Targowica Confederation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Targowica Confederation was a military organization (Latin:"confederatio") of some Polish-Lithuanian nobility, backed by Catherine II of Russia, who opposed the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791, that had been adopted by the "Great" or "Four-Year" Sejm, especially the provisions limiting the privileges of the nobility.
The forces of the Targowica Confederation defeated the forces loyal to the Commonwealth, the Sejm and King Stanisław August Poniatowski in the War in Defense of the Constitution. Their victory precipitated the Second Partition of Poland and set the stage for the Third Partition and the final dissolution of the Commonwealth. This outcome came as a surprise to most of the Confederates, who had wished only to restore the status quo ante and had expected that the overthrow of the May 3rd Constitution would achieve that end.
[edit] Leading members
- Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki: Marshal (head) of the Confederation. Sentenced to death, but never apprehended. Instead, on Septembter 29, 1794, his portrait was hanged (see illustration). In 1795 he was rewarded by Catherine the Great with the Russian Order of Alexander Nevsky and the rank of general en chef.
Other magnate members:
- Franciszek Ksawery Branicki: Sentenced to death during the Kościuszko Uprising but never apprehended. Emigrated to Russia, died at Byela Tserkyev, 1819.
- Szymon Marcin Kossakowski: Hanged April 25, 1794, in Vilnius during the Kościuszko Uprising.
- Józef Kazimierz Kossakowski: Bishop. Hanged May 9, 1794, in Kraków during the Kościuszko Uprising.
- Ignacy Jakub Massalski: Bishop. Hanged June 28, 1794, in Warsaw during the Kościuszko Uprising.
- Seweryn Rzewuski.
[edit] Quotes
- From the Establishing Act of the Targowica Condeferation: "The desires of Her Highness Empress of Russia [Catherine the Great], ally of Rzeczpospolita [the Commonwealth], are and were no other than by using her armies to return to Rzeczpospolita and Poles the freedoms, and especially security and happiness to all citizens"
- One of the founders of the Targowica Confederation, Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki: "Each true Pole, not blinded by the Prussian and royalist cabal, is convinced, that our Fatherland can only be saved by Russia, otherwise our nation will be enslaved". After Stanislaw Poniatowski's abdication and the destruction of the Commonwealth, he said: "About past Poland and Poles [I don't want to talk anymore]. Gone is this country, and this name, as many others have perished in the world's history. I am now a Russian forever."
