Why the confessional factor did not become determinant in the Second Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ; К вопросу о том, почему конфессиональный фактор не стал определяющим во втором разделе Речи Посполитой

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Russian political and military projects between 1789 and 1791. These projects were represented as different notes, letters, orders of Grigory Potemkin and foresaw the initiation and usage of the orthodox population of the south-eastern parts of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth revolts. They were precursory approved by Ekaterina II and were intended to be used in case of a war conflict with the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth if the force balance was unprofitable for Russia. Four main reasons that did not let these plans to be accomplished are specified in this work. Firstly, the weakening of the Russian influence among the dissidents of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Four-Year Sejm (1788–1792). Secondly, the changes on the global stage, that diminished the threat of simultaneous attack of several European countries on Russia, as well as the disadvantageous for G. Potemkin court conjuncture, that of the increased influence of the new favourite – Platon Zubov. And lastly – the French Revolution influence, which forced Ekaterina II to avoid supporting the lower class, which included most of the local orthodox population. In this article Ekaterina's II refusal to start the religious and class war in the Right-Bank Ukraine is considered as one of the factors leading to the alternative scenario of Russian military intervention in the internal affairs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth – in the formation of Targowica confederation. ; К вопросу о том, почему конфессиональный фактор не стал определяющим во втором разделе Речи Посполитой. Статья посвящена анализу содержания российских военно-политических проектов 1789–1791 гг. по инициированию и использованию в собственных целях волнений православного населения в юго-восточных регионах Речи Посполитой. Эти проекты – представленные в виде различных записок, писем и распоряжений Г. А. Потёмкина – получили предварительное одобрение Екатерины II, которая была намерена использовать их в случае начала военного ...