Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and, after 1791, the Commonwealth of Poland, was a state of Poland and Lithuania that was ruled by a common monarch. The Commonwealth was an extension of the Polish-Lithuanian Union, a personal union between those two states that had existed from 1386. It was one of the largestNorman Davies, Europe: A History, Pimlico 1997, p. 554: Poland-Lithuania was another country which experienced its 'Golden Age' during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The realm of the last Jagiellons was absolutely the largest state in Europe countries in Europe in the 16th and the 17th centuries and had one of the largest populations. The Commonwealth covered more than the present lands of Poland and Lithuania since it also had all of present-day Belarus, a large part of present-day Ukraine and Latvia, and the western part of present-day Russia.

The Commonwealth had high levels of ethnic diversity and religious tolerance.Halina Stephan, Living in Translation: Polish Writers in America, Rodopi, 2003, , Google Print p373 However, the amount of religious freedom varied over time.Feliks Gross, Citizenship and Ethnicity: The Growth and Development of a Democratic Multiethnic Institution, Greenwood Press, 1999, , Google Print, p122 (notes)

After several decades of prosperity,"In the mid-1500s, united Poland was the largest state in Europe and perhaps the continent’s most powerful nation". "Poland". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 26 June 2009 it entered a period of political,Martin Van Gelderen, Quentin Skinner, Republicanism: A Shared European Heritage, Cambridge University Press, 2002,  Google Print: p54 military and economicThe Causes of Slavery or Serfdom: A Hypothesis , discussion and full online text of Evsey Domar (1970) "The Causes of Slavery or Serfdom: A Hypothesis", Economic History Review 30:1 (March), pp18–32 decline. The Commonwealth ended with the final partition of Poland in 1795. Its growing weakness had led to it being invaded and divided by its more powerful neighbours: Austria, Prussia and Russia.

Some information

In Poland, the official languages were Polish and Latin. In Lithuania, the official languages were Old Belarusian, Latin, and Lithuanian.
The Commonwealth was one of largest countries of its time. It had a large population and at one time covered about 400,000 square miles. Its population was around 11 million. People of different ethnicities lived in the Commonwealth.
For about 200 years, the Commonwealth fought wars with other powers of Europe of that time: Muscovy Russians, the Ottoman Empire, and the Swedish Empire.
The Commonwealth developed a system of laws and legislature that reduced the power of the monarch. Some concepts of democracy also developed in the Commonwealth like constitutional monarchy.
In theory, the two countries of the Commonwealth were equal, but Poland had a leading role.
The Commonwealth had a major influence of the Catholic Church. However, the government allowed  people to practice different religions and so there were many religions in the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth also produced a national constitution, which was the first in Europe.
Agriculture was the main economic activity in the Commonwealth.

References

Notes


Category:1560s establishments
Category:1790s disestablishments in Europe
Category:1795 disestablishments
Category:Former countries in Europe
Category:Former republics