Some nobles who did not want this alliance formed their own Confederation of Bar in 1768. They asked for assistance from France but France was busy herself with internal problems and instead decided to influence Turkey into declaring war on Russian in order to distract her from Polish affairs. When Polish nobles fled to Turkey, Russia declared war first. Russia however them began to prosper in these wards. Austria and France began to worry that this would give Catherine too much influence in Europe, almost to the point of war between Austria and Russia. To avoid this war Frederick the Great of Prussia suggested they each take a small part of Poland in order to balance the powers. Hence, the first partition of Poland took place in 1772. Russia took white Russia and the areas between the rivers of Dvina, Dnieper and Drusch. Austria took most of Red Russia and Galicia. Prussia took West Prussia and smaller areas, excluding Danzig. She benefited most from this war because her land joined her country geographically. She took land because of her good idea and Poland lost because she was seen as the root of all the troubles.
As a result of this partition, King Stanislas decided that his country was in need of reform to prevent another partition. Most of his reforms were successful and even encouraged him to resist Catherine’s influence over his country by ignoring her position as protector of laws and liberties. Poland also signed a defensive alliance with Prussia which was later broken when the new Austrian King wanted to befriend Prussia after terminating his Russian alliance. Despite this setback, Poland formed a Great Diet which continued to reform the country. This became a Constitution in 1791 and although failing, it also succeeded in making the throne hereditary and abolished the liberum veto. Austria and Prussia supported Poland’s fresh reforms but some native nobles broke away and formed the Confederation of Targovitsa. Catherine sent her troops to back their attempt to break down the Confederation. This succeeded as Poland had no help from foreign peoples; Austria and Prussia were in a war with France. Poland was forced to restore the old Constitution.
Catherine felt that there would not be such trouble again if Poland was partitioned once more. The Prussian King agreed. And so, in 1792, Russia took half of Lithuania, the rest of White Russia, almost all Black Russia and the Ukraine. Prussia took Danzig, Thorn and Bznania. Austria was left out of this alliance because she broke her alliance with Russia in the Turkish war. Russia made Poland disband her army and allow a permanent presence of Russian troops in Poland.
Three years later the third partition occurred. This was due to a revolt led by a nobleman named Thaddius Koscuiszko, who were rebelling against the abandonment of the army. His army grew and looked as if he would be able to beat the Russian oppression, as he thought France would assist him. They even managed to set up a provisional government in Warsaw. Their dream was shattered when Prussia allied with Russia and made plans for the third partition. Kosciuszko was jailed. Russia took the rest of Lithuania and Black Russia as well as Courland. Austria took the north of Galicia, which included Cracow. Prussia got the areas between Niemen and Vistulla, which included Warsaw.
To say that Poland was partitioned as a result of internal weaknesses is partly true but it does not fully justify the motives behind the partitions. The fact that the Monarchy and government were corrupt meant that the army was unorganized and that Russia could easily interfere. However, Poland was also at the center of three big European countries’ foreign ambitions and without natural boundaries to protect her, was an easy target for suppression. All these things worked against Poland and made Polish defense a very important ingredient to keeping the Polish Plum-cake together. Without these the country was quite easily in a position to collapse.
