Cambridge University Central European Society - CUCES

Date: Wednesday 5 May 2004
Venue: Deighton Room, Trinity College

6:15 pm,

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was the biggest state of early modern Europe. It was also the longest lasting union between two countries (UK needs to survive another nine years to beat this record). It was famous for its extraordinary political system, with an elected king, a parliament, in which any bill could been vetoed by a single MP, and nobility, who could legally rebel at any time they wished. Despite those peculiarities Poles and Lithuanians managed to occupy Kremlin for over two years and beat the greatest general of 17th century Gustavus Adolphus.

„Oh, why did I accept this crown! It was the gravest mistake of my life! How much I wish my son will not stand in the elections and spare himself all the torments of reigning over this, quarrelsome, proud and unruly nation!“ King of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Grand Elector of Saxony, Augustus Wettin, at his deathbed, 1733. Are you curious why did the king say something like that?

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