KING STANISLAW LESZCZYNSKIS PARTY IN LITHUANIA DURING THE WAR OF THE POLISH SUCCESSION UNTIL THE GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF WILNO (1733-1734)

AuAfter the election of Stanislaw Leszczynski a party of his supporters led by the newly appointed deputy army commander Antoni Pociej set out for Lithuania to beef up its defences against an impending Russian invasion. By bringing in their troops the Russians wanted to strengthen the king elect's opponents in Lithuania and secure the Polish crown for the Saxon contender Fryderyk August II. In December 1733 and January 1734 a number of local pro-Leszczynski confederations (assemblies) sprang up in Lithuania vowing to defend Poland's independence and the Roman Catholic faith. The momentum created by those initiatives helped to convene a general confederation at Wilno on 5 April 1734. Its participants called for concerted action against the Saxon contender and foreign intervention. In practice, however, they were not able to achieve any of their aims.