The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1733-1795 : light and flame /
Butterwick-Pawlikowski, Richard,1968-author.
A major new assessment of the "vanished kingdom" of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth-one which recognizes its achievements before its destruction. Richard Butterwick tells the compelling story of the last decades of one of Europe's largest and least understood polities: the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Drawing on the latest research, Butterwick vividly portrays the turbulence the Commonwealth experienced. Far from seeing it as a failed state, he shows the ways in which it overcame the stranglehold of Russia and briefly regained its sovereignty, the crowning success of which took place on 3 May 1791-the passing of the first Constitution of modern Europe.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 429-457) and index.
A major new assessment of the "vanished kingdom" of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth-one which recognizes its achievements before its destruction. Richard Butterwick tells the compelling story of the last decades of one of Europe's largest and least understood polities: the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Drawing on the latest research, Butterwick vividly portrays the turbulence the Commonwealth experienced. Far from seeing it as a failed state, he shows the ways in which it overcame the stranglehold of Russia and briefly regained its sovereignty, the crowning success of which took place on 3 May 1791-the passing of the first Constitution of modern Europe.