Republic of Paulava

Paulava Republic (Lithuanian: Paulavos respublika, Polish: Rzeczpospolita Pawłowska) was a peasant community in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with its own parliament, army, and laws.[1]

Paulava Republic

Rzeczpospolita Pawłowska
Paulavos respublika
1769–1795
CapitalMerkinė Manor
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic
• President
Paweł Ksawery Brzostowski
LegislatureSeimas (parliament)
History 
• Established
1769
• Disestablished
1795
Area
30.4 km2 (11.7 sq mi)
Population
• 
800
Today part ofLithuania

Located around the Merkinė Manor (also Pavlovo Manor) in present-day Šalčininkai District Municipality, Lithuania, it covered an area of 30.4 km2 (11.7 sq mi) and had about 800 residents.[1]

History

Paulava Republic was a small self-governing peasant community founded in 1769 by the Catholic priest Paweł Ksawery Brzostowski. The republic ceased to exist in 1795 when, due to the Third Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Brzostowski exchanged the manor with Fryderyk Józef Moszyński for properties in Saxony and Dresden.

Moszyński in turn sold sold the manor to Count de Choiseul-Gouffier in 1799.[2] The new owners tolerated some of the freedoms until Brzostowski's death in 1827. The last freedoms were lost when peasants joined the failed November Uprising in 1830.[1]

Government

The community was governed by Paweł Ksawery Brzostowski, who declared himself President, and Seimas (parliament), which was formed from the local peasants.[3][4] The republic had its own constitution which was created before the Constitution of 3 May 1791.[5]

Paweł Ksawery Brzostowski in Paulava Republic

Recognition

The state was recognized by the Grand Duke and King Stanisław August Poniatowski himself.[6] The Great Sejm (1788–1792) also recognized the republic and approved its statute.[2]

Peasants of Paulava

Reforms

Brzostowski implemented various progressive policies – abolished serfdom and granted personal freedoms to the peasants, replaced corvée with a land tax paid in cash, established a school and a pharmacy, encouraged more profitable agricultural activities, e.g. fruit tree gardens and animal husbandry.[1] Brzostowski's revenue from the manor more than doubled.

References
  1. Jasas, Rimantas (2010-06-15). "Paulavos respublika". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras.
  2. "Merkinės dvaro sodybos, vad. Pavlovo respublika, fragmentai" (in Lithuanian). Kultūros paveldo departamentas. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  3. "Povilas Ksaveras Bžostovskis (Paweł Ksawery Brzostowski)". www.vilnijosvartai.lt. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  4. "Šalčininkų rajono savivaldybė - straipsniai :Atgyja Paulavos respublikos ledainė". www.salcininkai.lt. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  5. Vaitkutė-Šiaulienė, Dalia. "Miniatiūrinė valstybė valstybėje, galėjusi tapti Lietuvos Monaku: apie savo prezidentą bei valiutą turėjusią respubliką žinojo visa Europa". DELFI (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  6. Grigaliūnaitė, Violeta (2 June 2014). "Paulavos respublika: vieta, galėjusi tapti lietuviškuoju Monaku ar Lichtenšteinu". 15min.lt.
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