Chicken War or Hen War ( Polish : Wojna kokosza ) is the colloquial name for a 1537 anti- royalist and anti- absolutist rokosz (rebellion) by the Polish nobility .
31-522: The derisive name was coined by the magnates , who for the most part supported the King and claimed that the conflict's only effect was the near-extinction of the local chickens , which were eaten by the nobles gathered for the rokosz at Lwów , in Ruthenian Voivodeship . The magnates' choice of " kokosz "—meaning "an egg laying hen"—may have been inspired by a play on words between " kokosz " and
62-559: A levée en masse , called for a military campaign against Moldavia . However, the lesser and middle strata of the nobility called a rokosz , or semi-legal rebellion , to force the King to abandon his reforms. According to contemporary accounts, 150,000 militia had been assembled for the rebellion. The nobles presented him with 36 demands, most notably: Finally, the angry protesters criticized Queen Bona, whom they accused of "bad upbringing" of young Prince Sigismund Augustus (future King Sigismund II ) and of seeking to increase her power in
93-644: A defining characteristic of the Polish Romanticist movement. Poland briefly regained semi-autonomy in 1807 when Napoleon created the Duchy of Warsaw , but this effectively ended with the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The Congress created the Kingdom of Poland, sometimes called Congress Poland , as a Russian puppet state. Even this, however, came to an end after a Polish insurrection in 1831 , at which point Russia ended most of
124-562: The First Partition of Poland in 1772, in an attempt to strengthen the significantly weakened Commonwealth, King Stanisław August Poniatowski put into effect a series of reforms to enhance Poland's military, political system, economy, and society. These reforms reached their climax with the enactment of the May Constitution in 1791, which established a constitutional monarchy with separation into three branches of government, strengthened
155-610: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and, from the 1569 Union of Lublin , in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , until the Third Partition of Poland in 1795. The magnate social class arose around the 16th century and, over time, gained more and more control over Commonwealth politics. The most powerful magnates were known as "little kings" due to the extent of their power and independence. Their influence diminished with
186-587: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania , the Kieżgajłow , Olelkowicz , Radziwiłł , Pac and Sapieha families . The magnates arose as the wealthiest and most politically powerful social class , part of the nobility ( szlachta ), of the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania , around 16th century. Some traced their ancestry to Gediminas , a Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1316, the Gediminids . Their powers waned after
217-452: The King . To be counted among the magnates, one should have a large estate, and political influence at least on the scale of a province , if not national. Regional differences abounded, with the estates being much larger in the east, where the wealthier magnates were also much more likely to have their own private armies . The eastern territories were more independent from the central power, and
248-648: The Third Partition of Poland (1795), which ended the Commonwealth's independent existence, and came to an end with the Second World War and the communist -ruled People's Republic of Poland . Famous magnate families in the territories of the Crown of Poland included the Czartoryski , Kalinowski , Koniecpolski , Krasinski , Ostrogski , Potocki , Tarnowski , Wiśniowiecki , Zasławski and Zamoyski families ; and in
279-1449: The Zamoyski family , and from the Grand Duchy, the Branicki (Korczak) family, Kieżgajłow family , Olelkowicze family , Radziwiłł family , Sapieha family and the Tyszkiewicz (family) . Major magnate residences, usually in the form of dwórs or outright palaces were found in: Pawłowice , Iwno , Birże (Biržai), Kiejdany (Kėdainiai), Nieśwież (Nesvizh), Słuck (Slutsk), Kleck (Kletsk), Słonim (Slonim), Białystok , Sieraków , Leszno , Rydzyna , Gołuchów , Bieżuń , Jabłonna , Siedlce , Nieborów , Otwock , Pawłowice , Iwno , Wołczyn (Voŭčyn), Biała , Kodeń , Puławy , Białaczów , Końskie , Ujazd , Opole , Rytwiany , Baranów , Zamość , Krystynopol (Chervonohrad), Łańcut , Różana (Ruzhany), Przeworsk , Żółkiew (Zhovkva), Wiśnicz , Rzeszów , Dukla , Krasiczyn , Stanisławów (Ivano-Frankivsk), Złoczów (Zolochiv), Brody , Podhorce (Pidhirtsi), Wiśniowiec (Vyshnivets), Ołyka (Olyka), Korzec (Korets), Ostróg (Ostroh), Zasław (Iziaslav), Buczacz (Buchach), Zbaraż (Zbarazh), Biała Cerkiew (Bila Tserkva), Sieniawa , Korsuń (Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi) and Tulczyn (Tulchyn). Third Partition of Poland The Third Partition of Poland (1795)
310-449: The bureaucratic apparatus necessary to govern the state and finance the army. Supported by his Italian consort, Bona Sforza , he began buying up land and started several agricultural reforms to enlarge the royal treasury. He also initiated a process of restitution of royal properties, previously pawned or rented to the nobles. In 1537, however, the King's policies led to a major conflict. The nobility, who gathered near Lwów to meet with
341-580: The offices in Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth however were very popular. The wealthiest of magnates would wear crimson and scarlet items of clothing, leading to a nickname for that elite group, karmazyni (the "crimson ones"). Famous magnate families from the Crown of Poland territories included the Czartoryski family , Kalinowski family , Koniecpolski family , Krasinski family , Mielżyński family , Ostrogski family , Potocki family , Wiśniowiecki family , Zasławski family and
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#1732849073214372-522: The Commonwealth loss of independence following its final partition in 1795, but they would remain a significant power in the culture, politics and economy of the Polish territories until World War II . Magnates (or higher nobility) vied for political power with the lesser and middle nobility ( Ruch egzekucyjny in the late 16th century, and the reform movement of the Great Sejm in the late 18th century) and
403-591: The Czartoryski family). All members of the szlachta were equal under the law, therefore " magnate " ( Polish : magnat ) was not an official title but rather a position of social class , based on wealth . Several magnates held high feudal titles or peerage ranks such as prince or count . With few exceptions, mostly dating from the Union of Lublin , and special privileges permitting some Lithuanian magnates to use them, such titles were forbidden by law. Titles from
434-619: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with the three conquering powers signing a treaty to divide the region on 26 January 1797. This gave the Habsburg monarchy control of the Western Galicia and Southern Mazovia territories, with approximately 1.2 million people; Prussia received Podlachia , the remainder of Masovia, and Warsaw , with 1 million people; and Russia received the remaining land, including Vilnius and 1.2 million people. Unlike previous partitions, no Polish representative
465-645: The beginning of the Kościuszko Uprising . Catherine II and Frederick William II were quick to respond and, despite initial successes by Kosciuszko's forces, the uprising was crushed by November 1794. According to legend, when Kosciuszko fell off of his horse at the Battle of Maciejowice , shortly before he was captured, he said "Finis Poloniae", meaning in Latin "[This is] the end of Poland." Austrian, Prussian, and Russian representatives met on 24 October 1795 to dissolve
496-555: The betrayal by the Polish nobility, and emboldened by the French Revolution unfolding in France, the Polish masses quickly turned against the occupying forces of Prussia and Russia. Following a series of nationwide riots, on 24 March 1794, Polish patriot Tadeusz Kościuszko took command of the Polish armed forces and declared a nationwide uprising against Poland's foreign occupiers, marking
527-674: The bourgeoisie and abolished many of the nobility 's privileges as well as many of the old laws of serfdom. In addition, to strengthen Poland's international standings, King Stanislaus signed the Polish-Prussian Pact of 1790. Angered by what was seen as dangerous, Jacobin -style reforms, Russia invaded Poland in 1792, beginning the War in Defense of the Constitution . Abandoned by her Prussian allies and betrayed by Polish nobles who desired to restore
558-399: The election of the future king vivente rege – in the lifetime of the reigning king. Thereupon the nobility returned to their homes, having achieved little. Magnates of Poland and Lithuania The magnates of Poland and Lithuania ( Polish : magnateria ) were an aristocracy of Polish-Lithuanian nobility ( szlachta ) that existed in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland , in
589-459: The high contracting parties are agreed and undertake never to include in their titles ... the name or designation of the Kingdom of Poland, which shall remain suppressed as from the present and forever ... The Third Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ended the existence of an independent Polish and Lithuanian state for the next 123 years. Immediately following the Third Partition,
620-476: The large estates there, known as latifundia , with private cities and armies of the magnates, gave rise there to the term królewięta ("little kings") used for the wealthiest of them - the developing aristocracy . The magnates in the Royal Prussia had their fortunes build not around their own lands, but the royal grants ( królewszczyzny ). The magnates tried to avoid splitting up of their lands, and some of
651-425: The national sejm walny ) of the country. From the second half of the 17th century, the magnates emerged as the victors in the struggle for power in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , leading some scholar to refer to this period as a time of the magnate oligarchy . As Norman Davies noted, at that time "political life [of Poland] was reduced to the feuds, fortunes, and the follies of a few families". Faced with
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#1732849073214682-536: The occupying powers forced many Polish politicians, intellectuals, and revolutionaries to emigrate across Europe, in what was later known as the Great Emigration . These Polish nationalists participated in uprisings against Austria , Prussia, and Russia in former Polish lands, and many would serve France as part of the Polish Legions . In addition, Polish poets and artists would make the desire for national freedom
713-537: The privileges they had lost under the May Constitution, Poland was forced to sign the Second Partition in 1793, which ceded Dobrzyn, Kujavia, and a large portion of Greater Poland to Prussia and all of Poland's eastern provinces from Moldavia to Livonia to Russia, reducing Poland to one-third of her original size before the First Partition. Outraged with the further humiliation of Poland by her neighbors and
744-485: The rule of his predecessor, Alexander I , the statute of " Nihil novi " had been instituted, effectively forbidding kings of Poland to promulgate laws without the consent of the Parliament . That proved crippling to Sigismund's dealings with his nobles and a serious threat to the country's stability. To strengthen royal authority, he initiated a set of reforms, establishing a permanent conscription army in 1527 and extending
775-461: The similar-sounding " rokosz ". The Chicken War was the first rokosz of the nobility in Polish history. At the start of his reign, King Sigismund I the Old inherited the Kingdom of Poland with a century-long tradition of liberties of the nobility that was confirmed in numerous privileges . Sigismund faced the challenge of consolidating internal power to handle external threats to the country. During
806-431: The state, even if both involvements were generally positive. It soon transpired, however, that the nobility's leaders were divided and that achieving a compromise was almost impossible. Too weak to start a civil war against the King, the protesters finally agreed to what was thought a compromise. The King rejected most of their demands but accepted the principle of incompatibilitas the next year and agreed not to force
837-518: The weakness of the king and parliament, the magnates were even able on occasion to start border wars ( Magnate Moldavian Wars , the Dimitriads ) or civil wars (Radziwiłł's rebellion during The Deluge , and the Sapieha's-centered Lithuanian Civil War of 1700 ). Some magnates were also elected as kings of the Commonwealth ; namely Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki and Stanisław August Poniatowski (a relative of
868-399: The wealthiest families were able to protect their lands from division through the ordynacja system. Magnate residences often became cultural and economic centers for a given region. Social mobility was present, in a limited fashion, as while the magnates preferred to marry within their own ranks, particularly wealthy of famous lesser nobles were able to join their ranks over time; this
899-409: Was party to the treaty. The Habsburgs, Russia, and Prussia forced King Stanislaus to abdicate and retire to St. Petersburg, where he died as a trophy prisoner in 1798. The victors also agreed to erase the country's name: In view of the necessity to abolish everything which could revive the memory of the existence of the Kingdom of Poland, now that the annulment of this body politic has been effected ...
930-470: Was the case with the Koniecpolski family , Ossoliński family and the Zamoyski family . From the late 16th century the influence of the magnates on Commonwealth politics rose sharply, through their participation in the administrative system (see offices of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ) and their control over the lesser nobility, which allowed them to influence the parliaments (local sejmiks and
961-571: Was the last in a series of the Partitions of Poland–Lithuania and the land of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth among Prussia , the Habsburg monarchy , and the Russian Empire which effectively ended Polish–Lithuanian national sovereignty until 1918 . The partition was the result of the Kościuszko Uprising and was followed by a number of Polish–Lithuanian uprisings during the period. Following