Bar Confederation

The Bar Confederation was an armed political movement in 18th-century Poland (1768-1772) formed by Polish nobles to resist Russian influence and the encroachment of neighboring powers, especially King Stanisław August Poniatowski and Russian-backed reforms. It aimed to defend Polish independence and traditional privileges but ultimately failed, leading to increased foreign interference. The Confederation's conflict contributed to Poland's eventual partitioning by neighboring countries—Russia, Prussia, and Austria—erasing Poland as an independent state until the 20th century. It is seen as an important, though unsuccessful, attempt to preserve Polish sovereignty during a turbulent era.