First Partition of Poland

First Partition of Poland
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth after the First Partition as a protectorate of the Russian Empire (1773–1789)
Population losses
To Prussia	580,000[1]
To Habsburg monarchy	2,650,000
To Russia	1,300,000
Territorial losses
To Prussia	36,000 km2 (14,000 sq mi)
To Habsburg monarchy	83,000 km2 (32,000 sq mi)
To Russia	92,000 km2 (36,000 sq mi)

The First Partition of Poland took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that eventually ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The growth of power in the Russian Empire threatened the Kingdom of Prussia and the Habsburg monarchy and was the primary motive behind the First Partition.

Frederick the Great, King in Prussia, engineered the partition to prevent Austria, which was envious of Russian successes against the Ottoman Empire, from going to war. Territories in Poland–Lithuania were divided by its more powerful neighbours (Austria, Russia and Prussia) to restore the regional balance of power in Central Europe among those three countries.

With Poland unable to defend itself effectively and foreign troops already inside the country, the Polish Sejm ratified the partition in 1773 during the Partition Sejm, which was convened by the three powers.