Regency Council (Poland)

The Regency Council of the Kingdom of Poland (Polish: Rada Regencyjna, or Rada Regencyjna Królestwa Polskiego) was a semi-independent and temporarily appointed highest authority (head of state) in partitioned Poland during World War I. It was formed by Imperial Germany and Austria-Hungary within historically Polish lands in September 1917 after dissolution of the previous authority – Provisional Council of State (January – August 1917), due to the oath crisis.

The council was supposed to stay in office until the appointment of a new monarch or regent. On 7 October 1918, the Regency Council declared the independence of Poland.^[1] That same month, the council took over the command of the Polska Siła Zbrojna armed forces.