Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1569–1795)
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| Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania Królestwo Polskie i Wielkie Księstwo Litewskie Lenkijos Karalystė ir Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė | |
|---|---|
| 1569–1795 | |
 Royal banner
 Coat of arms
| |
 Poland–Lithuania in 1620 with vassal states in light green | |
| Capital | Kraków (de jure) Warsaw (de facto) |
| Dominant mode of production | Feudalism |
| Government | Elective monarchy |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,000,000 km²(1618) |
| Population | |
• 1582 estimate | 8,000,000 |
The Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, commonly known as the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, was a large confederation in Eastern Europe that existed from 1569 to 1795. The peasants suffered under feudal exploitation while the aristocracy enjoyed an elected Diet.[1]
History
Partition
In 1795, Catherine Romanov defeated Poland and annexed Lithuania and southern Latvia.[2]
Government
Unlike hereditary monarchies, a council of nobles elected the king of Poland. Serfs had no power in these elections.[3]
References
- ↑ Domenico Losurdo (2011). Liberalism: A Counter-History: 'Were Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century England and America Liberal?' (p. 125). [PDF] Verso. ISBN 9781844676934 [LG]
- ↑ W. P., Zelda K. Coates (1940). Russia, Finland and the Baltic: 'Russia, Finland and the Baltic States' (p. 15). [PDF] London, England: Lawrence & Wishart Ltd..
- ↑ Domenico Losurdo (2011). Liberalism: A Counter-History: 'Crisis of the English and American Models' (p. 131). [PDF] Verso. ISBN 9781844676934 [LG]