Historical calendar – the anniversary of giving the Constitution to the Duchy of Warsaw. The Constitution was “concerned”, that is, impertinent by parliament or ruler.
Today in our calendar we will look at the circumstances accompanying this event.
A tiny Polish state was created under the provisions of the peace in Tilza from 7-9 July 1807, from the second and third, as well as part of the first Prussian partition. This state was a form of compromise between the French Emperor Napoleon and Alexander I, the Tsar of Russia, whom the French defeated in the conflict of Frydland. On the 1 hand, it gave Poles a sense of rebirth of the Polish statehood and on the another hand, it did not represent a major threat to Moscow, the Prussians or Austrians with its economical and military potential.
Napoleon felt that the country would be useful as part of French control of Central Europe, and that it would besides be the basis for a possible journey east. From the very beginning, he did not want to make a strong Poland – if he wanted to do so, he would give all 3 Prussian partitions to the country.
The French emperor made a covenant with the Russian Tsar and, as a sign of friendship, did not give the fresh creation the name of the Republic of Poland or the Kingdom of Poland, but a compromise: Duchy of Warsaw. By means of agreements with Russia, it was transferred to the territory of Bialystock, and from Gdańsk was made a free city with a French-Polish garrison.
The creation of the Hull Duchy of Warsaw was initially adopted by Poles coolly and bitterly, as it was expected to rebuild Poland fully. It was rightly accused Napoleon that he was buying Polish territory with the Tsar and the Prussians, alternatively of returning all the land taken from the rightful owner.
Napoleon treated the principality as an errand boy and a colonial state. He did not let spontaneous creation of the government and election of the ruler by Poles themselves. On July 22, 1807, in an authoritarian way, he gave the Principality a constitution of the so-called. Octroyed, That is an ineffable 1 by parliament, but a monarch, in this case a stranger. This constitution was based on ideas developed by the French Revolution. It besides included admixture of Bonaparte's private views.
The country was joined by a individual union with Saxony and the fresh ruler became king Frederick August. The government of the principality was the Council of Ministers appointed by the Saxons, which did not have a minister of abroad affairs in its composition – this area was to be full coupled with French politics. The Council of Ministers was besides an illusory body, as real governments in the country held French resident Napoleon. In this respect, the Duchy of Warsaw had a position worse than the Republic of Poland during the time of Ambassador Repnin.
The legislative authority was theoretically the Sejm, composed of the Chamber of Members and the Senate. There were 100 Members and recruited from both nobles and townspeople. The constitution and the parallel introduced civilian Code based on the Napoleon Code, guaranteed equality to the law of all citizens of the state. This expression was only symbolic, as the state remained practically unmoved throughout the period of existence of the principality.
From the very beginning, the young country has been exposed to serious economical difficulties. Military actions and marches destroyed the country and introduced by Napoleon inactive in 1806 the so-called. Continental blockade, i.e. the closure of European ports for trade with the British, has importantly reduced the export of agricultural produce by depleted landowners. advanced taxes have been introduced for which a immense army of over 30,000 soldiers has been maintained for specified a tiny state.
New fortresses specified as Modlin were renovated and created, and state-owned manufacturers were built. The very maintenance of the army absorbed almost 60% of the budget, even after 10 1000 Poles took Napoleon for their part. These soldiers participated in an infamous Spanish run in which they pacified the Catholics there and committed the massacre of Malaga on February 8, 1810.
As the subject of the crime wrote, Lieutenant Stanislaw Broecker: Armed residents fought on the streets, and from the windows of the houses they threw stones or burning heads at us. (...) During this time, Spanish insurgents tried to save civilians, loading them into mooring ships in the harbor. Our infantry shot at ships filled with men, women, and children, and the mired strove and trodden with pikes fleeing in boats, throwing themselves behind them at the harbor to sea.
Poles in the service of the revolution murdered about 600 civilians from Malaga. Their bodies haven't been cleaned for almost a week. It would be worth remembering all those who are excited about the Polish military in the service of Napoleon and who charge under Somosierra.
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.
