Editing Lesser Poland (section)

=== Partitions of Poland (1772–1918) ===
The [[Partitions of Poland]] began earlier in Lesser Poland than in other provinces of the country. In 1769, [[Austrian Empire]] annexed a small territory of [[Spisz]], and next year, the towns of [[Czorsztyn]], Nowy Sącz and Nowy Targ.{{sfn|Davies|2005|p=393}} In 1771, the Russians and the Prussians agreed on the first partition of the country, and in early 1772, Austrian Emperor [[Maria Theresa]] decided to join the two powers. In the first partition of the Commonwealth, the Austrians seized the territory which would later be called [[Galicia (eastern Europe)|Galicia]], and which included southwestern corner of Lesser Poland (south of the Vistula river), with Żywiec, Tarnów, and Biecz, but without major urban centers of the province, such as Kraków, Sandomierz, Radom, Lublin, Częstochowa, and Kielce.
[[File:Zamek w Wiśniczu 12.jpg|thumb|[[Nowy Wiśnicz]]]]
[[File:Baranow Sandomierski Castle 09.jpg|thumb|[[Baranów Sandomierski]]]]
[[File:Sandomierz Wisła Statki.jpg|thumb|Vistula in [[Sandomierz]]]]
Second Partition of Poland (1793) did not result in significant changes of boundaries in the area, as the Austrian Empire did not participate in it. However, the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussians]] moved on, and in 1793 they annexed northwestern corner of the province, together with the city of Częstochowa,<ref name="1909 guide" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Częstochowa – Local history|publisher=Museum of the History of Polish Jews|url=http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/article/czestochowa/3,local-history/|quote=In 1793, Częstochowa found itself annexed to Prussia.|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723112518/http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/article/czestochowa/3,local-history/|archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> and its vicinity, which became part of the newly created province of [[South Prussia]]. Therefore, in late 1793, Lesser Poland was already divided between three countries – Austrian Empire (south of the Vistula), Kingdom of Prussia (Częstochowa and northwestern corner), and still existing Commonwealth. After the Third Partition (1795), most of Lesser Poland was annexed by Austria, with all major cities. Prussia managed to seize a small, western part of the province, with the towns of [[Siewierz]], [[Zawiercie]], [[Będzin]], and [[Myszków]], calling this land [[New Silesia]], while the Austrians decided to name newly acquired lands of northern Lesser Poland [[West Galicia]]. In 1803, West Galicia was merged with [[Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria]], but retained some autonomy. Lesser Poland was one of major centers of Polish resistance against the occupiers. On 24 March 1794 in Kraków, [[Tadeusz Kościuszko]] announced the general insurrection (see [[Kościuszko Uprising]]), mobilising all able males of Lesser Poland. Two weeks later, [[Battle of Racławice]] took place, ending with a Polish victory. The uprising was suppressed by combined Prusso – Russian forces, and among battles fought in Lesser Poland, there is [[Battle of Szczekociny]].

During [[Napoleonic Wars]], the [[Duchy of Warsaw]] was created by [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] out of Polish lands which had been granted to Prussia in the Partitions. In 1809, after the [[Polish–Austrian War]], and the [[Treaty of Schönbrunn]], the Duchy was expanded, when northern Lesser Poland was added to its territory (with Kielce, Radom, and Lublin). Following the [[Congress of Vienna]], Duchy of Warsaw was turned into Russian-ruled [[Congress Poland]], and historical capital of the province, Kraków, was turned into [[Free City of Kraków]], which also included the towns of [[Trzebinia]], [[Chrzanów]], [[Jaworzno]], and [[Krzeszowice]]. In Congress Poland, the lands of Lesser Poland were initially divided between four palatinates – Palatinate of Kraków (with capital in Kielce), Palatinate of Sandomierz (with capital in Radom), Palatinate of Lublin, and Palatinate of Podlasie (with capital in Siedlce), (see also [[Administrative division of Congress Poland]]). Later, the palatinates were turned into [[Governorates of the Russian Empire|governorates]]. Thus, Russian part of Lesser Poland was divided into [[Kielce Governorate]], [[Lublin Governorate]], [[Radom Governorate]], [[Siedlce Governorate]], and [[Piotrków Governorate]] (western counties, with Częstochowa and industrial area of [[Zagłębie Dąbrowskie]]). Borders of these administrative units did not reflect historical boundaries of the province.
[[File:Galician slaughter in 1846.PNG|thumb|left|"[[Peasant movement|Peasant war]]" by Jan Lewicki (1795–1871)]]

Most of the [[November Uprising]], which began in 1830, missed Lesser Poland, as major battles took place in the area around Warsaw. In early 1831, when Russian forces advanced into Congress Poland, some skirmishes took place in northern counties of the province – at Puławy, Kurow, and Kazimierz Dolny. In early 1846, a group of Polish patriots attempted a failed [[Kraków Uprising|uprising]] in the Free City of Kraków. The insurrection was quickly suppressed by the Austrian troops, and as a result, the Free City was annexed by the Austrian Empire. In the same year, Austrian part of Lesser Poland was witness to a massacre of Polish nobility by the peasantry, known as [[Galician slaughter]]. The peasants, led by [[Jakub Szela]], murdered about 1000 nobles, and destroyed about 500 manors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo.php?id=3965088|title=rabacja galicyjska|publisher=Internetowa encyklopedia PWN|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607152642/http://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo.php?id=3965088|archive-date=7 June 2011}}</ref> These events took place in three counties – [[Sanok]], [[Jasło]] and [[Tarnów]].

Northern and central Lesser Poland (the part of the province which was taken by the Russian Empire) was one of the main centers of the [[January Uprising]] (1863–1864). In the first days of the insurrection, skirmishes with the Russian Army took place in such towns, as [[Łuków]], [[Kraśnik]], [[Szydłowiec]], [[Bodzentyn]], and [[Suchedniów]]. Since the Poles were poorly armed, the Russians did not have major problems with them, and soon afterwards, the insurrectionists decided to organize military camps. Among biggest camps in Lesser Poland, there were [[Ojców]] (3000 soldiers), and [[Wąchock]], where [[Marian Langiewicz]] gathered up to 1500 people. The uprising died out by early spring of 1864, and among counties where it continued for the longest time, was the extreme northeastern corner of Lesser Poland, around Łuków, where reverend [[Stanisław Brzóska]] was active. Since Russian military supremacy was crushing, the Poles were forced to limit their actions to guerrilla warfare. Among the biggest battles which took place in Lesser Poland there are: Battle of [[Szydłowiec]] (23 January 1863); Battle of [[Miechów]] (17 February 1863); Battle of [[Małogoszcz]] (24 February 1863); Battle of [[Staszów]] (17 February 1863); Battle of [[Pieskowa Skała]] (4 March 1863); two Battles of [[Opatów]] (25 November 1863, 21 February 1864).

As a result of their support of the failed insurrection, several Lesser Poland's towns lost their charters and were turned into villages. Among them were [[Kraśnik]],<ref>[http://www.lubelskie.info.pl/index.php?i=110&d=105]{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Bodzentyn]], [[Opatów]], [[Iłża]], [[Małogoszcz]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malogoszcz.pl/asp/pl_start.asp?typ=14&sub=2&menu=10&strona=1|publisher=Gmina Mologoszcz|title=Historia miasta|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716115414/http://www.malogoszcz.pl/asp/pl_start.asp?typ=14&sub=2&menu=10&strona=1|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> [[Wąchock]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://b.1asphost.com/Custer/wachock.html|title=Powiat Stachowicki|language=pl|access-date=19 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110608232103/http://b.1asphost.com/Custer/wachock.html|archive-date=8 June 2011}}</ref> [[Busko-Zdrój]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kppspbusko.hg.pl/theme/page/historia%20miasta.html|title=Historia miasta|publisher=KOMENDA POWIATOWA; PAŃSTWOWEJ STRAŻY POŻARNEJ; W BUSKU – ZDROJU|access-date=19 April 2011|language=pl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301112152/http://www.kppspbusko.hg.pl/theme/page/historia%20miasta.html|archive-date=1 March 2012}}</ref> Jędrzejów,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ee.pw.edu.pl/sep-ow/PLI/ft/am/jedrz.htm |title=Jędrzejów, historia |language=pl |publisher=Ee.pw.edu.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928062614/http://www.ee.pw.edu.pl/sep-ow/PLI/ft/am/jedrz.htm |archive-date=28 September 2011}}</ref> [[Cmielow]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://info.wyborcza.pl/temat/wyborcza/powstanie+styczniowe |title=POWSTANIE STYCZNIOWE – Gazeta Wyborcza – internetowe wydanie – Wyborcza.pl |language=pl |publisher=Info.wyborcza.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818131113/http://info.wyborcza.pl/temat/wyborcza/powstanie+styczniowe |archive-date=18 August 2011}}</ref> [[Zwoleń]], [[Drzewica]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.drzewica.pl/portal.php?aid=12103248264824175a41ff7 |title=Gmina Drzewica |publisher=Drzewica.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930141937/http://www.drzewica.pl/portal.php?aid=12103248264824175a41ff7 |archive-date=30 September 2011}}</ref> [[Wierzbica, Radom County|Wierzbica]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wierzbica.pl/ugwierzbica/?page_id=2 |title= Historia Urząd Gminy w Wierzbicy |publisher=Wierzbica.pl |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002210816/http://www.wierzbica.pl/ugwierzbica/?page_id=2 |archive-date=2 October 2011}}</ref> [[Czeladź]], [[Kazimierz Dolny]], [[Wolborz]], [[Stopnica]], [[Daleszyce]], [[Wiślica]], [[Pajęczno]], [[Lipsko]], [[Pacanów]], [[Ożarów]], [[Wolbrom]], [[Proszowice]], [[Nowe Miasto Korczyn]], [[Włoszczowa]], [[Przysucha]], [[Opole Lubelskie]].

[[File:Collegium Maius 07.JPG|thumb|right|In the 19th century, Kraków's [[Jagiellonian University]] was a major center of Polish science and culture]]
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lesser Poland remained one of the centers of Polish culture, especially the city of Kraków, where Jagiellonian University was one of only two Polish-language colleges of that period (the other one was [[Lviv University|University of Lwów]]). Another significant center of national culture was the town of [[Puławy]], where in the late 18th century, a local palace owned by Czartoryski family became a museum of Polish national memorabilia and a major cultural and political centre. A number of prominent artists, both representing [[Romanticism in Poland|Romanticism]], and [[Positivism in Poland|Positivism]] was born in Lesser Poland, including [[Wincenty Pol]] (born in Lublin), [[Stefan Żeromski]] (born near Kielce), [[Aleksander Świętochowski]] (born near Łuków in extreme northeast corner of Lesser Poland), [[Walery Przyborowski]] (born near Kielce), [[Piotr Michałowski]], [[Helena Modjeska]], [[Henryk Wieniawski]] (born in Lublin), [[Leon Wyczółkowski]] (born near Siedlce), [[Juliusz Kossak]] (born in [[Nowy Wiśnicz]]), [[Józef Szujski]] (born in Tarnów). In the early 20th century, Lesser Poland, especially its part which belonged to Austria-Hungary, was a center of a cultural movement called [[Young Poland]]. Many artists associated with the movement were born in Lesser Poland, with the most prominent including [[Władysław Orkan]], [[Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer]], [[Xawery Dunikowski]], [[Jacek Malczewski]], [[Józef Mehoffer]], and [[Stanisław Wyspiański]].

Since Austrian part of Poland enjoyed a wide autonomy, the province of Galicia, whose western part was made of Lesser Poland, became a hotbed of Polish conspirational activities. In anticipation of a future war, Galician Poles, with help of their brethren from other parts of the divided country, created several paramilitary organizations, such as [[Polish Rifle Squads]], and [[Riflemen's Association]]. The capital of Lesser Poland, Kraków, was a key center of pro-independence movements, with such individuals, as [[Józef Piłsudski]], being actively involved in those activities. In August 1914, after the outbreak of World War I, [[Polish Legions in World War I|Pilsudski's Legions]] crossed the Austrian – Russian border north of Kraków, and entered [[Congress Poland]]. However, the Pilsudski and his soldiers were disappointed to see that the inhabitants of Kielce did not welcome them with joy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.niepodleglosc.lodzkie.eu/page/index.php?str=35|title=ŁUW - serwis internetowy Łódzkiego Urzędu Wojewódzkiego w Łodzi - Niepodległość - Józef Piłsudski|access-date=5 March 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312064702/http://niepodleglosc.lodzkie.eu/page/index.php?str=35|archive-date=12 March 2016}}</ref> The division of Lesser Poland was more visible than ever.
[[File:43. TKB - Fickowa Pokusa z Jeleśni 01.JPG|thumb|[[Gorals]] from [[Beskidy]]]]

During World War I, Lesser Poland became one of main theaters of the [[Eastern Front (World War I)|Eastern Front]]. Russian push into the territory of Austria – Hungary resulted in the [[Battle of Galicia]]. Among other major battles which took place in Lesser Poland, there are the [[Battle of the Vistula River]], and the [[Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive]]. After Russian troops [[Great Retreat|had retreated east]], whole province was under control of the Austrians and the Germans, and northern Lesser Poland was part of the German-sponsored [[Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)]]. In later stages of the conflict, the divided province once again became a center of Polish independence movement. An independent Polish government was re-proclaimed in northern Lesser Poland's city of Lublin, on 7 November 1918. Soon afterwards, it formed the basis of the new government of the country.<ref>{{cite web |author=Stamp Domain |url=http://www.stampdomain.com/country/poland/poland1918/ |title=POSTAL HISTORY OF POLAND 1918 |publisher=Stampdomain.com |access-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930052621/http://www.stampdomain.com/country/poland/poland1918/ |archive-date=30 September 2011}}</ref> In other parts of the province, other governments were formed – [[Polish Liquidation Commission]] in Kraków, also the short-lived [[Republic of Tarnobrzeg]].

The division of Lesser Poland along the Vistula river, which lasted from 1772 until 1918, is visible even today. For more than 100 years, southern Lesser Poland ([[Kraków]], [[Tarnów]], [[Bielsko-Biała|Biala Krakowska]], and [[Nowy Sącz]]) was administered by Austria, while northern, larger part of the province ([[Częstochowa]], [[Sosnowiec]], Kielce, Radom, Lublin, [[Sandomierz]]) was forcibly part of the [[Russian Empire]]. Inhabitants of Austrian part of Poland enjoyed limited autonomy,<ref>[http://www.jewish-guide.pl/galicia/37 Jewish Guide, Galicia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323053119/http://www.jewish-guide.pl/galicia/37 |date=23 March 2010 }}"Under the rule of emperor Franz Josef broad autonomy was granted to Galicia due to the political shrewdness and common sense of Polish intelligentsia."</ref> with Polish language institutions, such as [[Jagiellonian University]]. At the same time, Russian-controlled Poland was subject to [[Russification]]. As a result of decades of this division, most inhabitants of the areas stolen by Russia are not aware of their Lesser Poland's heritage. Furthermore, current administrative boundaries of the country still reflect the defunct border between the former Russian and Austria–Hungarian Empires.
[[File:Zamek Bobolice (Castle of Bobolice).JPG|thumb|Castle of [[Bobolice, Silesian Voivodeship|Bobolice]]]]