One of the most disgraceful international scandals in history was the distribution of Poland, which in the 18th century was carried out by three neighboring countries. At that time, Poland was a vast and rich kingdom, but one that always lived in perpetual discord. The Polish nobles dominated their kings and imposed on them the agreements of their assemblies that were held in the open air, with all the lords mounted on horseback. For this reason, the crown of Poland was offered several times to foreign princes, and as a consequence came the loss of prestige. Then the most powerful neighboring states (Prussia, Austria and Russia) resolved to dominate by force and divide up the Polish territories (1772) . The deliveries of Poland were three:
First cast (1772)
The one who initiated these distributions was the King of Prussia, Frederick II, who agreed with the Tsarina of Russia, Catherine II, to invade Poland with two armies.
The pretext was the following:
In Poland, laws were passed against the Christians of the Greek Orthodox Church, Catherine came to the defense of the Poles who professed this religion. Austria stepped in to help the colporteurs, and two foreign armies took over much of Poland. Prussia obtained land on the Vistula River with a population of 200,000 souls.
Austria received the region of Galicia and Russia seized the territories located on the banks of the Duina, Nieper and Beresina rivers.
Second cast (1793)
This time the Polish patriots defended their territory with true heroism. In those days the French Revolution had broken out and the ideas of freedom reached Poland.
A great patriot named Kosciusko , who had previously fought for the independence of the United States of North America, gathered 8,000 men and aroused general enthusiasm to defend the Homeland. Russia and Prussia accused him of being a “red Jacobin” and they marched to fight him.
Among the adversaries there was a notable difference in weapons and consequently the Kosciusko guerrillas were defeated. The second cast was completed. Prussia took almost all of the western region and Russia almost all of the eastern region.
Third cast (1795)
The Poles, outraged by such iniquities, forgot their quarrels and took up arms. Russia and Prussia again sought the cooperation of Austria to be able to attack Poland through 3 different borders. The fight was close and bloody. The Poles slaughtered the Russians in Warsaw and the Russian General Suvarof responded with a horrific slaughter in Prague. The heroic Kosciusko and his volunteer army were defeated. The leader fell wounded and was captured by the invaders. With this ended the last national defense effort.
In the third partition Prussia took Warsaw; Austria took over several provinces north of Galicia and Russia occupied Lithuania and reached the Niemen River.
Poland consequently disappeared from the map.