The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a large state in Eastern Europe, formed by the Union of Lublin, which merged the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into a single country with a shared elected king and parliament. It was one of the largest and most populous states in Europe, and it was known for religious tolerance and for a political system in which the nobility had extensive rights, including the right to elect the king and the liberum veto, which let a single deputy block legislation. The system became increasingly hard to manage, and neighbouring powers took advantage. After attempted reforms, including the Constitution of 3 May 1791, Russia, Prussia and Austria partitioned the Commonwealth and ended its existence.
Before and after
- from May 1568 to May 1573Marian civil war
- from 23 May 1568 to 30 January 1648Eighty Years' War
- from 24 December 1568 to 1 March 1571Rebellion of the Alpujarras
- 1569Invention of Mercator projection
- from 11 June 1569 to 24 October 1795Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- 1 July 1569Union of Lublin
- from 27 August 1569 to 1 January 1860Grand Duchy of Tuscany
- 1570Construction of Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
- from 1570 to 1573Ottoman–Venetian War of 1570–1573
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- c. 1500Modern period
- from 1501 to 1736Safavid dynasty
- from 1543 to 1687Scientific Revolution
- from 1613 to 1762House of Romanov
- June 1644The Manchus take Beijing and found Qing rule
- 1748Excavations begin at Pompeii
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.