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The Deluge (Polish history)
Encyclopedia
The term Deluge denotes a series of mid-17th century campaigns in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In a wider sense it applies to the period between the Khmelnytsky (Chmielnicki) Uprising
of 1648 and the Truce of Andrusovo in 1667, thus comprising the Polish–Lithuanian theaters of the Russo-Polish
and Second Northern War
s. In a stricter sense, the term refers to the Swedish
invasion and occupation of the Commonwealth as a theater of the Second Northern War
only (1655–1660); In Poland and Lithuania this period is called the Swedish Deluge .
During the wars the Commonwealth lost an estimated one-third of its population as well as its status as a great power
.
n feudal lord Bohdan Khmelnytsky
(known in Polish as "Bohdan Chmielnicki") led a popular uprising of Dnieper Cossacks and Ukrainian peasants discontented with the rule of Polish and Lithuanian magnates.
Although the initial phase of the rebellion ended (after much destruction) at the Battle of Berestechko
(1651), it brought into focus the rivalry between Russia
and the Commonwealth for hegemony over the Ukraine area and over the eastern Slavic lands in general. Thus in October 1653 the Russian Zemsky Sobor
declared war on the Commonwealth and in June 1654 the forces of Tsar Alexis of Russia invaded the eastern half of Poland-Lithuania, starting the Russo-Polish War of 1654-1667
. The Swedish Empire
, which technically already was in War with the Commonwealth (a cease fire agreement existed from 1629 that was prolonged 1635 to 1661), invaded (July 1655) and occupied the remaining half of the country.
Two Polish–Lithuanian noble princes, Janusz Radziwiłł and Bogusław Radziwiłł, subsequently introduced internal disaffection and dissension into the Commonwealth's troubles and began negotiation
s with the Swedish king Charles X Gustav of Sweden
aimed at breaking up the Commonwealth and the Polish–Lithuanian union. They signed the treaties of Kėdainiai
(1655), which envisaged the Radziwiłł princes ruling over two Duchies carved out from the lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
under Swedish vassal
age (the Union of Kėdainiai
).
The Polish–Lithuanian King John II Casimir (reigned 1648–1668) lacked support amongst the Commonwealth nobility (szlachta
) due to his sympathies with absolutist Austria
and his open contempt for the "Sarmatist
" culture of the nobility. Earlier, in 1643, John Casimir had become a member of the Jesuits
and had received the title of Cardinal
. Nevertheless, in December 1646 John Casimir had returned to Poland and, in October 1647, resigned his position as Cardinal to stand for election for the Polish throne. He became King in 1648. However, some of the nobility regarded Charles Gustav (King of Sweden from 1654 to 1660 and John Casimir's cousin) as the legitimate heir to the Polish–Lithuanian throne. Many members of the Polish nobility (szlachta
), including Deputy Chancellor of the Crown
Hieronim Radziejowski
and Grand Treasurer of the Crown
Bogusław Leszczyński, regarded John II Casimir of Poland as a weak king or as a "Jesuit-King"; for this or for personal reasons (i.e. Leszczyński was Protestant and Radziejowski
was an old enemy of the Polish King who had banished him from Poland to exile in Sweden), they encouraged Charles Gustav to claim the Polish crown.
When the Swedish armies first invaded Poland-Lithuania, the Voivod of Poznań
, Krzysztof Opaliński
, surrendered Great Poland
to Charles Gustav. Other areas also surrendered in rapid succession. Almost the whole country followed suit, with the Swedes entering Warsaw unopposed in August 1655 and John Casimir fleeing to Silesia
. However several places still resisted, most remarkably (and symbolically) the monastery at Jasna Góra
. Led by The Grand Prior
Augustyn Kordecki
, the garrison of this sanctuary-fortress of Poland held off its enemies in the Siege of Jasna Góra (November 1655 to January 1656). The defense of Jasna Góra galvanized Polish resistance
against the Swedes. In December 1655 the Tyszowce Confederation
formed in support of the exiled John Casimir.
Spontaneous uprisings started all over the country, attacking the dispersed occupation forces — who, in their turn, retaliated. The uprisings soon merged under the leadership of Polish military
leader Stefan Czarniecki
and Grand Hetman of Lithuania Paweł Jan Sapieha
, who started organized counterattacks in order to eliminate those loyal to Charles Gustav. In the end, John II Casimir's supporters crowned him in Lwów
Cathedral in 1656 (Lwów Oath
). The Commonwealth forces finally drove back the Swedes in 1657.
The Commonwealth also defeated forces from Transylvania
and Brandenburg-Prussia
, but the Duchy of Prussia gained formal Polish recognition of its independence outside of the Polish state (Treaty of Wehlau, 1657).
With the Treaty of Hadiach
on September 16, 1658, the Polish Crown elevated the Cossacks and Ruthenians
to a position equal to that of Poland and Lithuania in the Polish–Lithuanian Union, and in fact transformed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth into a Polish–Lithuanian–Ruthenian Commonwealth (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Trojga Narodów, "Commonwealth of Three Nations"). Supported by Cossack Hetman
Ivan Vyhovsky
and the starshyna
, the treaty
aimed to change the face of Eastern Europe. However, the terms of the treaty never came into full operation: Russia
refused to recognize Hadiach, and maintained its claims to Ukraine
.
The War for Ukraine
(1654–1667) ended with the Treaty of Andrusovo of 13 January 1667. (Poland-Lithuania profited from Turkish
participation in the Russo-Turkish War (1676–1681) due to Ottoman links with the Crimea
.) The peace settlement gave Moscow control over the so called Left-bank Ukraine
(left of the river Dnieper
), with the Commonwealth retaining Right-bank Ukraine
(right of the Dnieper). While initially the agreement stipulated that Russia would return Left-bank Ukraine to the Commonwealth in twenty years, the division became permanent with the Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686
.
The Deluge brought to an end the era of Polish religious tolerance: mostly non-Catholic invaders antagonized the mostly Catholic
Poles. The expulsion of the Protestant Polish Brethren
from Poland in 1658 exemplified the increasing intolerance. During the Deluge, many thousands of Polish Jews
also fell victim to violence - violence often initiated by the Zaporozhian Cossacks.
describes the Deluge in his novel Potop (1886).
James Michener
describes the Deluge in his novel Poland
(1983).
Jerzy Hoffman
directed the film The Deluge
(Potop) in 1974, a classic historical work based on Sienkiewicz's novel. It starred Daniel Olbrychski
as the character Andrzej Kmicic
, a patriot who valiantly fought against the Swedish invasion. The film received a nomination for an Oscar
in 1974, but lost to the Italian film
Amarcord
.
Khmelnytsky Uprising
The Khmelnytsky Uprising, was a Cossack rebellion in the Ukraine between the years 1648–1657 which turned into a Ukrainian war of liberation from Poland...
of 1648 and the Truce of Andrusovo in 1667, thus comprising the Polish–Lithuanian theaters of the Russo-Polish
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...
and Second Northern War
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
s. In a stricter sense, the term refers to the Swedish
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
invasion and occupation of the Commonwealth as a theater of the Second Northern War
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
only (1655–1660); In Poland and Lithuania this period is called the Swedish Deluge .
During the wars the Commonwealth lost an estimated one-third of its population as well as its status as a great power
Historical powers
Historical powers include great powers, nations, or empires in history.The term "Great power" represent the most important world powers. In a modern context, recognised great powers came about first in Europe during the post-Napoleonic era. The formalization of the division between small powers and...
.
Historical events
In 1648, the RutheniaRuthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
n feudal lord Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Zynoviy Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky was a hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . He led an uprising against the Commonwealth and its magnates which resulted in the creation of a Cossack state...
(known in Polish as "Bohdan Chmielnicki") led a popular uprising of Dnieper Cossacks and Ukrainian peasants discontented with the rule of Polish and Lithuanian magnates.
Although the initial phase of the rebellion ended (after much destruction) at the Battle of Berestechko
Battle of Berestechko
The Battle of Berestechko was fought between rebellious Zaporozhian Cossacks, led by Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, aided by their Crimean Tatar allies, and a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army under King John II Casimir. It was the largest land battle of 17th century.Lasting from June 28 to June 30,...
(1651), it brought into focus the rivalry between Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the Commonwealth for hegemony over the Ukraine area and over the eastern Slavic lands in general. Thus in October 1653 the Russian Zemsky Sobor
Zemsky Sobor
The zemsky sobor was the first Russian parliament of the feudal Estates type, in the 16th and 17th centuries. The term roughly means assembly of the land. It could be summoned either by tsar, or patriarch, or the Boyar Duma...
declared war on the Commonwealth and in June 1654 the forces of Tsar Alexis of Russia invaded the eastern half of Poland-Lithuania, starting the Russo-Polish War of 1654-1667
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...
. The Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
, which technically already was in War with the Commonwealth (a cease fire agreement existed from 1629 that was prolonged 1635 to 1661), invaded (July 1655) and occupied the remaining half of the country.
Two Polish–Lithuanian noble princes, Janusz Radziwiłł and Bogusław Radziwiłł, subsequently introduced internal disaffection and dissension into the Commonwealth's troubles and began negotiation
Negotiation
Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties, intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain advantage in outcome of dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain for individual or collective advantage, to craft outcomes to satisfy...
s with the Swedish king Charles X Gustav of Sweden
Charles X Gustav of Sweden
Charles X Gustav also Carl Gustav, was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's death he also succeeded him as Pfalzgraf. He was married to Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who...
aimed at breaking up the Commonwealth and the Polish–Lithuanian union. They signed the treaties of Kėdainiai
Treaty of Kėdainiai
The Treaty of Kėdainiai or Kiejdany, signed on 17 August 1655, was a Swedish–Lithuanian agreement during the Second Northern War. After the Polish forces had been decisively defeated in the Battle of Ujście, whereupon the Poznan and Kalisz palatines surrendered to Sweden, Lithuanian hetman Janusz...
(1655), which envisaged the Radziwiłł princes ruling over two Duchies carved out from the lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
under Swedish vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
age (the Union of Kėdainiai
Union of Kedainiai
Union of Kėdainiai was an agreement between several magnates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the king of the Swedish Empire, Charles X Gustav. It was signed on 20 October 1655 during the "Swedish Deluge", part of the Second Northern War...
).
The Polish–Lithuanian King John II Casimir (reigned 1648–1668) lacked support amongst the Commonwealth nobility (szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
) due to his sympathies with absolutist Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and his open contempt for the "Sarmatist
Sarmatism
"Sarmatism" is a term designating the dominant lifestyle, culture and ideology of the szlachta of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Together with "Golden Liberty," it formed a central aspect of the Commonwealth's culture...
" culture of the nobility. Earlier, in 1643, John Casimir had become a member of the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
and had received the title of Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
. Nevertheless, in December 1646 John Casimir had returned to Poland and, in October 1647, resigned his position as Cardinal to stand for election for the Polish throne. He became King in 1648. However, some of the nobility regarded Charles Gustav (King of Sweden from 1654 to 1660 and John Casimir's cousin) as the legitimate heir to the Polish–Lithuanian throne. Many members of the Polish nobility (szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
), including Deputy Chancellor of the Crown
Kanclerz
Kanclerz was one of the highest officials in the historic Poland. This office functioned from the early Polish kingdom of the 12th century until the end of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. A respective office also existed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the 16th...
Hieronim Radziejowski
Hieronim Radziejowski
Hieronim Radziejowski was a Polish noble, politician and diplomat, father of Michał Stefan Radziejowski.He was starost of Sochaczew since 1643 and Deputy Chancellor of the Crown between 1650 and 1652...
and Grand Treasurer of the Crown
Podskarbi
Podskarbi in Poland then in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed as "under[King]-treasury" - treasury as an old-fashioned adjective...
Bogusław Leszczyński, regarded John II Casimir of Poland as a weak king or as a "Jesuit-King"; for this or for personal reasons (i.e. Leszczyński was Protestant and Radziejowski
Hieronim Radziejowski
Hieronim Radziejowski was a Polish noble, politician and diplomat, father of Michał Stefan Radziejowski.He was starost of Sochaczew since 1643 and Deputy Chancellor of the Crown between 1650 and 1652...
was an old enemy of the Polish King who had banished him from Poland to exile in Sweden), they encouraged Charles Gustav to claim the Polish crown.
When the Swedish armies first invaded Poland-Lithuania, the Voivod of Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Krzysztof Opaliński
Krzysztof Opalinski
Krzysztof Opaliński was a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth noble , politician and writer . Voivode of Poznań, starosta kowelski, śremski, osiecki, międzyłęski.- Biography :Son of Piotr Opaliński...
, surrendered Great Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
to Charles Gustav. Other areas also surrendered in rapid succession. Almost the whole country followed suit, with the Swedes entering Warsaw unopposed in August 1655 and John Casimir fleeing to Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. However several places still resisted, most remarkably (and symbolically) the monastery at Jasna Góra
Jasna Góra Monastery
The Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland is the most famous shrine to the Virgin Mary in Poland and the country's greatest place of pilgrimage - for many its spiritual capital. The image of Black Madonna of Częstochowa, to which miraculous powers are attributed, is Jasna Góra's most...
. Led by The Grand Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
Augustyn Kordecki
Augustyn Kordecki
Abbot Augustyn, or Abbot Augustyn Kordecki real name: Klemens Kordecki Ślepowron Coat of Arms was a prior of the Jasna Góra Monastery, Poland....
, the garrison of this sanctuary-fortress of Poland held off its enemies in the Siege of Jasna Góra (November 1655 to January 1656). The defense of Jasna Góra galvanized Polish resistance
Polish resistance movement in World War II
The Polish resistance movement in World War II, with the Home Army at its forefront, was the largest underground resistance in all of Nazi-occupied Europe, covering both German and Soviet zones of occupation. The Polish defence against the Nazi occupation was an important part of the European...
against the Swedes. In December 1655 the Tyszowce Confederation
Tyszowce Confederation
The Tyszowce Confederation was set up by the Polish army under the command of Great Crown Hetman Stanisław Rewera Potocki and Field Crown Hetman Stanisław Lanckoroński 29 December 1655 in Tyszowce, east of Zamość. It was the turning point of the war of Poland with Sweden during The Deluge...
formed in support of the exiled John Casimir.
Spontaneous uprisings started all over the country, attacking the dispersed occupation forces — who, in their turn, retaliated. The uprisings soon merged under the leadership of Polish military
Polish Armed Forces
Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej are the national defense forces of Poland...
leader Stefan Czarniecki
Stefan Czarniecki
Stefan Czarniecki or Stefan Łodzia de Czarnca Czarniecki Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth general and nobleman. Field Hetman of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom. He was a military commander, regarded as a Polish national hero...
and Grand Hetman of Lithuania Paweł Jan Sapieha
Paweł Jan Sapieha
Paweł Jan Sapieha was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman .Paweł Jan became a Hussar Rotmistrz in 1633, courtier in 1635, Obozny of Lithuania in 1638, Podstoli of Lithuania in 1645, voivode of the Witebsk Voivodeship in 1646, voivode of the Vilnius Voivodeship and Great Hetman of Lithuania in 1656.He...
, who started organized counterattacks in order to eliminate those loyal to Charles Gustav. In the end, John II Casimir's supporters crowned him in Lwów
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
Cathedral in 1656 (Lwów Oath
Lwów Oath
Lwów Oath – An oath made on April 1, 1656 by Polish king John II Casimir in Latin cathedral in the city of Lwów .-Background:...
). The Commonwealth forces finally drove back the Swedes in 1657.
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
and Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia is the historiographic denomination for the Early Modern realm of the Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701. Based in the Electorate of Brandenburg, the main branch of the Hohenzollern intermarried with the branch ruling the Duchy of Prussia, and secured succession...
, but the Duchy of Prussia gained formal Polish recognition of its independence outside of the Polish state (Treaty of Wehlau, 1657).
With the Treaty of Hadiach
Treaty of Hadiach
The Treaty of Hadiach was a treaty signed on 16 September 1658 in Hadiach between representatives of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Cossacks...
on September 16, 1658, the Polish Crown elevated the Cossacks and Ruthenians
Ruthenians
The name Ruthenian |Rus']]) is a culturally loaded term and has different meanings according to the context in which it is used. Initially, it was the ethnonym used for the East Slavic peoples who lived in Rus'. Later it was used predominantly for Ukrainians...
to a position equal to that of Poland and Lithuania in the Polish–Lithuanian Union, and in fact transformed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth into a Polish–Lithuanian–Ruthenian Commonwealth (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Trojga Narodów, "Commonwealth of Three Nations"). Supported by Cossack Hetman
Hetman
Hetman was the title of the second-highest military commander in 15th- to 18th-century Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together, from 1569 to 1795, comprised the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Rzeczpospolita....
Ivan Vyhovsky
Ivan Vyhovsky
Ivan Vyhovsky was a hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks during three years of the Russo-Polish War . He was the successor to the famous hetman and rebel leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky...
and the starshyna
Starshina
Starshina, or Starshyna , initially was a Cossacks officership, but in Soviet times was used as the top non-commissioned officer.Among Cossacks and in Ukraine, starshina was a collective noun for categories of officership or a military elite: junior starshina , general starshina , military...
, the treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
aimed to change the face of Eastern Europe. However, the terms of the treaty never came into full operation: Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
refused to recognize Hadiach, and maintained its claims to Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
The War for Ukraine
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...
(1654–1667) ended with the Treaty of Andrusovo of 13 January 1667. (Poland-Lithuania profited from Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
participation in the Russo-Turkish War (1676–1681) due to Ottoman links with the Crimea
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
.) The peace settlement gave Moscow control over the so called Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
(left of the river Dnieper
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
), with the Commonwealth retaining Right-bank Ukraine
Right-bank Ukraine
Right-bank Ukraine , a historical name of a part of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding with modern-day oblasts of Volyn, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Kiev, as well as part of Cherkasy and Ternopil...
(right of the Dnieper). While initially the agreement stipulated that Russia would return Left-bank Ukraine to the Commonwealth in twenty years, the division became permanent with the Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686
Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686
The Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686 was a treaty between Tsardom of Russia and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, signed by Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth envoys: voivod of Poznań Krzysztof Grzymułtowski and chancellor of Lithuania Marcjan Ogiński and Russian knyaz Vasily Vasilyevich...
.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Poles. The expulsion of the Protestant Polish Brethren
Polish Brethren
The Polish Brethren were members of the Minor Reformed Church of Poland, a Nontrinitarian Protestant church that existed in Poland from 1565 to 1658...
from Poland in 1658 exemplified the increasing intolerance. During the Deluge, many thousands of Polish Jews
History of the Jews in Poland
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance and social autonomy. This ended with the...
also fell victim to violence - violence often initiated by the Zaporozhian Cossacks.
In popular culture
Henryk SienkiewiczHenryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
describes the Deluge in his novel Potop (1886).
James Michener
James A. Michener
James Albert Michener was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which were sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating historical facts into the stories...
describes the Deluge in his novel Poland
Poland (novel)
Poland is a historical novel written by James A. Michener and published in 1983 detailing the times and tribulations of three Polish families across eight centuries, ending in the then-present day .-Overview:Michener was hired by a television company to travel to a foreign country to shoot a...
(1983).
Jerzy Hoffman
Jerzy Hoffman
Jerzy Hoffman is a Polish film director and screenwriter. He is the father of early Macintosh development team member Joanna Hoffman.-Selected filmography:*Battle of Warsaw 1920...
directed the film The Deluge
The Deluge (film)
The Deluge is the English title of the Polish film Potop, a historical drama directed by Jerzy Hoffman, released in 1974. The film is based on the novel by the Nobel Prize-winning Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz...
(Potop) in 1974, a classic historical work based on Sienkiewicz's novel. It starred Daniel Olbrychski
Daniel Olbrychski
Daniel Olbrychski is a Polish actor best known for leading roles in several Andrzej Wajda movies and also known for playing the Russian defector and spymaster Vassily Orlov, alongside Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in the movie Salt....
as the character Andrzej Kmicic
Andrzej Kmicic
Andrzej Kmicic is best known as a fictional character created by Henryk Sienkiewicz featured in the novel The Deluge. He is a typical szlachcic from Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; unruly yet patriotic...
, a patriot who valiantly fought against the Swedish invasion. The film received a nomination for an Oscar
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
in 1974, but lost to the Italian film
Cinema of Italy
The history of Italian cinema began just a few months after the Lumière brothers had patented their Cinematographe, when Pope Leo XIII was filmed for a few seconds in the act of blessing the camera.-Early years:...
Amarcord
Amarcord
Amarcord is a 1973 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the fictional town of Borgo in 1930s Fascist Italy...
.
See also
- Nobles' DemocracyNobles' DemocracyNobles' Democracy may refer to* History of Poland * Golden Liberty, the political system of that time in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...
- Northern WarsNorthern WarsNorthern Wars is a term used for a series of wars fought in northern and northeastern Europe in the 16th and 17th century. An internationally agreed nomenclature for these wars has not yet been devised...
- Treaty of HadiachTreaty of HadiachThe Treaty of Hadiach was a treaty signed on 16 September 1658 in Hadiach between representatives of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Cossacks...
- Treaty of OlivaTreaty of OlivaThe Treaty or Peace of Oliva of 23 April /3 May 1660 was one of the peace treaties ending the Second Northern War...
- Kostka-Napierski UprisingKostka-Napierski UprisingThe Kostka Napierski Uprising was a peasant revolt in Poland in 1651.It took place at the same time as the more important Chmielnicki Uprising in the south-east part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and during the Swedish preparation to invade the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.Aleksander...
- The Deluge (novel)
- Tatar invasions
External links
- Map of area occupied by TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
in 1657
