Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Nasza Przeszłość

Vol. 88 (1997): Our Past

Articles

Papal diplomacy in the face of the dispute over the Polish throne in 1704-1709

  • Jan Kopiec
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.1997.88.203-225  [Google Scholar]
Published: 1997-12-30

Abstract

The article concerns the position of papal diplomacy towards Stanisław Leszczyński, a rival of Augustus II, during the dispute over the Polish throne at the beginning of the 18th century. At that time, Polish society was divided into two political camps, which caused chaos in the country. Since the election of Stanisław Leszczyński was considered illegitimate, papal diplomacy recognized Augustus II, who was absent in the country, as the king of Poland and maintained official relations with the Sandomierz Confederation, without breaking off contacts with Leszczyński's camp. During the preparations for the war with Sweden, Tsar Peter the Great of Russia intervened in the dispute over the Polish throne. He was looking for a new candidate for the Polish king who could fulfill a similar role towards him as Leszczyński had towards the king of Sweden. Papal diplomacy therefore took active measures to prevent the so-called third elections, which, according to Nuncio J. Piazza, would constitute a very serious threat to the state. Due to the absence of Augustus II and the threat of a third election, papal diplomacy already in the first months of 1707 sought to recognize Leszczyński as king. However, already in the summer of the same year, the Sandomierz Confederation declared an interregnum and a treaty was signed between Charles XII. and Emperor Joseph I in Altrandstädt, which included, among others, concessions to Protestants in Silesia. These events caused papal diplomacy to withdraw its support for Leszczyński and to once again recognize Augustus II as king, who returned to Warsaw in 1709.

References

  1. Cieslak E., Stanisław Leszczyński, Wrocław 1994. [Google Scholar]
  2. Cieślak E., W obronie tronu króla Stanisława Leszczyńskiego, Gdańsk 1986. [Google Scholar]
  3. Gierowski , J. Leszczyński, Dyplomacja polska w dobie unii personalnej polska-saskiej, w: Polska służba dyplomatyczna XVI-XVI1I w., red. Z. Wójcik, Warszawa 1966. [Google Scholar]
  4. Kopiec J. , Echa polskich wydarzeń z lat 1704-1709 w środowisku Hospicjum św. Stanisława w Rzymie, NP. t: 82, 1994. [Google Scholar]
  5. Kopiec J., Nuncjusz Juliusz Piazza wobec uwolnienia arcybiskupa K. Zielińskiego, „Roczniki teologiczne” 43:1996. [Google Scholar]
  6. Załuski A.Ch., Epistolae familiares-ecclesiasńcae, t. 3, Brunsbergae, 1713. [Google Scholar]
  7. Ziekursch J., August der Starkę und die katholische Kirche in den Jahren 1697-1720. [Google Scholar]

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.