On the way to the outskirts of Warsaw – the effects of the presence of the Polish, Prussian and Russian armies in the Lesser Poland estates of Count Antoni Józef Lanckoroński in June and July 1794

Abstract

The article discusses the economic and social consequences of the march of Polish, Prussian and Russian armies through the estates of Count Antoni Józef Lanckoroński: Kije, Kliszów, Motkowice and Wodzisław, located on the border of the former voivodeship of Kraków and Sandomierz. Before the battle of Szczekociny ( June 6, 1794) Polish and Russian armies were passing through this area, coming from the region of Połaniec and Opatów. After the battle, the combined Prussian and Russian armies, chasing Tadeusz Kościuszko’s army retreating to the north, found themselves again in the area. What is more, in the second half of June and at the beginning of July 1794, before a series of battles took place in southern Mazovia, culminating in a battle on the outskirts of Warsaw on July 7–10, 1794, the armies of the partitioning states were stationed in camp in the vicinity of the Kije, Kliszów and Motkowice estates. The marches of the armies caused quite a lot of material damage. This included the requisitioning of grain, livestock and foodstuffs, as well as thefts by soldiers and local peasants. Stealing draught animals also resulted in the degradation of peasant farms. In a social sense, the presence of the army revealed a very strong antagonism between the manor and the countryside, which manifested itself mainly through the active participation of peasants in robbing manors.