin “res publica” (republic), and is translated in the same way - a common cause. And this is where the fun begins. In Russian, the word “speech” is translated as language, and when translating the name of the state, a certain pun arises. Public language, or what? But no. The language has absolutely nothing to do with the name of Poland. The fact is that in Polish, and in Ukrainian, and in Belarusian languages, the word “rzech (speech, burn), rich, rech” means “thing”, that is, a matter. That is why the true heirs of Kievan Rus and the descendants of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania do not have any problems understanding the state name.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is a republic.
The history of this colorful name goes back to the deep Middle Ages. Contrary to established stereotypes, Poland acquired such a strange and incredibly beautiful name not in 1989, but much earlier, back in the late Middle Ages, and, as it turns out, there were several Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealths themselves.
I Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Both Nations
The First Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is the name of the territories of the Polish Crown and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This huge republic included central-eastern Poland, three-quarters of Ukraine, all of Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, parts of Estonia, Russia, Moldova and Slovakia. The historical period of the first Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lasted from the end of the 15th century until the First Partition in 1795.
After a long reign, in 1573, in the village of Kamen near Warsaw, the Sejm (Senate, Duma) met, which unanimously elected Henry III of Valois, the son of Henry II and Catherine de Medici, as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The coronation took place on February 21st. Royal power was significantly “curtailed” by the Sejm, and the state was officially named the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of both Nations. Thus, Poland was one of the first in Europe to relegate the importance of the monarchy to the background and become the prototype of a republic in its modern sense.
This page in the history of Poland is usually called “Sarmatian”. Its main achievements are the wars of John II Sobieski, the Saxon period and the Northern War of 1702. The critical point of the collapse of the First RP was the uprising against Russia and Prussia under the leadership of Tadeusz Kościuszka (1792).
First Republic.
II Rzeczpospolita
The stormy beginning of the 20th century destroyed all the usual foundations. State borders changed with enviable regularity, new states arose on the map of Europe. On October 7, 1918, the authorities of the “dying” empires (Austro-Hungarian and German) issued a manifesto proclaiming the independence of the Polish lands. Already on November 11, Poland celebrated the first, and entered a new era called “II Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,” headed by.
The era of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was distinguished by extraordinary economic development, the restoration of a single state language and currency. After many years of stagnation, the state finally received a long-awaited chance for self-determination. However, the era of II RP did not last long. Although its official “finish line” is considered to be July 5, 1945, when at the Yalta Conference it was decided to remove powers from the exiled government, in fact the second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth “rested” in September 1939, after the notorious agreement between Stalin and Hitler. Being between two tyrants, the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth burst like a soap bubble.
Independent Poland.
Rzeczpospolita Polska
From July 1944, the occupation authorities of Soviet Russia began to create their own “legitimate” government on Polish territory. Using prohibited methods (repression, murder, intimidation), Stalin's supporters managed to bleed the Polish underground and arouse sharp negativity among part of the population towards the current government in exile. In July 1945, the last supporters of an independent Poland, the United States and Great Britain, were forced to recognize the Provisional Government of National Unity as the sole representative of the newly created state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Describing this most difficult period of Polish history, it should be noted that the new authorities did not disdain any means. Mass arrests, deportations, murders, political articles, severe censorship. Everything is in the best traditions of the Stalinist era. Life has become better, life has become more fun.
Post-war time.
Polish People's Republic
Naturally, the brutal Stalinist regime could not coexist for long in a state with a century-old European history. In 1952, the situation improved somewhat and Poland was renamed again. This time its title sounded like “Polish People's Republic”. This was caused by a global renaming of the states that were part of the socialist camp - the Hungarian People's Republic, the Romanian People's Republic, etc. After the horrors of World War II and Stalin's terror, Poland entered a new life under this name.
The era of the People's Republic of Poland is highly controversial. On the one hand, there is a grandiose restoration of the state, practically destroyed by World War II, a sharp jump in the economy and industry. On the other hand, there is a widespread shortage, restrictions on rights and freedoms, fear deeply ingrained in the brain and a sharp hostility towards the next occupier. - this is still the same totalitarian state, where each individual citizen was considered from the point of view of his professional suitability.
III Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
1989 Poland is experiencing Martial Law, mass strikes and the rise of Solidarity. The current dictator is trying in every possible way to prevent the collapse of the socialist state. All his attempts are nullified by the victory of Solidarity in the elections. On August 24, Tadeusz Mazowiecki assumed the post of Prime Minister, and on December 29 of the same year, an amendment to the Constitution to change the official name of the state came into force. In 1991, Poland entered a new period of its existence with a new president, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and a new proud name - the Third Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, remaining within the borders of the no longer existing Polish People's Republic.
From this moment on, Poland began a real revival. For the first fifteen years, the country tried in every possible way to throw off the negativity of past eras and, I must admit, it succeeded. After the entry of the Third Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth into the European Union, the state finally began to live its usual life among its European brethren, gathered all its strength and is persistently moving towards prosperity and prosperity.
- (Rzeczpospolita; Polish Rzeczpospolita republic), the traditional name of the Polish state since the end of the 15th century, which was a class monarchy (see CLASS MONARCHY) headed by an elected Sejm (see SEIM (authority)) king. WITH… … encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Rzeczpospolita; Polish Rzeczpospolita republic) the traditional name of the Polish state since the end of the 15th century, which was an estate monarchy headed by a king elected by the Sejm. From the moment of the conclusion of the Union of Lublin in 1569 until... ... Political science. Dictionary.
Exist., number of synonyms: 1 Poland (4) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth- Those interested in history will probably be curious to know that this name (which existed from 1569 to 1759) of our closest Slavic neighbor, the Polish state, was formed as a tracing from the Latin res publica (see republic): ... ... Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language by Krylov
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth- Rzecz Pospolita (source) ... Russian spelling dictionary
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth- (source) ... Spelling dictionary of the Russian language
Rzeczpospolita, formation of the state- At the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries. Poland was one of the strongest powers in Central and Eastern Europe. The political strengthening of Poland was due to the economic growth of the 14th-15th centuries. and stood in close connection with the successful outcome of the fight against the main... ... The World History. Encyclopedia
Coat of arms proposed for the Republic of Three Nations. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Three Nations (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Trojga Narodów) is a political project to transform a confederation ... Wikipedia
This term has other meanings, see Nowogrudok Voivodeship. Novogrudok Voivodeship Lat. Palatinatus Novogrodensis old white. ... Coat of arms ... Wikipedia
Volyn Voivodeship Volyn Voivodeship (Polish: Województwo wołyńskie) voivodeship of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which existed in 1569-1795 as part of the province of Ma ... Wikipedia
Books
- About mannerism and baroque. Essays on the art of Central-Eastern Europe and Latin America of the late 16th-17th centuries, Larisa Tananaeva. The book is dedicated to the art of the early modern period in a region still poorly studied in Russian art history, although the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, like the Holy Roman Empire, which it was then part of...
- Rzeczpospolita poets, Vladimir Britanishsky. In world poetry of the 20th century, Poland is a great poetic power, not inferior to either Russia or America. A book of articles and essays by Vladimir Britanishsky, poet, prose writer, essayist,...
The Union of Lublin is a treaty of union signed between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania on July 1, 1569. Under the terms of this treaty, Poland and Lithuania united into a single union state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth was ruled by a single monarch, who assumed the responsibilities of both the Polish king and the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The power of the king was regulated by the Senate and Parliament (Sejm). The union became a new evolutionary stage in Polish-Lithuanian relations and made the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth a serious competitor for Russia. Among other things, the new united state became the largest in Europe after Russia.
Despite the fact that the Union of Lublin became the most important event in the history of several nations, scientists from different countries give conflicting assessments of this event. Polish historians focus on positive aspects, such as the voluntary creation of the union and the strengthening of all its members through the spread of the influence of progressive Polish culture. Lithuanian historians are more critical of the creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, citing the fact that Poland dominated the union and Lithuania did not have enough rights. Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian historians emphasize that the Polish-Lithuanian union was built on the oppression of the peasants, despite the fact that the situation with the peasantry in Muscovy was no better.
Many historians of Europe agree that the political system laid down by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth formed the basis of the European Union, which is also a voluntary union with a single governing body. However, the EU has a complex political infrastructure, the purpose of which is to protect the interests of all members of the union on equal terms. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was under the great influence of Poland, and there was no talk of equal rights in this commonwealth. Poland's dominance over Lithuania ultimately led to the collapse of the Polish-Lithuanian union.
Forerunners
The signing of the union treaty was preceded by a series of long negotiations. The Lithuanian princes feared that they might lose some of their power if a more powerful government structure appeared in their country. For a long time, Lithuania could not decide to unite with Poland, but the threat of complete defeat in the Livonian War confronted the country with a difficult choice. On the one hand, if Lithuania accepts defeat, it will become part of Russia. On the other hand, the Polish nobility (gentry) did not want to help Lithuania without receiving any reciprocal guarantees from it. Despite the doubts of the Lithuanian nobility, King Sigismund II Augustus insisted on an alliance.
Diet of 1569
The meeting of the Sejm took place in January 1569 near the city of Lublin. The negotiators were unable to reach an agreement. The Polish delegates put strong pressure on the Lithuanians, and the latter left Lublin in protest on March 1, with the support of the voivode Nicholas Radziwill. The nobility feared that in the absence of a deterrent, Sigismund II would now inevitably sign the alliance treaty alone.
The gentry continued its pressure on Lithuania. On March 26, the King of Poland issued a decree that included the lands of Volyn, Podlaska, Podolia and Kyiv in the Polish Kingdom. All these territories were previously part of, and at the time the decree was signed, they belonged to Lithuania. After the annexation of the territories, all nobles who refused to recognize the authority of the Polish king were sentenced to death, and their lands were confiscated by the crown.
The Lithuanians were forced to return to negotiations. This time the delegation was led by Jan Chodkiewicz. The Polish gentry continued to insist on the full inclusion of Lithuanian lands into the Polish crown, but the Lithuanians managed to insist on the creation of a federal state. On June 28, 1569, all differences between the parties were overcome, and the act of unification was signed by the king on July 1 of the same year.
Military support
Poland provided Lithuania with significant military support during the war. Despite the fact that the war was won, Poland refused to return the territories annexed from Lithuania, demanding that it recognize its rights to these lands.
Political situation within the union
The Union of Lublin is considered the greatest achievement of Sigismund II and at the same time his greatest failure. Despite the fact that he was able to create one of the largest states in Europe, which lasted for more than 200 years, Sigismund was unable to carry out the right political reforms to make this system work smoothly. He tried to strengthen the monarchy through the support of the nobility and magnates, but as a result of uncontrolled corruption it fell into disrepair.
The nobility strove with all its might to gain as much power as possible, often resorting to bribery or coercion of its subordinates and colleagues. Conspiracy and patronage among interested parties flourished. As a result, chaos reigned in the political system of the union.
In theory, all nobility within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had equal rights, but in practice this did not work. The state did not have the levers of control and sufficient powers to control the actions of government officials. Over time, this led to each of the tycoons trying to seize more and more power and dislodge their competitors. This order of things led the country to anarchy and internecine clashes.
The Union of Lublin assumed that the merger of Lithuania and Poland into a single state should be carried out on equal terms. Both countries, in theory, retained sufficient autonomy and could have their own army, treasury and laws. In practice, the more developed Poland occupied more seats in the Sejm (three to one).
The creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth implied that a close and friendly union would emerge between the countries of Lithuania and Poland. However, Lithuania constantly sought to strengthen its autonomy and protected itself from Polish influence by all means. The Second Statute of Lithuania, signed in 1566, did not lose its power even after joining the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was eventually transformed into the Third Statute, signed in 1588. However, he disagreed with the laws of the Union of Lublin on many issues.
The Polish nobility began to view the Statute of Lithuania as unconstitutional. The charter of the Union of Lublin stated that not a single law on the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth could contradict the laws of the union.
However, Lithuania insisted that the laws of the Statute were in force on the territory of the country long before its entry into the union. A conflict arose between the countries on this basis, which persisted for many years.
Attempts by the Poles to limit the power of the Lithuanian princes (especially the Sapieha clan) and to unify the laws of the union led to the emergence of the koekwacja praw (for equality) movement in Lithuania. As a result, thanks to this movement, a number of reforms aimed at equalizing the rights of Lithuania and Poland were adopted at the Seimas of 1697.
Religion and culture
Despite the fact that for many peoples of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (for example, Rusyns) the traditional religion was Orthodoxy, Catholicism, traditional for Poland, dominated on the territory of the country. The Ruthenian population occupied the lowest social stratum. They did not accept the Polish language and religion, and this ultimately led to significant social stratification. Some Ruthenian magnates openly resisted the influence of the gentry, continuing to practice Orthodox Christianity and providing children in the territories under their control with a strictly Orthodox education. However, over time, Polish influence became increasingly difficult to resist, and eventually virtually all of the Ruthenian nobility were Polonized.
Decline of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Throughout almost the entire history of its existence, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took part in wars. In 1604, Polish magnates supported False Dmitry and gave him an army, thanks to which another war broke out with Russia. Tension within the state grew due to a huge number of political and religious clashes. Conflicts regularly arose between princes, magnates and the monarchy, which did not contribute to the strengthening of state power. In 1648, the Polish army suffered a crushing defeat, and the troops of Bohdan Khmelnytsky reached the Vistula.
In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the “Flood” began - a period of anarchy, an analogue of the “Time of Troubles” in Russia. A partisan war broke out on Polish territory, as a result of which Poland lost this area. In 1654, Russian troops invaded the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. As a result of this war, Poland lost Kyiv and all areas east of the Dnieper, under the terms of the Andrussovo Truce.
Jan Sobieski was the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, under whom the state was at its peak. After his reign, a series of destructive events began: the Swedish War (1621-1626), the War of the Polish Succession (1733), and a series of wars with Russia, as a result of which the Russians brought their protege to power in Poland. As a result of all these events, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth weakened significantly, and in 1772 the process of dividing the state began.
Heritage of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Union of Lublin served to create the largest union state in Europe. The union signed between Poland and Lithuania formed the basis of the European Union. The experience that the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth has gained over 200 years of its existence has made it possible to create a modern union state, taking into account all the mistakes made in the past. The creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a strong and progressive political decision of its time. It remains of interest as a striking example of the interaction of large national states with a single ruling independent authority.
→ Union of Lublin
On the territory of modern Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania and part of Russia, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, until the end of the 18th century there existed a unique state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. But in 1795 it disappeared from the maps of Europe.
The Livonian War finally undermined the forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. And then it was decided to turn to Poland for help. However, the Poles wanted to take advantage of the situation and demanded the full incorporation of the principality. Despite the fact that the Lithuanian gentry, greedy for Polish liberties, would have agreed to such conditions, the magnates wanted to protect the independence of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Negotiations dragged on for six years. However, on July 1, 1569, a compromise was found. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was united under the control of a single monarch (the King of Poland and the Prince of Lithuania) and a common Sejm. International politics, coins, noble liberties - everything became common. However, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania retained its rights and pursued its own policies. The new association became the most powerful in all of Europe.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (translation into Polish from the Latin expression “Res Publica” - a common cause) was formed as a result of the Union of Lublin in 1569, which united the Kingdom of Poland. It is notable for the fact that during the so-called “age of absolutism” it was practically the only state in Europe that had an elective monarchy and represented a kind of representative democracy. This unique political system was called “gentry democracy”. However, it was precisely in connection with its internal political structure that a political crisis was brewing in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the very beginning of its existence, which ultimately led to the collapse of this state.
Provinces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1629
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth- a federation of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which arose as a result of the Union of Lublin in 1569 and was liquidated in 1795 with the division of the state between Russia, Prussia and Austria. It was located mainly in the territories of modern Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania, as well as in parts of Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and Slovakia. With a single state structure, the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania each had their own administrative apparatus, treasury, army and laws. The head of state was a monarch elected for life by the Sejm, who bore the title of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The specific political regime that existed in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is usually called gentry democracy.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (from Polish rzecz - thing and Polish pospolita - common) is a literal translation from Latin into Polish of the expression Res Publica, which is translated into Russian as “common cause” or “common thing”. The official name of the state is the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Polish: Królestwo Polskie i Wielkie Księstwo Litewskie). Local residents usually called the state simply the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Polish: Rzeczpospolita; Western Russian: Rech Pospolita), and foreigners called it Poland. The Kingdom of Poland itself was called the Crown by local residents, and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was called Lithuania and sometimes the Grand Duchy.
Since the 17th century, the name Most Serene Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Polish: Najjaśniejsza Rzeczpospolita Polska; Latin: Serenissima Res Publica Poloniae) has been used in diplomatic correspondence.
Nowadays the name Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów), which is not authentic, is widely used; it was coined by the Polish writer Pavel Jasenica and became famous after the publication of the historical trilogy of the same name in 1967.
State structure .
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was considered a common state of “both peoples” - Polish and Lithuanian, which meant the totality of representatives of the gentry class of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The supreme power, severely limited on the part of the gentry, belonged to a monarch elected for life, who bore the single title of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Russia and Samogit. Legislative and partly judicial power was in the hands of the Sejm, which consisted of two chambers: the Senate and the Ambassadorial Hut. The Senate consisted of the highest state dignitaries and the Catholic clergy; the Ambassadorial Hut consisted of deputies called ambassadors. Elections of deputies took place at povet sejmiks, which were specially convened meetings of the local gentry before the start of the Sejm. Each povet sent two delegates (called “ambassadors”) to the Sejm, who were given instructions drawn up at the Sejmik, reflecting the position of the povet gentry on the issues discussed at the Sejm.
Coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1617. Motto: “Si Deus Nobiscum quis contra nos (lat.)” - If God is with us, then who is against us?
Being a parliamentary institution, sejmiks also performed the function of local government bodies, representing the main form of realizing the political interests of the gentry, who constantly sought to expand their powers. From a formal and ideological point of view, all representatives of the gentry were equal, although in practice the decisive role in governing the state was played by a small group of the largest landowners - magnates. The influence of magnateria was especially strong in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but over time a similar situation developed in the Kingdom of Poland. Gradually, the small and even middle gentry found themselves dependent on the magnates, since without their support they could not achieve appointments and improve their economic situation. As the influence of the magnates expanded, the sejmik political culture fell into decline, which was due to the weakness of the state apparatus and especially the lack of influence of the central government on the regions.
The election of the monarch took place at an election Sejm held in the vicinity of Warsaw, in which all nobles could take part. Every nobleman also had the right to be elected, and in most cases representatives of foreign dynasties became candidates for the throne. The monarch, elected for life, did not have the right to transfer the throne by inheritance, issue decrees (privileges) that contradict the laws, or arrest a nobleman without trial. Additional restrictions on royal power were imposed by the so-called Henryk Articles, adopted by the monarch before ascending the throne. The political and financial responsibilities of the monarch were determined by another binding agreement known as the Pacta conventa. By signing this agreement, the king and the grand duke refused to transfer the throne by inheritance, pledged to rule in agreement with the royal council of 18 senators, to convene the Sejm at least once every two years, without whose permission not to declare war and peace and not to introduce new taxes. On the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the conditions of the rule of the Grand Duke were also determined by the provisions.
History of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth .
Administrative-territorial division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1619
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a kind of continuation of the Jagiellonian state - a personal (personal) union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which existed since 1385 (with interruptions). In 1569, the Union of Lublin was concluded between Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, according to which both states were united into one - with an elected common monarch (with the double title of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania), a common Sejm, a single foreign policy and a single monetary system. However, both parts retained their administration, treasury (including money issue), army, courts, and the border between the states remained with the collection of customs duties. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania lost significant territories in the south, Volyn, Podolia, and the Kiev region.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was characterized by a unique state structure. Polish historiographers call the first century of its existence the “Golden Age,” as it was for the country’s nobilized minority (the gentry), as well as for many townspeople who enjoyed the benefits of self-government under Magdeburg Law. However, later in the political life of the country, anarchy grew more and more, and catastrophic demographic losses during the wars of the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries predetermined economic decline. In the last years of the country's existence, large-scale reforms were carried out both in the economic and political spheres, with the help of which it was planned to ensure sustainable development of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but at that moment the combined forces of the three neighboring powers destroyed and divided this state among themselves.
At the time of its formation, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was in a state of war with Russia. Thanks to the military reform carried out by King Stefan Batory and his military leadership talents, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth turned the previously unsuccessful course of the war in its favor and ended it with the moderately beneficial Peace of Yam-Zapolsky. Disagreements over the election of a new king after the death of Stephen led to the invasion of the army of the Austrian Empire, which was defeated, and its leader, Archduke Maximilian, was captured. The uprisings of Kosinsky and Nalivaiko at the end of the 16th century, despite their defeat, marked the emergence of the Ukrainian Cossacks as an important political force.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the country's foreign policy became more expansionist; King Sigismund III wages wars with Russia, Sweden, and the Ottoman Empire. Also, the gentry, sometimes with the permission of the king, and sometimes against his will, took part in the Moldavian magnate wars in order to establish control over Moldova. At the same time, some Polish units took part in the Thirty Years' War on the territory of the Holy Roman Empire. Thanks to the skill of commanders such as Jan Chodkiewicz, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth won many victories, however, these wars did not lead to a fundamental change in the geopolitical situation in its favor.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1635
Territory area and population, administrative division and capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth .
For two centuries, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was one of the largest states in Europe. After the signing of the Deulin Truce in 1618, its territory reached a maximum area of 990 thousand km² and remained so until the transfer of the main part of Livonia to Sweden under the Mitau Truce in 1622.
Population:
1580 - 7.5 million people.
1650 - 11 million people.
1771 - 12.3 million people.
The population increased from approximately 7 million in 1569 to 12.3 million in 1771. Before the Union of Lublin, the Kingdom of Poland was populated much more densely than the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where, with an approximately threefold advantage in territory area, the population density was 3-4 times lower. A significant part of the lands of the Grand Duchy was practically deserted (see Wild Field). A similar situation continued later. The population of the state declined most significantly during the years of military hardships and mass epidemics in the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries.
The official capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was Krakow. In 1596, Wawel Castle suffered a fire, so King Sigismund III temporarily moved his residence to Warsaw. Since then, Warsaw remains the de facto capital, although the capital position of the city is not recorded in any document, and Polish kings and Grand Dukes of Lithuania continue to be crowned in Krakow. Warsaw was declared the official capital only following the adoption of the May Constitution of 1791.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth consisted of three provinces. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania constituted a separate province, and the Kingdom of Poland was divided into the Greater Poland and Lesser Poland provinces. The provinces were divided into voivodeships, and those in turn into povets (districts).
Sections of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth .
Revival attempts .
The first attempt to preserve the Polish-Lithuanian state was to transform it into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Three Nations.
An attempt to revive the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth can be called the creation of the Duchy of Warsaw by Napoleon in 1807. Similar attempts were made during the January Uprising (1863-1864) and in the 1920s, when Józef Pilsudski put forward the idea of creating an “Intermarium” - a confederation of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. Modern Poland calls itself the heir of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In Lithuanian historiography, the attitude towards the Polish-Lithuanian union, despite its formally “voluntary” and “mutual” nature, was and remains, with some reservations, generally negative due to the intensive polonization of Lithuanians and Belarusians during this period, as well as due to attempts Poland took possession of Vilna at the beginning of the 20th century, using historical precedents.
Plan
Introduction
1 Title
2 History
2.1 Creation
2.2 History
2.3 Sections of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
2.4 Attempts to revive the union and their failure
3 Territory area and population
4 Capital
5 Administrative divisions
5.1 Greater Poland Province
5.2 Lesser Poland Province
5.3 Grand Duchy of Lithuania
6 Culture and religion
Bibliography
Introduction
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is a federation of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which arose as a result of the Union of Lublin in 1569 and was liquidated in 1795 with the division of the state between Russia, Prussia and Austria. It was located primarily in the territories of modern Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia, as well as partially in the territories of Russia, Estonia, Moldova and Slovakia. The head of state was a monarch elected for life by the Sejm, who bore the title of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The specific political regime that existed in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is usually called gentry democracy.
1. Title
Rzeczpospolita - literal translation from Latin into Polish of the word republic (lat. Res publica) and is translated into Russian as “common cause”. The official name of the state is Rzeczpospolita Crown of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania(Polish Rzeczpospolita Korony Polskiej i Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego; lit. Lenkijos Karalystės ir Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės Respublika; Belor. Rech Papalitaya Karona Polish and Vyalikaga Principality of Lithuania; Ukrainian Republic of the Crown of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania). Local residents usually called the state Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth(Polish Rzeczpospolita; zap.-Russian Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), by foreigners - Poland.
Since the 17th century, the name was used in diplomatic correspondence Most Serene Polish Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth(Polish Najjaśniejsza Rzeczpospolita Polska; lat. Serenissima Res Publica Poloniae).
The name is now widely used Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Both Nations(Polish Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów), which appeared, however, only in the 20th century. In Poland, this name became popular after the publication in 1967 of the historical trilogy of the same name by the Polish writer Pavel Jasenica.
2. History
2.1. Creation
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a kind of continuation of the Jagiellonian state - the Polish-Lithuanian personal union that existed since 1385 (with interruptions). In 1569, the Union of Lublin was concluded between Poland and Lithuania, according to which both states were united into one - with a common king, a common diet, a common foreign policy and a single monetary system. However, both parts retained their administration, treasury, army, and courts.
2.2. Story
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was characterized by a unique state structure. Polish historiographers call the first century of its existence the real “Golden Age”, as it was for the Catholic Polish minority of the country (the gentry), who made up its elite. The second century is characterized by military defeats, including catastrophic demographic losses during the so-called Swedish Flood.
In 1596, the Union of Brest was adopted at a church council. Entering the union, the Polish government, without a doubt, counted on the fact that the union of two Christian confessions would lead to the political unification of the two Slavic peoples. But in practice the opposite happened: the union, instead of the expected unification of the Polish state, led Poland to completely opposite results. Some Polish historians, such as M. Borzynski, believe that “The Union of Brest, instead of leading to religious unity, caused a split in the Russian population and part of it, while remaining faithful to the Eastern Church, was hostile towards the Uniates and supported their Poland."
The policy of polonization and religious oppression causes discontent among the Orthodox East Slavic peoples, whose increased exploitation means a return to serfdom. Popular uprisings are intensifying and anarchy is growing in the political life of the country. The last years of its existence are characterized by unsuccessful attempts at modernization and democratic reforms.
At the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth became involved in military conflicts with almost all of its neighbors. In 1605-1618, the Polish king Sigismund III tried to take advantage of the Time of Troubles in Russia to strengthen his influence in the Russian state, up to the annexation of Russian lands to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. At the beginning of the 17th century, Sigismund III tried to defend his right to the Swedish throne, which forced him to take part in the war in Livonia. Also, Polish nobles, sometimes with the permission of the king, and sometimes against, took part in the Moldavian magnate wars in order to establish control over Moldavia. At the same time, some Polish units took part in the religious conflict in the territory of the Holy Roman Empire.
2.3. Sections of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
First section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth On July 25, 1772, the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia and Austria signed a convention in St. Petersburg, according to which Eastern Belarus and part of the Inflants went to the Russian Empire; Warmia, the voivodeships of Pomerania, Malbork, Chelmin, most of the Inowroclaw, Gniezno and Poznań voivodeships went to Prussia; and the principalities of Auschwitz and Zatorsk, the southern part of the Krakow and Sandomierz voivodeships, the Russian and Belz voivodeships went to Austria.
Second section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth January 12, 1793, Grodno. 20 years after the first partition, Poland is gathering strength, Government reform, economic recovery, Constitution (second in the world, first in Europe) - Not everyone is happy with this, again a confederation, again against the King, but now for Russian intervention with the call of Russian troops. A significant part of Western Belarus and Ukraine goes to Russia, and Gdansk and Torun, almost all of Poland, part of Mazovia and Krakow Voivodeship go to Prussia.
Third section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth On October 13, 1795, the third convention was signed, according to which the lands east of the Bug River and the Neman River were transferred to Russia; Most of the Masovian voivodeship with Warsaw, part of the Troki, Podlaskie and Rawa voivodeships went to Prussia; to Austria - the Krakow, Sandomierz, Lublin voivodeships, part of the Mazowieckie, Podlaskie, Kholm and Brest-Litovsk voivodeships.
Results of three sections As a result of the three sections of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Lithuanian, Western Russian (modern Belarusian and Ukrainian lands) went to Russia (except for part of Ukraine, which went to Austria). The indigenous Polish lands were divided between Prussia and Austria. On January 15, 1797, the last convention was signed, which approved the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, abolished Polish citizenship and completely eliminated the remnants of Polish statehood. Attached to this convention was the 1795 act of abdication of the Polish king Stanislaus Augustus.
2.4. Attempts to revive the union and their defeat
An attempt to revive the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth can be called the creation of the Duchy of Warsaw by Napoleon in 1807. Similar attempts were made during the January Uprising (1863-1864) and in the 1920s, when Józef Pilsudski put forward the idea of creating an “Intermarium” - a confederation of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. Modern Poland calls itself the heir of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In Lithuanian historiography, the attitude towards the Polish-Lithuanian union, despite its formally “voluntary” and “mutual” nature, was and remains, with some reservations, generally negative due to the intensive polonization of Lithuanians and Belarusians during this period, as well as due to the attempts of Poland take possession of Vilna at the beginning of the 20th century, using historical precedents.
3. Territory area and population
| Year | Population, million people | Area, thousand km² | Density, persons per km² |
| 1580 | 7,5 | 865 | 9 |
| 1650 | 11 | 878 | 12 |
| 1771 | 12,3 | 718 | 17 |