Papal diplomacy in the face of the dispute for the throne of Poland in the years 1704 1709

Abstract

The following article focuses on an opinion of papal diplomacy on Stanisław Leszczyński, a rival of Augustus II, at the dispute for the throne of Poland at the beginning of the 18th century. Polish society was then divided into two political camps, which caused chaos in the country. Since the reign of Stanisław Leszczyński was considered illegal, papal diplomacy recognised absent Augustus II as the king of Poland and maintained official relationship with the Sandomierz Confederation, yet contacts with the Leszczyński’s camp were not broken off.During the preparations for the war with Sweden, Tsar Peter the Great intervened in the dispute for the Polish throne. He searched for a new candidate for the Polish crown, who could perform a similar role to that of Leszczyński towards the Swedish king. Therefore, papal diplomacy expended enormous efforts to prevent the third elections, which, as estimated by Nuncio J. Piazzo, could pose a great threat to the state. In the absence of Augustus II and a threat of the third election, papal diplomacy sought to recognise Leszczyński as the king in the first months of 1707. However, already in the summer of the same year interregnum was announced by the Sandomierz Confederation and a treaty between Charles XII and emperor Joseph I ratified in Altranstädt, which, among other things, concerned concessions for the protesters in Silesia. In consequence, papal diplomacy withdrew its support for Leszczyński and again recognised Augustus II as the king, who returned to Warsaw in 1709.