Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

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Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów
Flag of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Royal Banner
Royal Coat of arms
Pro Fide, Lege et Rege
The location of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The location of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
CapitalCommonwealth and Crown of the Polish Kingdom: Kraków, Warsaw ca. 1600; Grand Duchy of Lithuania: Vilnius[b]
Common languages
King & Grand Duke 
• 1569–1572
Sigismund II Augustus
• 1764–1795
Stanisław II Augustus
• Privy Council
July 1 1569
• fief of the Ottoman Empire[1]
August 5, 1772
May 3, 1791
January 23, 1793
October 24 1795
1582815,000 km2 (315,000 sq mi)
16181,153,465 km2 (445,355 sq mi)
• 1582
• 1618
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Coat of arms Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
Coat of arms Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
Russian Empire
Today part of Belarus

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (or Union, after 1791 the Commonwealth of Poland) was a state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. The Commonwealth was an extension of the Polish-Lithuanian Union, a personal union between those two states that had existed from 1386. It was the largest[2] and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th-century Europe. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth covered more lands than the present lands of Poland and Lithuania. The lands of the Commonwealth also covered all the lands of present-day Belarus; a large part of Ukraine and Latvia; and western part of present-day Russia.

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth had high levels of ethnic diversity and by religious tolerance.[3] The amount of religious freedom varied over time.[4]

After several decades of prosperity,[5] it entered a period of political,[6] military and economic[7] decline. It ended with the final Partitions of Poland in 1795. Its growing weakness led to it being divided by its more powerful neighbors, Austria, Prussia and the Russian Empire.

Some information[change | change source]

  • In Poland, the official languages were Polish language and Latin language. In Lithuania, the official languages were Old Belarusian, Latin Language, and Lithuanian language.
  • Commonwealth was one of largest countries of its time. It had a large population. At one time, Commonwealth covered about 400,000 square miles. Population was around 11 million. People of different ethnicity lived in Commonwealth.
  • For about 200 years, Commonwealth withstood wars with other powers of Europe of that time: these powers were Muscovy Russians, Ottoman Empire, and the Swedes.
  • The Commonwealth developed a system of laws and legislature. This reduced the power of the monarch. Some concepts of democracy also developed in the Commonwealth and concept like the constitutional monarchy.
  • In theory, the two countries of the Commonwealth were equal. But, Poland had a leading role.
  • The Commonwealth had a leading influence of the Catholic Church. But, the government allowed peoples of different religions to follow their religions. Thus, peoples of many religions lived in the Commonwealth.
  • The Commonwealth also produced a national constitution, the first in Europe.
  • Agriculture was the main economic activity of the persons living in the Commonwealth.

References[change | change source]

  1. Rozkwit i upadek I Rzeczypospolitej, pod redakcją Richarda Butterwicka, Warszawa 2010, s. 28.
  7. The Causes of Slavery or Serfdom: A Hypothesis, discussion and full online text of Evsey Domar (1970) "The Causes of Slavery or Serfdom: A Hypothesis", Economic History Review 30:1 (March), pp18–32
