PINYL #19: The Closet Absolutist (Patreon)

[PATRONS]

In this episode, we have Confederates, unruly Kings and Tsars to contend with, but we're also winding the story back to 1709. My mission here is to understand why the Silent Sejm of 177 happened, and why it was such a big deal. To do that I need to investigate Poland between 1709-1716, so I hope you'll join me! While Sweden and Russia were facing off for their final round, the Commonwealth was welcoming back a troublesome old King, and attempting to repair itself after decades of internal and external conflict. 

Initially, the outcome seemed rosy; the Tsar was busy, King Augustus was gracious, and there were elements of goodwill among his old loyalists. But then, we learn that in secret, the King wasn't the friend of Poland at all. Poland, like it was to the Tsar in fact, was a means to an end for the Saxon Augustus. That end was the establishment of a Saxon dynasty in Warsaw, and he would use any ally, even the Russian Tsar, to make this happen. His subjects weren't going to like it, but what could they do, rebel? (Actually, yes...)