IV. The Early Modern Period, 1500–1800 > B. Early Modern Europe, 1479–1815 > 5. National Patterns, 1648–1815 > i. Poland > 1690s
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  The Encyclopedia of World History.  2001.
 
 
1690s
 
Unpaid troops became vigilantes throughout Poland. The country faced economic hardship.  1
 
1697–1733
 
AUGUSTUS II (elector of Saxony), king of Poland. He attempted to strengthen the royal power but without much success.  2
 
1699, Jan. 26
 
Treaty of Karlowitz, ending the long war against the Ottoman Empire. The Poles regained Podolia and the Ottoman part of the Ukraine.  3
 
1699
 
Preobrazhenskiy Treaty. Poland and Russia became allies.  4
 
1699
 
Nobility ordered phrases distinguishing the greater and lesser nobility struck from the Sejm's records because they undermined the principle of equality.  5
 
1700–1725
 
Burning witches at the stake reached an apex. Poland had initially burned very few of those convicted but, over the course of the 17th century, those numbers had increased until about half of convictions resulted in burning between 1700 and 1725.  6
 
1700–1721
 
The Great Northern War, which was fought largely on Polish soil (See 1700–1721).  7
By the Treaty of Altranstädt with Sweden (1706), Augustus gave up his claims. The Holy Roman Empire, Brandenburg, England, and Holland all recognized Stanislas. But after the defeat of Charles at Poltava (1709), Augustus returned and drove out his rival.  8
 
1715, Nov
 
The General Confederation of Tornogród. The Polish nobility swore to expel the Saxon king and began a war against him. The king withdrew his troops at the tsar's suggestion while the confederation limited its revenues and the size of the republic's army. The tsar then guaranteed the agreements with a written constitution.  9
 
1717
 
The Silent Sejm. The Sejm, sworn to accept the agreement of the confederation without debate, signed the constitution guaranteeing Russian supremacy and limited military power.  10
 
1718
 
Edict of limitation against all Protestants allowed them to practice their religion freely but forbade them to use it to any personal or political advantage.  11
 
1724, July 16–17
 
The Tumult of Thorn. The Procession of Our Lady was interrupted by Lutheran and Jesuit altercations, which led to a full-scale riot (July 17). Thorn had a larger Lutheran population than Catholic but, at the insistence of the Jesuits, the citizens were charged with sedition. The Burgomaster was beheaded.  12
 
1733–35
 
WAR OF THE POLISH SUCCESSION (See 1733–35). The Poles, supported by France, elected Stanislas Leszchzynski, who had become the father-in-law of Louis XV. The Russians and Austrians insisted on the election of Augustus of Saxony, son of Augustus II. A huge Russian army invaded the country and drove out Stanislas, who withdrew to Danzig. France, supported by Spain and Sardinia, declared war on the empire. French expedition to the Baltic to relieve Danzig (besieged by the Russians from Oct. 1733 onward).  13
 
 
 
The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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