The Second and Third Partitions of Poland
The Second Partition of 1793 stripped Poland of roughly half its remaining territory. The shock provoked the Kościuszko Uprising of 1794, in which Kościuszko — veteran of the American Revolutionary War — led a remarkable campaign including peasant volunteers (kosynierzy) armed with scythes. But Kościuszko was outnumbered and ultimately defeated. The Third Partition of 24 October 1795 divided the remaining Polish territories among Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The name 'Poland' was expunged from official documents. For 123 years — through five generations — Poland existed only as an idea, maintained by language, literature, music, and religion. The Catholic Church became the guardian of national memory. The 'Great Emigration' following the 1830 uprising produced a brilliant exile culture in Paris around Chopin, Mickiewicz, and Słowacki.
- Year: 1793 CE
- Category: Political
