Republic of the Two Nations

See also: Republic of Poland

The Republic of the Two Nations (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów (delivery Jètchpospolita Oboïga Narodouv ), Lithuanian: Abiejų tautų respublika , Belorusse: РэчПаспаліта or Latin РэчПаспалітаАбодвухНародаў , : Regnum Serenissimum Poloniae ) was a federal République aristocratic formed in 1569 starting from the Royaume of Poland and the Grand-Duché of Lithuania, until in 1795 at the time of the last Partition of Poland. Chronology to see the paragraph " The Grand Duchy of Lithuania - union with Poland (1385/1569-1795) " under History of Lithuania.

The European historians indicate it by the joint term of Poland-Lithuania.

This State covered not only the territories of current Poland and the Lithuania, but also the territory of the Bielorussia, most of the Ukraine, Latvia, and the western end of current the Russia (Oblast of Smolensk). In the beginning, the official languages of the federation were the Polish, the Latin , the Lituanien and the Ruthène. Later, Polish became only official language.

The Rzeczpospolita is an extension of the Union of Poland-Lithuania, which existed since 1386. It was one of the largest and more populated States Europe, which, during two centuries, resisted successfully the wars against the teutonic Ordre, the Russian , the Othoman and the Swedish.

The Political system of the republic, often called Democracy of the Nobility or `'' Freedom gilded''', was characterized by a monarchical capacity, framed by a legislation and a diet (Sejm) controlled by the nobility (Szlachta). It was a kind of federation before the letter.

The two States composing the new republic were `'' formally equal''', but actually Poland took a dominant share in the union. The republic was also remarkable to have established one of oldest the Constitution S main roads, and in spite of the influence of the Catholic church, to have practiced a relative religious tolerance, with various degrees it is true, according to the times.

Its economy was primarily based on the Agriculture. The first decade following the creation of the State was true a golden age, but the next century was marked by military defeats, a return to serfdom for the peasants and an increasing anarchy in the political life.

The Duchy of Warsaw, created in 1807, finds its origins in the Republic of the Two Nations. Other movements of rebirth appeared during the Soulèvement of January (1863 - 1864) and in the years 1920, as the attempt at Józef Piłsudski to create a new federation called Fédération Międzymorze (which one can translate by Between two seas , - the Baltique and the Black Sea -) with Lithuania and the Ukraine. Current Poland itself is regarded as being the heiress of the Republic of the Two Nations, while right before the Second world war, the Lithuania took its distances with an association which she considered unfavourable.

History

See also: History of Poland (1569-1795)

The creation of the Republic of the Two Nations by the Union of Lublin in 1569 marked the end of the reign of Sigismond II Auguste, last king of the dynasty Jagellonne. Its death in 1572 was followed of a three years interregnum during which adjustments were made with the constitutional system, which made it possible the nobility (Szlachta) to increase its power and to establish a true elective monarchy.

The republic reached its golden age in first half of the 17th century. Its powerful Parliament, the Sejm was dominated by the noble ones, little laid out to imply itself in the Guerre Thirty Year old which devastated the major part of Europe. The republic could defend its own interests against the Sweden, the Russia, and the vassal of the Ottoman Empire, and had all the leisure to carry out expansionist offensives, sometimes successful, against its neighbors. Carrying out several invasions against the Duchy of Moscow, then weakened by one period of internal disorders. Its troops managed to occupy Moscow September 27th 1610 with the November 4th 1612, until being taken back by a patriotic rising of the Russian nation. (See the article: Guerre enters Russia and Poland (1605-1618))

The power of the Republic weakened after the double blow of 1648. A first shock was carried by largest Rébellion Cossacks of the history (the rising of Khmelnitski, supported by the Tatars of the Crimea, in the Eastern territories of Kresy), who asked for the protection of the Tsar of Russia in 1654. Of this fact the Russian influence grew gradually until supplanting the Polish influence on the Ukraine. The other blow was carried by the Swedish invasion of 1655 (supported by the troops of the duke of Transylvania Georges II Rákóczy and Frederic Guillaume Ier, voter of Brandebourg), known as the Déluge of the history of Poland.

Towards the end of the 17th century, the Republic weakened under the reign of Jean III Sobieski, engaged in alliance with the forces of the emperor Léopold Ier, to destroy the Ottoman Empire. In 1683, the Bataille of Vienna marked a final turning in a 250 years fight, between the forces of the Christian Europe and the ic Ottoman Empire Islam. For this century of long combat against the Moslem projection, the Republic gained the title D Antemurale Christianitati (rampart of Christianity).

At the 18th century, the Republic faced many internal problems and was vulnerable to the foreign influences. The destabilization of the political system carried out it at the edge of the Anarchie. The attempt at reform, made by the Sejm of 1788 - 1792, which leads to the Polish Constitution of May 3rd, 1791, came too late. These neighbors, the imperial Russia, the Kingdom of Prussia and the monarchy of Habsbourg made him undergo several Partitions. In 1795 the Republic of Two Nations was completely unobtrusive chart of Europe. The Poland and the Lithuania took again their independence definitively, like two separated countries, in 1918.

Disparition of the Republic of the chart of Europe

Random links: