Partition of Poland: On the death of Augustus III of Poland in 1763, Catherine, with the help of Frederick, had her own candidate elected as its king. This was a great Russian domination. This alarmed Frederick of Prussia who suggested that the unresisting country of Poland should be partitioned between the three Powers - Russia, Prussia and Austria. Negotiations began with the partition of Poland as the chief object of diplomacy. Ultimately a treaty was signed at St. Petersburg in 1772 between Russia, Prussia and Austria for the partition of Poland on the plea that the country was a perpetual menace to her neighbors. Russia obtained the greatest extent of territory i.e. Polish Livonia and part of Lithuania.

The Poles revolted. It was suppressed in 1790 by the Russian troops. In 1793, Russia and Prussia alone concluded the Second treaty of Partition. Russia took additional territory four times the extent of the remaining part of Poland. Poland became practically a vassal state of the Czarina. Again the Poles rose in arms but were completely defeated by the Russians. The third partition of Poland (1795) got Russia the lion's share of about 2500 square miles.

Catherine's great diplomatic policies in home and foreign affairs bore fruit for Russia. She not only made Russia a great country but also made her respectable in Europe and the international politics.

Index

3.0 - Introduction
3.1 The Seven Years' War
3.2 Catherine the Great
3.3 The Industrial Revolution
3.4 The French Revolution
3.5 France as a Republic (1795 - 1799)
3.6 Napolean Bonaparte
3.7 Points to Remember

Chapter 4