Medieval
Period 966 Prince
Mieszko adopts Christianity; traditional date of
origin of Polish state. 1025 Boleslaw
I (the Brave) recognized as first king of
Poland. 1079 Bishop
Stanislaw of Kraków martyred. 1226 Teutonic
Knights introduced into Polish regions. 1241 Asiatic
Tatars invade Poland and Central Europe.
1320 Following
a period of disunity, Wladyslaw Lokietek (the
Short) recognized in Europe as king of
Poland. 1333-70 Kaziemierz
III (the Great), reigns as one of Poland's most
noted rulers. 1364 University
of Kraków founded. 1385 Union
of Krewo begins Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
under Jagiellon Dynasty. 1410 Forces
of Poland-Lithuania defeat Teutonic Knights at
Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg). Sixteenth
Century 1500-1600 Traditional
"Golden Age" of Poland- Lithuania; period when
political stability, prosperity, and cultural
achievement reach their peak. 1526 Defeat
by Ottoman Turks at Battle of Mohács leads
to collapse of Jagiellon rule over Bohemia and
Hungary. 1543 Copernicus
publishes treatise defining heliocentric universe.
1569 Union
of Lublin strengthens Polish- Lithuanian
Commonwealth. 1572 Jagiellon
Dynasty ends, and era of truly elective monarchy
begins. Seventeenth
Century 1648-67 "Deluge"
period includes internal rebellion and foreign
invasion. 1683 King
Jan Sobieski breaks siege of Vienna. Eighteenth
Century ca.
1700-25 Poland
becomes virtual puppet of Russia during reign of
Tsar Peter the Great. 1764 Stanislaw
August Poniatowski elected as last king of
Poland-Lithuania. 1768-72 Confederation
of Bar rebels. 1772-73 Austria,
Prussia, and Russia impose first partition of
Poland. 1791 Constitution
of May 3 restores hereditary monarchy and reforms
political system. 1792-93 Confederation
of Targowica invites foreign intervention; Prussia
and Russia carry out second partition of Poland.
1794 Tadeusz
Kosciuszko leads rebellion against foreign rule.
1795 Austria,
Prussia, and Russia impose third partition of
Poland, ending Polish independence for more than a
century. Destruction
of Poland-Lithuania
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Library of Congress Country Study
Library of Congress Country Study
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