# First Partition (1772)

URL: https://lithuania-history.com/timeline/1772-first-partition
Categories: main-event

Russia, Prussia and Austria seized large parts of the Commonwealth. Lithuanian lands lost territory to Russia, and the state’s sovereignty was badly weakened.

## Why it matters
The partition demonstrated that neighboring empires could seize Commonwealth territory while its institutions were unable to prevent them. It turned a political crisis into an existential one and made reform both more urgent and more difficult.

Ruler at the time: [Stanisław August Poniatowski](https://lithuania-history.com/rulers/stanislaw-august-poniatowski)

## Sources
- [Britannica - Partitions of Poland](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Partitions-of-Poland)
- [World History Encyclopedia - Partition of Poland](https://www.worldhistory.org/Partition_of_Poland/)