The Saxon Era - The Wettin Poland
to describe the most important political events of the Saxon era, especially during the rule of Augustus II the Strong;
to list the advantages and disadvantages of the Polish‑Saxon union;
to characterize the reasons and symptoms of the crisis of the Polish state during the Saxon era.
The death of John III Sobieski in 1696 left Poland in a period of interregnum, during which, as it would turn out later, the nobility would elect the king without the assistance of foreign militaries for the last time in history. A double election took place. In the end, the struggle for the throne was won by the Saxon elector Frederick, who assumed the name of Augustus II. The Polish‑Saxon union ostensibly created a robust regional power. The King pursued an active foreign policy. He reclaimed the Podole region, previously lost to Turkey, and he joined the war against Sweden on Russia's side. The war ended with Sweden taking Poland over and deposing Augustus II. The invaders handed the throne to Stanisław Leszczyński. This led to a civil war. After having defeated Augustus II, the King of Sweden decided to attack Russia directly. He sent his armed forces towards Moscow. The decisive clash took place in the Battle of Poltava in 1709. The Swedish army was defeated, and the Swedish King escaped to Turkey. This, in turn, permitted Augustus II to reclaim the throne. After his death, the throne was taken over by his son, Augustus III (1733). His rule saw peace in the country, though it also brought the weakening of Poland on the international stage. The ruler was rarely present in the country, and he did not take great care of its military power either, devoting himself too much to the development of arts and culture. It was during his reign that the famous phrase During the era of the Saxon king let yourself go with eating and drinking! has been coined.
Listen to the recording on the King‑philosopher Stanisław Leszczyński. List his cultural achievements.
Though Stanisław Leszczyński had been “elected” King twice, he did not have an easy time ruling the country. He spent the most of his life abroad as a meritorious ruler of Lorraine. Leszczyński died on 23 February 1766 due to the complications that followed an unfortunate accident. He had suffered extensive burns after his bathrobe caught fire from the fireplace in his palace in Lunéville. He could not be saved by the physicians and died before the age of 90. It can be safely said that none of the Polish kings had ever lived this long.
His diligent education and manners, as well as personal values and mental predispositions rendered him, ever since his youth, a captivating man who found friends with great ease. He was a man of great courtesy, noble manners and broad (if, as per the standards of Enlightenment, superficial) knowledge of many topics. He was a true European.
When, after the Deluge, the army of Charles XII of Sweden invaded the Polish territory in 1704, Leszczyński, heading the confederatedconfederated Polish nobility, entered an alliance with him, and he was promised the Polish crown. This was the way the monarchs were decided in that era. Yet, as soon as 1709, after the Swedes’ defeat at the hands of the Russians in the Battle of Poltava, Stanisław’s fortune turned – Augustus II returned to rule Poland. Leszczyński had to flee; he wandered through Turkey, Sweden, the German Reich, and finally found himself in Alsatia. There, all of sudden, he was informed of the arrival of French envoys asking for the hand of his daughter, Maria, for none other than the King of France, Louis XV. It was 1725. The Polish refugee reportedly lost consciousness from the shock – not long before, after all, he was politically bankrupt. Since then, he dwelled in luxury – his son‑in‑law wouldn’t let him live in poverty. The kingdomless king moved to Castle Chambord on Loire.
In 1733, having received the news of the Wettin’s death, Stanisław’s monarchic ambitions came back to life. He hatched a plan: he went back to Poland on horseback, masquerading as a merchant, and at the same time his doppelganger sailed to Gdańsk. Having arrived in Poland, Leszczyński became the nobility’s favourite. His second election, however, did not do Poland any good. For the next two years, the War of Polish Succession raged on, with the participation of the powers of the time, such as France, Russia, Prussia or Austria. The states that would later partition Poland sought to install another Saxon, Augustus III, on the throne. They succeeded only in 1736; this time, it was the Russian army supporting the “election”. Having lost, Stanisław fled.
He was lucky – once again he experienced the good will of a Bourbon on the French throne. He became the lifelong ruler of the Duchy of Lorraine. In the next three decades of his life, he did his best to appeal to his subjects. He erected grand residences and gardens, and funded libraries. He founded the famous Knights Academy. He was not only an esteemed builder – he was also a great administrator and social benefactor; he built hospitals and orphanages. He was surrounded by famous people – he invited artists and thinkers such as Voltaire and Montesquieu to his court. Even today, the name of Stanisław Leszczyński remains admired in their country. The place that undeniably owes him the most is Nancy, with its exquisite architecture (hosting, among other things, the monument and square of Leszczyński).
Based on:
article titled „Stanisław Leszczyński - król bez królestwa, znany i lubiany... we Francji” which can be found on Natemat.pl web portal.
Justify the statement that the saying “od Sasa do Lasa” (T/N: “from Saxon to Leszczyński”, a saying used to describe situations where one deals with numerous contradictory views or phenomena) is an accurate description of Poland’s situation in the years 1704‑1709.
Read the sentences below. Which are true and which false?
| True | False | |
| In 1698 Saxony, Denmark and Sweden formed an alliance and stipulated an attack on Russia. | □ | □ |
| The Voivod of Poznań, Stanisław Leszczyński, assumed the Polish throne thanks to the support of King Charles XII of Sweden. | □ | □ |
| The Swedish army was defeated in the Battle of Poltava in 1709, and the wounded Charles XII fled to Turkey. | □ | □ |
| The Silent Sejm of 1717 ushered in the “Prussian protectorate” era. | □ | □ |
Set the events in the correct order:
- The Pacification Sejm of 1736 legalizes the state of affairs in Poland. The Saxon and Russian militaries leave the country.
- Augustus II loses the Polish throne. Stanisław Leszczyński becomes King
- The defeat of Swedes in the Battle of Poltava Augustus II regains the throne
- The “Silent Sejm”. An agreement between the King and the nobility under the protection of Russia.
- The alliance of Augustus II (in the name of Saxony) with Russia and Denmark against Sweden
- Augustus II dies. The double election of Augustus III and Stanisław Leszczyński.
- Augustus III crowned King of Poland
- End of the Northern War. Augustus II is left with no gains.
Keywords
Confederation, Treaty of the Three Black Eagles, Silent Sejm
Glossary
Konfederacja - związek zawierany na pewien okres przez szlachtę (lub miasta) dla osiągnięcia określonych celów politycznych; jej członkowie dążyli do wymuszenia na władzy określonych postulatów, lub działali w jej zastępstwie.
Traktat trzech czarnych orłów – inaczej Loewenwolda - przymierze zawarte w grudniu 1732 roku przez Rosję, Prusy i Austrię zakładające wspólną politykę mocarstw wobec Rzeczpospolitej służące jej osłabieniu.
Sejm niemy – jednodniowy sejm obradujący w lutym 1717 r. w Warszawie. Został nazwany „niemym” z powodu niedopuszczenia posłów do głosu z obawie przed zerwaniem obrad.