Historical calendar – an anniversary of the abdication of the legal king of the Republic, Stanisław Leszczyński. The usurper August III Sas gained power by force.
Today, in our calendar, we will look at the turbulent events accompanying the penultimate alleged "free election".
The fight for the crown began after the death of August II the Strong in 1733. His chance to return to the Polish throne was seen in this event by Stanisław Leszczyński, who had previously become king 2 decades earlier thanks to the protection of Swedish ruler Charles XII, during the 3rd North War.
This time Leszczyński had another protector, in the individual of King Louis XV of France, who was his son-in-law. The French prepared susceptible ground for the return of Leszczyński. Ambassador Antoine-Felix de Monti spared no bribes to get the most influential magnate families.
Also crucial was the attitude of interrex primate Teodor Potocki, who during the electoral parliament pushed the exclusion of foreigners from the list of candidates. Convincing the nobility to vote for the “king of the Piast” would not require any money. Besides, it was entirely right from the point of view of our state. abroad monarchs, in principle, have not served us.
Leszczyński was elected by the Sejm in accordance with the applicable law, crushing the number of over 13,000 votes. He was so the legal ruler of the Republic. Unfortunately, for Austria, Prussia and Russia, this meant strengthening France's position in this part of Europe. Although Vienna and Petersburg had previously agreed to exclude August III from the conflict for the throne, this time they looked at him with a more gracious eye.
He appeared to them as the only counter-candidate to satisfy them, while guaranteeing Poland's persistence in the interior crisis and external weakness. Wettyn received their support for the price of relinquishing his rights to the imperial throne in Austria and promising to surrender Kurland to Russia's sphere of influence.
By the time the nobility chose Leszczyński, the borders of the Republic of Poland had already crossed the Saxon and Russian troops. On the news, part of the nobles – mainly Lithuanian magnates – left the selection field and founded a break-up Seymik on the another side of the Vistula. Secessionists met with Russian troops and little than a period after the election of Leszczyński, they chose King August III Sasa.
Leszczyński, who had no crucial armed forces at his disposal, had to flee Warsaw. He took refuge in Gdańsk. August went to Krakow to crown himself as King of Poland.
Meanwhile, the Russians and Saxons went to Gdansk. The city over Motława defended itself for almost a year. Leszczyński expected meals from France during this time. This 1 sent 3 ships, on which there were about 1,200 soldiers, and they did not very much want to fight for Leszczyński. In a desperate desanction on Westerplatte and storming into Saxon positions the expedition commander was killed Louis Robert Hippolyte de Bréhan number de Plélo.
At the time of the surrender of the city, Leszczyński dressed up as a peasant and fled to Królewiec. From there he tried to direct an armed uprising against the usurper. In fact, John and Adam Tarłów, who organized the chaotic Confederation, were at the head of the troops. Meanwhile, Austria's speech against the Leszczyński election became a casus belli for France. In the alleged war on Polish succession, the issue of the throne of the Republic of Poland was only 1 of the objectives of Louis XV. The main nonsubjective of the war was to grow France's sphere of influence in Europe.
Louis recognized Leszczyński's defeat, and the king had to abdicate, for the second time, on January 26, 1736, without the protector's support. The war ended on its own, and during the peace talks, the parties determined that Leszczyński would renounce the Polish throne, in return for which he would receive a life possession of Lorraine.
The pacific parliament of June-July 1736 pardoned the insurgents. Interestingly, it was the only parliament under August III who was not broken by the Veto Liberal.
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.
