Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth facts for kids

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Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów

1569–1795

Royal Banner

Royal Coat of arms

Motto: Latin: Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos (If God is with us, then who is against us)
Pro Fide, Lege et Rege
(Latin: For Faith, Law and King, since 18th century)

The location of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Capital

Commonwealth and Crown of the Polish Kingdom: Kraków, Warsaw ca. 1600; Grand Duchy of Lithuania: Vilnius

Common languages

See list

Polish
Latin
French
Ruthenian
Lithuanian
German
Hebrew
Yiddish
Italian
Armenian
Arabic
(see Languages section for details)

Religion

See list

Roman Catholic (state religion)
Greek Catholic
Eastern Orthodox Church
Protestantism (various sects)
Judaism
Islam (mainly Tartars and Turks)

Government

Monarchy

King & Grand Duke

• 1569–1572

Sigismund II Augustus

• 1764–1795

Stanisław II Augustus

Legislature

Sejm

• Privy Council

Senate

History

• Union established

July 1 1569

• fief of the Ottoman Empire

1672-1676

• Protectorate of the Russian Empire

1768

• 1st Partition

August 5, 1772

• May 3rd Constitution

May 3, 1791

• 2nd Partition

January 23, 1793

• 3rd Partition

October 24 1795

Area

1582

815,000 km² (315,000 sq mi)

1618

1,153,465 km² (445,355 sq mi)

Population

• 1582

6500000

• 1618

10500000

Preceded by

Succeeded by

	Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
	Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
Russian Empire

Today part of

Belarus

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Moldova

Poland

Russia

Slovakia

Ukraine

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a huge country in Europe. It existed from 1569 to 1795. It was formed when the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania joined together. They had been connected since 1386.

This Commonwealth was one of the biggest and most populated countries in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Its lands covered much more than just modern-day Poland and Lithuania. It also included parts of what is now Belarus, Ukraine, Latvia, and western Russia.

The Commonwealth was known for having many different groups of people. It also allowed a lot of religious freedom. This freedom changed a bit over time.

After a time of being strong and successful, the Commonwealth started to get weaker. It faced problems with its government, army, and economy. In the end, it was divided up by its powerful neighbors: Austria, Prussia, and the Russian Empire. This happened in stages, with the final division in 1795.

What Was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?
Why Did It End?
Images for kids
See also

What Was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a special kind of country. It was a union of two separate states, Poland and Lithuania. They shared one ruler, who was both the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania. This union was created by the Union of Lublin treaty in 1569.

A Giant Country

The Commonwealth was truly massive for its time. It covered about 400,000 square miles (about 1,036,000 square kilometers). At its peak, around 11 million people lived there. These people came from many different backgrounds and spoke various languages.

For about 200 years, the Commonwealth was a strong power. It fought many wars against other big European powers. These included the Russians from Muscovy, the Ottoman Empire, and the Swedes.

A Special Government

The Commonwealth had a unique system of government. It developed laws and a parliament called the Sejm. This system worked to limit the power of the king. It was an early example of a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler's power is limited by a constitution.

Even though Poland and Lithuania were supposed to be equal partners, Poland usually had a stronger role. The Commonwealth also created the first national constitution in Europe in 1791. This was a very important step for its time.

Languages and Religions

Many languages were spoken in the Commonwealth. In Poland, the main languages were Polish and Latin. In Lithuania, people spoke Old Belarusian, Latin, and Lithuanian. Other languages like German, Hebrew, and Yiddish were also common.

The Catholic Church had a strong influence in the Commonwealth. However, the government allowed people of many different religions to practice their faith. This meant that people who were Catholic, Greek Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim lived side-by-side. The Warsaw Confederation of 1573 was an important act that guaranteed religious freedom.

Daily Life and Economy

Most people in the Commonwealth worked in farming. This was the main way people earned a living. The country was known for exporting grains.

Why Did It End?

After a long period of success, the Commonwealth began to decline. It faced many challenges, including wars and internal political problems. Its neighbors, the Russian Empire, Prussia, and Austria, grew stronger.

These powerful neighbors started to take parts of the Commonwealth's land. This process is known as the Partitions of Poland. The first partition happened in 1772. The second in 1793, and the third and final one in 1795. After the third partition, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ceased to exist as an independent country.

Images for kids

The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1526.
The Union of Lublin joined the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at its greatest extent in 1619.
Sigismund III Vasa, who reigned between 1587 – 1632, presided over an era of prosperity and territorial expansion of the Commonwealth.
Sejm (parliament) of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the early 17th century
John III Sobieski, victor over the Ottoman Turks at the Battle of Vienna in 1683.
Augustus II the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, wearing the Order of the White Eagle which he established in 1705.
Partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793 and 1795.
Cereals exports in the years 1619–1799. Agriculture, once extremely profitable to the nobility, became much less so after the mid-17th century.
A historical re-enactor dressed in the Polish Winged Hussars armour
Multi-stage rocket from Artis Magnæ Artilleriæ pars prima by Kazimierz Siemienowicz
Krasiczyn Castle was built between 1580-1631 in the mannerist style.
Wilanów Palace, completed in 1696, exemplifies the opulence of royal and noble residences in the Commonwealth.
Nieborów Palace designed by Dutch architect Tylman van Gameren and built in 1697
Population density of the Commonwealth per each voivodeship in 1650
Saints Peter and Paul Church in Kraków was built between 1597-1619 by the Jesuit order
Original act of the Warsaw Confederation in 1573, the first act of religious freedom in Europe
First anniversary anthem of the Constitution of 3 May 1791 (1792) in Hebrew, Polish, German and French
Topographical map of the Commonwealth in 1764
Statuta Regni Poloniae in ordinem alphabeti digesta (Statutes of the Polish Kingdom, Arranged in Alphabetical Order), 1563
Grand Marshal of the Crown Łukasz Opaliński portraited with the insignium of his power in the parliament - the Marshal's cane, 1640
Rococo iconostasis in the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, designed by Johann Christoph Glaubitz, 1753–1756
18th century amber casket. Gdańsk patronized by the Polish court flourished as the center for amber working in the 17th century.
Stanisław Poniatowski, Commander of the Royal Guards and Grand Treasurer. Painted by Angelika Kauffmann in 1786.
Equestrian portrait of King Sigismund III of Poland, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1624
Tapestry with the arms of Michał Kazimierz Pac, Jan Leyniers, Brussels, 1667–1669
Silver tankard by Józef Ceypler, Kraków, 1739–1745
Example of the merchant architecture: Konopnica's tenement house in Lublin, 1575
Hussars' armours, first half of the 17th century
De republica emendanda (1554) by Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, proposed a deep programme of reforms of the state, society and church.
Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryjny, the first Polish newspaper published on the orders of Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga in 1661
A plate from Michał Boym's Flora Sinensis (1656), the first description of an ecosystem of the Far East published in Europe
Taurus Poniatovii, constellation originated by Marcin Poczobutt in 1777 to honor the king Stanisław II Augustus
Branicki Palace in Białystok, designed by Tylman van Gameren, is sometimes referred to as the "Polish Versailles."
Pažaislis Monastery in Kaunas, Pietro Puttini, built 1674–1712
Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Vilnius, Pietro Puttini, built 1675-1704
Zamość City Hall, designed by Bernardo Morando, is a unique example of Renaissance architecture in Europe, consistently built in accordance with the Italian theories of an "ideal town."
Łańcut Synagogue was established by Stanisław Lubomirski, 1733.