Civil war in Lithuania (1700)

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Civil war in Lithuania refers to the conflict between several powerful magnate families in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The poweful Sapieha family, most powerful in the Grand Duchy, was opposed by the coalition of several other families: the Radziwiłłs, Wiśniowiecki, Pac and Ogiński.

In the late 17th century Sapiehas gained control of many offices of the Grand Duchy; in 1700 Jan Kazimierz Sapieha the Younger was the Lithuanian Grand Hetman, Aleksander Paweł Sapieha the Lithuanian Grand Marshal and Benedykt Paweł Sapieha, the Lithuanian Deputy Treasurer (podskarbi). The Sapieha family had much influence at the royal court, and was able to issue and execute decrees damaging the other families. This had led to the formation of anti-Sapieha coalition among the lesser magnates and the common nobles (szlachta). The Sapiehas were defeated in the battle of Olkieniki (near Valkininkai in modern Lithuania) on 18 November, and have lost their dominant position in the Duchy, never to regain it in the future.

In the aftermath of the civil war, the unrest in the Grand Duchy continued, as the lesser magnates vied for control of the offices and lands of the defeated Sapieha family. This led to the Grand Duchy weak position in the Great Northern War.