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The Targowica Confederation ( pl, konfederacja targowicka, , lt, Targovicos konfederacija) was a
confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical iss ...
established by Polish and Lithuanian magnates on 27 April 1792, in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, with the backing of the Russian Empress
Catherine II , en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes , house = , father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp , birth_date = , birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
. The confederation opposed the Constitution of 3 May 1791 and fought in the Polish–Russian War of 1792, which led to the
Second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ea ...
and Third Partitions of Poland.


History

The Targowica confederation opposed the Constitution of 3 May 1791, which had been adopted by the Great Sejm, especially the provisions limiting the privileges of the nobility. The text of the founding act of the confederation was drafted by the Russian general
Vasili Stepanovich Popov Vasili Stepanovich Popov - Popowski (russian: Василий Степанович Попов, pl, Bazyli Popowski; 1743–1822) was an Imperial Russian general and statesman who presided over the office of Prince Potemkin. Bazyli Popowski vel Vas ...
, Chief of Staff of Prince Grigori Alexandrovich Potemkin. Its purpose was proclaimed in the small town of Targowica and the Potocki's estate (now in
Holovanivsk Raion Holovanivsk Raion is a raion (district) of Kirovohrad Oblast in central Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion is the urban-type settlement of Holovanivsk. Its population is On 18 July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukra ...
in
Kirovohrad Oblast Kirovohrad Oblast ( uk, Кіровоградська область, translit=Kirovohradska oblast; also referred to as Kirovohradschyna — uk, Кіровоградщина) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. The administrative center of the ...
,
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
) on May 14, 1792. Four days later two Russian armies invaded the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth without a formal
declaration of war A declaration of war is a formal act by which one state announces existing or impending war activity against another. The declaration is a performative speech act (or the signing of a document) by an authorized party of a national government, ...
. The forces of the Targowica Confederation defeated the troops loyal to the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
, the Sejm and King
Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarc ...
in the Polish–Russian War of 1792. As a result, the King, Poniatowski, formally joined the Confederation. Their victory precipitated the Second Partition of Poland and set the stage for the Third Partition and the final dissolution of the Commonwealth in 1795. 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.


Legacy

The term ''targowiczanin'', which historically applies to each member and supporter of the Targowica Confederation, became a synonym for a traitor, just as ''targowica'' is synonymous with treason. Those meanings still function in the Polish language up to the present day.


Leading members

* Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki: Marshal (head) of the Confederation. Sentenced to death, but never apprehended. Instead, on September 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 '' Général en chef''. Other magnate members: * Józef Ankwicz convicted of treason and sentenced to
hanging Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging ...
on 9 May 1794.Davies, ibid.
Google Prin, p. 540
/ref> * ambassador Karol Boscamp-Lasopolski hanged June 28, 1794. * Franciszek Ksawery Branicki: Sentenced to death during the
Kościuszko Uprising The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794 and the Second Polish War, was an uprising against the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the P ...
, but never apprehended. Having emigrated to Russia, he died at Belaya Tserkov, 1819. * Szymon Marcin Kossakowski: Hanged in
Wilno Vilnius ( , ; see also #Etymology and other names, other names) is the capital and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the munic ...
on April 25, 1794, during the Kościuszko Uprising. * Józef Kazimierz Kossakowski: Bishop. Hanged May 9, 1794, in Warsaw during the Kościuszko Uprising. * Ignacy Jakub Massalski: Bishop. Hanged June 28, 1794, in Warsaw during the Kościuszko Uprising. *
hetman ( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders. Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military ...
Piotr Ożarowski Piotr Ożarowski (; 1725 – 9 May 1794 in Warsaw) was a Polish noble (szlachcic), politic and military commander. Member of the infamous Confederation of Targowica, he reached the offices of Great Crown Hetman and castellan of Wojnice. Early su ...
convicted of treason and sentenced to
hanging Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging ...
on 9 May 1794. *
Seweryn Rzewuski Seweryn Rzewuski (; 13 March 1743 in Podhorce – 11 December 1811 in Vienna) was a Polish nobleman, writer, poet, general of the Royal Army, Field Hetman of the Crown, Voivode of Podolian Voivodeship and one of the leaders of the Targowica ...
Sentenced in absentia by the Supreme Criminal Court to death and the confiscation of his estates. Executed in effigy on 29 September 1794. * Józef Zabiełło convicted of treason and sentenced to
hanging Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging ...
on 9 May 1794.


See also

*
Hetman Party , colorcode = #0067A5 , leader1_title = Leaders , leader1_name = Franciszek Ksawery BranickiStanisław Szczęsny PotockiSeweryn RzewuskiKazimierz Nestor Sapieha , foundation = , dissolution = , headquarters = Kraków , ideology ...


Quotes

* From the Establishing Act of the Targowica Confederation:
"The desires of Her Highness Empress of Russia atherine the Great ally of Rzeczpospolita
he Commonwealth He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
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 Stanisław Poniatowski's abdication and the destruction of the Commonwealth, Szczęsny Potocki said:
"About past Poland and Poles 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."


References

{{Authority control Polish confederations Great Sejm Partitions of Poland 1792 establishments in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Separatism in Poland