Kryzys, rozpad i odrodzenie I Rzeczypospolitej w okresie II wojny północnej (1655–1660)

In the mid-seventeenth century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was hit by a severe and multi-dimensional crisis: demographic, economic, political and military. It led to the collapse of the state in 1655, and then to the attempt at its division in December 1656, often referred to as an attempt at its first partition. This, however, was prevented by still considerable potential of the state, which made it possible to defuse the crisis and overcome the moral breakdown of society, as well as the lack of consent to the partition by the Tatars, Moscow, the Habsburgs, and Denmark.