Third Partition of Poland - The Terms of The Third Partition

The Terms of The Third Partition

Following the end of the Kosciuszko rebellion, Austria, Prussia, and Russia decided to put an end to the unrest by wiping Poland off of the map of Europe. On October 24, 1795, the representatives of the Russian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Kingdom of Prussia assembled to write the treaty formally dissolving the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and all of her institutions, though the conquering powers did not sign the treaty until January 26, 1797 in St. Petersburg. Despite a heated disagreement between Austria and Prussia over the division of land that almost led the negotiations to collapse, it was eventually agreed that Austria would receive the territories of Western Galicia and Southern Masovia, along with approximately 1.2 million people; Prussia received Podlachia, the remainder of Masovia, and Warsaw, with 1 million people; and Russia received the remainder, including the city of Vilnius and 1.2 million people Since Poland no longer existed as a national entity following the Kosciuszko Rebellion, the conquering powers found no need to force approval from a Polish representative as they had done with the previous partitions. The partition coalition forced King Stanislaw to abdicate and he retired to St. Petersburg as Catherine II’s trophy prisoner, where he died in 1798. Austria, Russia, and Prussia sought to permanently erase the existence of Poland, even down to the country’s name, as proven by a secret and separate article signed by the partition coalition:

"In view of the necessity to abolish everything which could revive the memory of the existence of the Kingdom of Poland, now that the annulment of this body politic has been effected…the high contracting parties are agreed and undertake never to include in their titles…the name or designation of the Kingdom of Poland, which shall remain suppressed as from the present and forever…"