Stanislaus II Augustus

Stanislaus II Augustus was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania on September 7, 1764, with the support of Empress Catherine the Great of Russia. His coronation marked the beginning of his reign over the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was increasingly under Russian influence.

Stanislaus II Augustus supported the creation of the Commission of National Education, the first ministry of education in Europe. It reformed the Polish educational system, introducing modern curricula and secularizing schools previously run by the Jesuits. This was a key reform of the Polish Enlightenment.

Stanislaus II Augustus signed the Constitution of May 3, 1791, the first written constitution in Europe and the second in the world after the US Constitution. It transformed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth into a constitutional monarchy, abolished the liberum veto, and strengthened central government.

After the Third Partition of Poland by Russia, Prussia, and Austria in 1795, Stanislaus II Augustus abdicated the throne on November 25, 1795. He was taken to Saint Petersburg, where he lived under Russian supervision until his death. His abdication ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.