First Partition of Poland

The First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The first partition was carried out by the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Empire and was ratified by the Polish parliament (Sejm) in 1773 (see the Partition Sejm).

Background

In the late 17th century and early 18th century the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been reduced from the status of a major European power to that of a Russian protectorate (or vassal or satellite state, with the Russian tsar effectively choosing Polish-Lithuanian monarchs and deciding the outcome of much of Poland's internal politics; see for example the Repnin Sejm).Jerzy Lukowski, Hubert Zawadzki, A Concise History of Poland, "Cambridge University Press", 2001, ISBN 0521559170, [http://books.google.com/books?id=NpMxTvBuWHYC&pg=PA84&dq=Russia+Poland+protectorate&ei=ZUQWSObJOpDAygSs84W6Dw&sig=5f2ULjI3D3Ij2giHUFM5bobop7E Google Print, p.84] ] Hamish M. Scott, "The Emergence of the Eastern Powers, 1756-1775", Cambridge University Press, 2001, ISBN 052179269X, [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&vid=ISBN052179269X&id=lc8EMD0JYUAC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&dq=Repnin+Poland&sig=VSKuu8NyPzm00Z6Rw1BNdGb0FP4 Gooble Print, p.181-182] ]

The First Partition occurred after the balance of power in Europe shifted, with Russian victories against the Ottomans in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) strengthening Russia and endangering Habsburg interests in that region (particularly in Moldavia and Wallachia). From then on Habsburg Austria started to consider waging a war against Russia.Poland, Partitions of. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9060581]

France, friendly towards both Russia and Austria, suggested a series of territorial adjustments, in which Austria would be compensated by parts of Prussian Silesia, and Prussia in turn would receive Polish Ermland (Warmia) and parts of Courland. King Frederick II of Prussia had no intention of giving up Silesia; he was, however, also interested in finding a peaceful solution — his alliance with Russia would draw him into a potential war with Austria, and the Seven Years' War had left Prussia's treasury and army weakened. He was also interested in protecting the weakening Ottoman Empire, which could be advantageously utilized in the event of a Prussian war either with Russia or Austria. Frederick's brother, Henry, spent the winter of 1770—71 as a representative of the Prussian court at Saint Petersburg. As Austria had annexed 13 towns in the Szepes region in 1769, Catherine and her advisor General Ivan Chernyshyov suggested to Henry that Prussia claim some Polish land, such as Ermland. After Henry informed him of the proposal, Frederick suggested a partition of the Polish borderlands by Austria, Prussia, and Russia, with the largest share going to the party most weakened by the recent changes in balance of power, Austria. Frederick attempted to encourage Russia to direct its expansion towards weak and non-functional Poland instead of the Ottomans. Kaunitz counter-proposed that Prussia take lands from Poland in return for relinquishing Silesia to Austria, but this plan was rejected by Frederick.

Although for a few decades (since the times of the Silent Sejm) Russia had seen weak Poland as its own protectorate, Poland had also been devastated by a civil war in which the forces of the Bar Confederation attempted to disrupt Russian control over Poland. Further, the Russian-supported Polish king, Stanisław August Poniatowski, was seen as both weak and too independent-minded; eventually the Russian court decided that the usefulness of Poland as a protectorate had diminished.Poland. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 5, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-28200 . Section: History > The Commonwealth > Reforms, agony, and partitions > The First Partition]

After Russia occupied the Danubian Principalities, Henry convinced Frederick and Maria Theresa that the balance of power would be maintained by a tripartite division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth instead of Russia taking land from the Ottomans. Under pressure from Prussia, which for a long time wanted to annex the northern Polish province of Royal Prussia, the three powers agreed on the First Partition of Poland. This was in light of the possible Austrian-Ottoman allianceEdward Henry Lewinski Corwin, "The Political History of Poland", 1917, p. 310-315 ( [http://books.google.com/books?id=9foDAAAAYAAJ&dq Google Print - public domain - full text online] )] with only token objections from Austria, which would have instead preferred to receive more Ottoman territories in the Balkans, a region which for a long time was coveted by the Habsburgs. The Russians also withdrew from Moldaviawhen away from the Austrian border.

Partition begins

Already by 1770—71, both Austria and Prussia had taken over some border territories of the Commonwealth, with Austria taking Szepes County and Prussia incorporating Lauenburg and Bütow. On February 19, 1772, the agreement of partition was signed in Vienna. A previous agreement between Prussia and Russia had been made in Saint Petersburg on February 6, 1772. Early in August Russian, Prussian and Austrian troops simultaneously entered the commonwealth and occupied the provinces agreed upon among themselves. On August 5, the three parties signed the treaty on their respective territorial gains on the commonwealth's expense.

The regiments of the Bar Confederation, whose executive board had been forced to leave Austria (which previously supported them) after that country joined the Prusso-Russian alliance, did not lay down their arms. Many fortresses in their command held out as long as possible; Wawel Castle in Kraków fell only at the end of April; [pl icon Halina Nehring [http://www.opcja.pop.pl/numer28/28kal.html Kartki z kalendarza: kwiecień] ] Tyniec fortress held until the end of July 1772; [pl icon [http://www.naszradziszow.com/pl/art45.htm Tyniec jako twierdza Konfederatów Barskich] ] Częstochowa, commanded by Kazimierz Pułaski, held until late August. In the end, the Bar Conferation was defeated, with its members either fleeing abroad or being deported to Siberia by the Russians.Norman Davies, "Europe: A History", Oxford University Press, 1996, ISBN 0198201710, [http://books.google.com/books?id=jrVW9W9eiYMC&pg=PA664&dq=Polish+Bar+Siberia&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=-Qnx4AN3txLWtn9WTfaMLO0RM4w Google Print, p.664] ]

Division of territories

The partition treaty was ratified by its signatories on September 22, 1772. It was a major success for Frederick II of Prussia:Norman Davies, "God's Playground: A History of Poland in Two Volumes", Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 0199253390, [http://books.google.com/books?id=b912JnKpYTkC&pg=RA1-PA392&vq=Frederick+partition&dq=Frederick+partition+Davies&lr=&source=gbs_search_s&sig=jzdAqAdKtMUuft_TWEFglh-ktRY Google Print, p.392] ] Prussia's share might have been the smallest, but it was also significantly developed and strategically important. Prussia took most of Polish Royal Prussia, including Ermland, allowing Frederick to link East Prussia and Brandenburg. Prussia also annexed northern areas of Greater Poland along the Noteć River (the Netze District), and northern Kuyavia, but not the cities of Danzig (Gdańsk and Thorn (Toruń). The territories annexed by Prussia became a new province in 1773 called West Prussia. By seizing northwestern Poland, Prussia instantly cut off Poland from the sea, and gained control over 80% of the commonwealth's total foreign trade. Through levying enormous custom duties, Prussia accelerated the inevitable collapse of the commonwealth.

Despite token criticism of the partition from Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, [Frederick II of Prussia wrote about the participation of Maria Theresa in the first partition in a letter: "The Empress Catherine and I are simple robbers. I just would like to know how the empress calmed down her father confessor? She cried, when she took; the more she cried, the more she took!?" Davies, [http://books.google.com/books?id=b912JnKpYTkC&pg=RA1-PA390&vq=Frederick+partition&dq=Frederick+partition+Davies&lr=&source=gbs_search_s&sig=O6URburdADQO6xdxrMT76MbRxms p.390] ] [Sharon Korman, "The right of conquest: the acquisition of territory by force in international law and practice", Oxford University Press, 1996, ISBN 0198280076, [http://books.google.com/books?id=ueDO1dJyjrUC&pg=PA74&dq=Frederick+II+partition+1772&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=DNoG7x4tMGDWRuT4Uihr-SDB7Z4#PPA74,M1 Google Print, p.74] ] Austrian statesman Wenzel Anton Graf Kaunitz considered the Austrian share an ample compensation; despite Austria being the least interested in the partition, it received the largest share of formerly Polish land and population. To Austria fell Zator and Auschwitz (Oświęcim), part of Little Poland embracing parts of the counties of Kraków and Sandomierz (with the rich salt mines of Bochnia and Wieliczka), and the whole of Galicia, less the city of Kraków.

Russia received the largest, but least-important area economically, in the northeast. By this "diplomatic document" Russia came into possession of the commonwealth territories east of the line formed roughly by the Dvina, Drut, and Dnieper rivers — that section of Livonia which had still remained in commonwealth control, and of Belarus embracing the counties of Vitebsk, Polotsk and Mstislavl.

By the first partition the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lost about 30% of its territory, amounting at that time to about 733 000 km2, with a population of four million people (1/3 of its population), close to half of the country population before the partitions.

Aftermath

After having occupied their respective territories, the three partitioning powers demanded that King Stanisław August Poniatowski and the Sejm approve their action. The king appealed to the nations of Western Europe for help and tarried with the convocation of the Sejm. The European powers reacted to the partition with utmost indifference, only a few voices — like that of Edmund Burke — were raised in objection.

When no help was forthcoming and the armies of the combined nations occupied Warsaw to compel by force of arms the calling of the assembly, no alternative could be chosen save passive submission to their will. Those of the senators who advised against this step were threatened by the Russians, represented by the ambassador, Otto von Stackelberg, who declared that in the face of refusal the whole capital of Warsaw would be destroyed by them. Other threats included execution, confiscation of estates, and further increases of partitioned territory; [Historia Encyklopedia Szkolna Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne Warszawa 1993 page 525"Opponents were threatened with executions, increase of partitioned territories, and destruction of the capital"] some senators were arrested by the Russians and exiled to Siberia.Rs|date=May 2008

The local land assemblies (Sejmiks) refused to elect deputies to the Sejm, and after great difficulties less than half of the regular number of representatives came to attend the session led by Marshals of the Sejm, Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł and Adam Poniński; the latter in particular was one of many Polish nobles bribed by the Russians and following their orders. [Jerzy Jan Lerski, Piotr Wróbel, Richard J. Kozicki, "Historical Dictionary of Poland, 966-1945", Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996, ISBN 0313260079, [http://books.google.com/books?id=S6aUBuWPqywC&pg=PA466&dq=Adam+Poni%C5%84ski+bribed&sig=UMTRdzAO_OSc9ytZnQ-_WIOVXZM Google Print, p.466] ] This sejm became known as the Partition Sejm. In order to prevent the disruption of the Sejm via liberum veto and the defeat of the purpose of the invaders, Poniński undertook to turn the regular Sejm into a confederated sejm, where majority rule prevailed. In spite of the efforts of individuals like Tadeusz Rejtan, Samuel Korsak, and Stanisław Bohuszewicz to prevent it, the deed was accomplished with the aid of Poniński, Radziwiłł, and the bishops Andrzej Młodziejowski, Ignacy Jakub Massalski, and Antoni Kazimierz Ostrowski (primate of Poland), who occupied high positions in the Senate of Poland. The Sejm elected a committee of thirty to deal with the various matters presented. On September 18, 1773, the committee formally signed the treaty of cession, renouncing all claims of the commonwealth to the lost territories.

References

Further reading

* Herbert H. Kaplan, "The First Partition of Poland", Ams Pr Inc (June 1972), ISBN 0404036368
* Tadeusz Cegielski, Łukasz Kądziela," Rozbiory Polski 1772-1793-1795", Warszawa 1990
* Władysław Konopczyński "Dzieje Polski nowożytnej", t. 2, Warszawa 1986
* Tomasz Paluszyński, "Czy Rosja uczestniczyła w pierwszym rozbiorze Polski czyli co zaborcy zabrali Polsce w trzech rozbiorach. Nowe określenie obszarów rozbiorowych Polski w kontekście analizy przynależności i tożsamości państwowej Księstw Inflanckiego i Kurlandzkiego, prawnopaństwowego stosunku Polski i Litwy oraz podmiotowości Rzeczypospolitej", Poznań 2006.
* S. Salmonowicz, "Fryderyk Wielki", Wrocław 2006
* Maria Wawrykowa, "Dzieje Niemiec 1648-1789", Warszawa 1976

External links

*James Fletcher [http://history-world.org/poland.htm First Partition Of Poland]
*D. B. Horn, review of The First Partition of Poland by Herbert H. Kaplan, The English Historical Review, Vol. 79, No. 313 (Oct., 1964), pp. 863-864 (review consists of 2 pages), [http://www.jstor.org/pss/560615 JSTOR]
*O. Halecki, Reviewed work(s): British Public Opinion and the First Partition of Poland. by D. B. Horn, American Slavic and East European Review, Vol. 4, No. 3/4 (Dec., 1945), pp. 205-207 [http://www.jstor.org/pss/2491775 JSTOR]
* J. T. Lukowski, "Guarantee or Annexation: a Note on Russian Plans to acquire Polish Territory prior to the First Partition of Poland", Historical Research, Vol. 56 Issue 133 Page 60 May 1983, [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1468-2281.1983.tb01759.x?cookieSet=1]
* [http://historymedren.about.com/library/text/bltxtpoland13.htm The Three Partitions, 1764-95: First Partition] , Library of Congress Country Study
* [http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/web/history/partitions/link.shtml The Period of Partitions (1772-1918)] - resources
*pl icon [http://dziedzictwo.polska.pl/katalog/skarb,Traktaty_polsko-austriackie_dotyczace_I_rozbioru_zawarte_dnia_18_IX_1773_roku_i_16_III_1775_roku,gid,111073,cid,1779.htm Photos of some contemporary documents]
*pl icon [http://pl.wikisource.org/wiki/Traktat_pierwszego_podzia%C5%82u_pomi%C4%99dzy_Rzecz%C4%85pospolit%C4%85_i_Rosj%C4%85_%281773%29 Polish-Russian] and [http://pl.wikisource.org/wiki/Traktaty_polsko-austriackie_dotycz%C4%85ce_I_rozbioru Polish-Austrian] treaties of the First Partition
* [http://unimaps.com/poland-1stPart/index.html Map of the 1st Partition]