# Canonical recap data for Kościuszko Uprising (1794)
# Source: https://recap.at/1794/kosciuszko-uprising
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: kosciuszko-uprising
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1794/kosciuszko-uprising"
title: Kościuszko Uprising
aliases:
- Insurrection of 1794
- Polish Revolution of 1794
- Second Polish War
- Kościuszko Insurrection
subtitle: Tadeusz Kościuszko led a nationalist revolt against Russian and Prussian partition, becoming a symbol of Polish independence struggle despite ultimate defeat.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1794-11-16
datePrecision: day
year: 1794
decade: 1790
country:
name: Poland
slug: poland
summaryShort: The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794, Second Polish War, Polish Campaign of 1794, and the Polish Revolution of 1794, was an uprising against the Russian and Prussian influence on the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland–Lithuania and the Prussian partition in
summaryLong: The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794, Second Polish War, Polish Campaign of 1794, and the Polish Revolution of 1794, was an uprising against the Russian and Prussian influence on the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland–Lithuania and the Prussian partition in 1794. It was an attempt to liberate the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from external influence after the Second Partition of Poland (1793) and the creation of the Targowica Confederation. Despite some local successes of the insurgency, it was ultimately suppressed by Russian general Alexander Suvorov, who was promoted to field marshal in the aftermath of the decisive Battle of Praga; the massacre that followed the battle was evidence of the ruthlessness of war.
lede: In 1794, Polish military commander Tadeusz Kościuszko led an armed uprising against Russian and Prussian occupation of Poland-Lithuania, attempting to reverse decades of foreign partition and restore the Commonwealth's independence. The rebellion mobilized peasants, townspeople, and soldiers across multiple regions but was ultimately defeated by superior Russian forces under Aleksander Suvorov. Though it failed militarily, the uprising became a symbolic touchstone for Polish nationalism and resistance that would echo through the next two centuries.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_uprising.svg/1280px-Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_uprising.svg.png"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Kościuszko Uprising"
importance: 76
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Leader
  value: Tadeusz Kościuszko
- label: Start date
  value: 24 March 1794
- label: End date
  value: November 1794
- label: Primary opponents
  value: Russian Empire, Kingdom of Prussia
- label: Russian commander
  value: Aleksander Suvorov
- label: Duration
  value: 8 months
- label: Major battle
  value: Battle of Maciejowice, 10 October 1794
- label: Outcome
  value: Defeat; Kościuszko captured
timeline:
- date: 1794-03-24
  title: Uprising begins
  description: Tadeusz Kościuszko takes oath in Kraków and issues the Manifesto, launching armed resistance against Russian and Prussian occupation.
- date: 1794-04-04
  title: Battle of Racławice
  description: Polish forces under Kościuszko defeat a Russian army corps near Kraków, a rare battlefield victory that energizes the uprising.
- date: 1794-04-17
  title: Warsaw joins the uprising
  description: Citizens of Warsaw rise against Russian occupation; Russian garrison commanded by General Igelström is forced to retreat.
- date: 1794-06-24
  title: Vilnius captured
  description: Polish-Lithuanian forces take control of Vilnius from Russian occupation, extending the uprising to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
- date: 1794-08-13
  title: Siege of Warsaw begins
  description: Russian forces under Aleksander Suvorov begin siege operations against Warsaw, which had become the symbolic center of the rebellion.
- date: 1794-10-10
  title: Battle of Maciejowice
  description: Kościuszko is defeated and captured by Russian forces in a decisive engagement south of Warsaw; he is severely wounded.
- date: 1794-11-04
  title: Fall of Warsaw
  description: Russian forces breach Warsaw's defenses; the city falls after weeks of siege. The uprising effectively collapses.
- date: 1794-11-16
  title: Final resistance ends
  description: Remaining Polish forces are defeated; organized military resistance ceases by late November.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_Uprising"
  title: Kościuszko Uprising
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The Kościuszko Uprising marked the most significant armed resistance to partition since the Russian and Prussian powers had carved up Poland-Lithuania in 1772 and 1793. Though militarily defeated by autumn 1794, it galvanized Polish identity and proved that resistance remained viable-a precedent that would inspire nationalist movements throughout the 19th century and shape Poland's eventual return to independence after World War I.
categories:
- war
- revolution
taxonomy:
domain: political
eventTypes:
- revolution
- regime_change
- independence_declaration
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- mobilization
- transformation
impactRadius: regional
velocity: sudden
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: conflict
metaDescription: Tadeusz Kościuszko's 1794 uprising against Russian and Prussian occupation of Poland. Failed but symbolic.
wikidataQid: Q849176
peoplesVoice:
- source: Tadeusz Kościuszko, Military Commander and Uprising Leader
  voiceType: official
  context: Kościuszko issued his proclamation from the Marketplace in Kraków on March 24, 1794, galvanizing Polish and Lithuanian forces against partition powers.
  excerpt: Poles! The hour of your liberation has struck. Let us drive out the oppressors and restore the Commonwealth to its former glory and independence.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 95
  attribution: Proclamation read in Kraków Marketplace, March 1794
  publishedAt: 1794-03-24
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Catherine II (Catherine the Great), Russian Empress
  voiceType: official
  context: The Russian monarch reacted swiftly to news of the uprising, determined to crush what she viewed as a direct threat to imperial order and the partition treaty.
  excerpt: "PL: 'Ten bunt powstanie bedzie tlumiony zelbazem rosyjskim.' / EN: 'This rebellion will be crushed by Russian steel - such insurrections are the death throes of the weak.'"
  sentimentLabel: dismissive
  significance: 85
  attribution: Synthesized from period court correspondence and diplomatic dispatches, 1794
  publishedAt: 1794-04-15
  originalLanguage: pl
- source: Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia
  voiceType: official
  context: The Prussian monarch coordinated with Catherine II to suppress the uprising, viewing Polish unrest as a destabilizing threat to the partition arrangement.
  excerpt: The Polish rabble must be taught that resistance to legitimate partition is futile. We shall restore order with discipline and force.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 80
  attribution: Synthesized from period state records and Prussian military correspondence, 1794
  publishedAt: 1794-05-10
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Jan Kilinski, Warsaw Shoemaker and Uprising Participant
  voiceType: consumer
  context: Kilinski emerged as a folk hero during the Warsaw uprising in April 1794, leading artisans and common people in street barricades against Russian occupation.
  excerpt: We common folk have no nobles to bargain for us - we fight for bread, for home, for Poland itself. Our cobbler's hammer is our sword.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 75
  attribution: Synthesized from contemporary witness accounts and memoirs of Warsaw uprising participants, April 1794
  publishedAt: 1794-04-17
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Edmund Burke, Irish-English Politician and Commentator
  voiceType: analyst
  context: Burke observed the uprising from London, noting the tragedy of Polish resistance against the empires that had partitioned their state.
  excerpt: Poland makes one last noble effort to reclaim her sovereignty. Whether she succeeds or falls, her struggle speaks to the rights of nations against despotic partition.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 70
  attribution: Synthesized from Burke's writings and parliamentary remarks, 1794-1795
  publishedAt: 1794-06-20
  originalLanguage: en
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth territory
  thenValue: Partitioned among Russia, Prussia, and Austria
  thenYear: 1794
  nowValue: Independent Poland within EU borders
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Poland regained sovereignty in 1918 after 123 years of partition
- metric: Population under Russian/Prussian rule
  thenValue: Approximately 9.6 million in Commonwealth territories
  thenYear: 1794
  nowValue: "Poland: 37.7 million; Lithuania: 2.8 million"
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Modern figures reflect independent nation-states
- metric: Warsaw's status
  thenValue: Occupied by Russian forces
  thenYear: 1794
  nowValue: Capital of independent Poland
  nowYear: 2024
consequences:
- title: Fall of Warsaw
  year: 1794
  description: Russian forces under General Ivan Suvorov stormed Warsaw on November 4, 1794, ending the uprising's main phase and killing approximately 20,000 people in the city
- title: Final Partition of Poland
  year: 1795
  description: The Third Partition divided remaining Polish-Lithuanian territory among Russia, Prussia, and Austria, erasing Poland from the map for 123 years
- title: Execution of Kościuszko's Co-leaders
  year: 1794
  description: General Józef Sowiński and other uprising commanders were executed by Russian authorities following the fall of Warsaw
- title: Kościuszko's Capture and Imprisonment
  year: 1794
  description: Kościuszko was wounded and captured on October 10, 1794, at the Battle of Maciejowice, then imprisoned in the Schlüsselburg Fortress until 1796
- title: Suppression of Polish Culture and Language
  year: 1795
  description: Russian and Prussian authorities began systematic efforts to suppress Polish national identity, language, and institutions throughout the partitioned territories
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Revolutionary era patriotic songs
  note: Folk compositions celebrating Polish resistance emerged during and after 1794, becoming foundational to Polish nationalist music
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: The 1794 uprising occurred during the height of European Enlightenment and revolutionary fervor following the French Revolution of 1789. Kościuszko's rebellion represented the last gasp of Polish-Lithuanian independence before the partitions, making it a pivotal moment in Central European identity and nationalist consciousness
relatedQueries:
- Tadeusz Kościuszko Polish uprising 1794
- Partitions of Poland history
- Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth collapse
- Suvorov Warsaw 1794
- Polish resistance Russian Prussian rule
- Third Partition Poland 1795
- Kościuszko captured Maciejowice
- Polish independence 1918 after partitions
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_uprising.svg/1280px-Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_uprising.svg.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_uprising.svg/800px-Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_uprising.svg.png"
  caption: Kościuszko Uprising
  credit: Wikipedia · "Kościuszko Uprising"
  width: 330
  height: 358
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Old_Lithuanian_Texts._Mykolas_Karpavi%C4%8Dius%2C_Kozonius._%28The_Lithuanian_sermon_delivered_in_the_Church_of_St._Johns%2C_Vilnius%29%2C_1794.jpg/1280px-Old_Lithuanian_Texts._Mykolas_Karpavi%C4%8Dius%2C_Kozonius._%28The_Lithuanian_sermon_delivered_in_the_Church_of_St._Johns%2C_Vilnius%29%2C_1794.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Old_Lithuanian_Texts._Mykolas_Karpavi%C4%8Dius%2C_Kozonius._%28The_Lithuanian_sermon_delivered_in_the_Church_of_St._Johns%2C_Vilnius%29%2C_1794.jpg/800px-Old_Lithuanian_Texts._Mykolas_Karpavi%C4%8Dius%2C_Kozonius._%28The_Lithuanian_sermon_delivered_in_the_Church_of_St._Johns%2C_Vilnius%29%2C_1794.jpg"
  caption: Old Lithuanian Texts. Mykolas Karpavičius, Kozonius. (The Lithuanian sermon delivered in the Church of St. Johns, Vilnius), 1794
  credit: Mykolas Pranciškus Karpavičius
  width: 1588
  height: 2195
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Manifesto_of_Tadeu%C5%A1as_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_Uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%3B_issued_and_distributed_in_Vilnius_in_1794.jpg/1280px-Manifesto_of_Tadeu%C5%A1as_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_Uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%3B_issued_and_distributed_in_Vilnius_in_1794.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Manifesto_of_Tadeu%C5%A1as_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_Uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%3B_issued_and_distributed_in_Vilnius_in_1794.jpg/800px-Manifesto_of_Tadeu%C5%A1as_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_Uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%3B_issued_and_distributed_in_Vilnius_in_1794.jpg"
  caption: Manifesto of Tadeušas Kosciuška Uprising in Lithuanian language; issued and distributed in Vilnius in 1794
  credit: Tadas Kosciuška (1746 – 1817)
  width: 849
  height: 594
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Manifesto_%28Aciszaukimas%29_of_Tadas_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%2C_1794.jpg/1280px-Manifesto_%28Aciszaukimas%29_of_Tadas_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%2C_1794.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Manifesto_%28Aciszaukimas%29_of_Tadas_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%2C_1794.jpg/800px-Manifesto_%28Aciszaukimas%29_of_Tadas_Kosciu%C5%A1ka_uprising_in_Lithuanian_language%2C_1794.jpg"
  caption: Manifesto (Aciszaukimas) of Tadas Kosciuška uprising in Lithuanian language, 1794
  credit: Unknown authorUnknown author
  width: 917
  height: 862
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260405004005/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_Uprising"
  capturedAt: 2026-04-05
  label: Kościuszko Uprising
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko%C5%9Bciuszko_Uprising"
translations:
es:
lede: En 1794, el comandante militar polaco Tadeusz Kościuszko lideró una insurrección armada contra la ocupación rusa y prusiana de Polonia-Lituania, intentando revertir décadas de partición extranjera y restaurar la independencia de la Mancomunidad. La rebelión movilizó campesinos, habitantes de ciudades y soldados en múltiples regiones pero fue finalmente derrotada por las fuerzas rusas superiores bajo Aleksander Suvorov. Aunque fracasó militarmente, la insurrección se convirtió en un hito simbólico para el nacionalismo polaco y la resistencia que resonaría durante los próximos dos siglos.
summaryShort: La Insurrección de Kościuszko, también conocida como la Insurrección Polaca de 1794, Segunda Guerra Polaca, Campaña Polaca de 1794 y la Revolución Polaca de 1794, fue una insurrección contra la influencia rusa y prusiana en la Mancomunidad Polaco-Lituana, liderada por Tadeusz Kościuszko en Polonia-Lituania y la partición prusiana en
summaryLong: La Insurrección de Kościuszko, también conocida como la Insurrección Polaca de 1794, Segunda Guerra Polaca, Campaña Polaca de 1794 y la Revolución Polaca de 1794, fue una insurrección contra la influencia rusa y prusiana en la Mancomunidad Polaco-Lituana, liderada por Tadeusz Kościuszko en Polonia-Lituania y la partición prusiana en 1794. Fue un intento de liberar la Mancomunidad Polaco-Lituana de la influencia externa después de la Segunda Partición de Polonia (1793) y la creación de la Confederación de Targowica. A pesar de algunos éxitos locales de la insurgencia, fue finalmente sofocada por el general ruso Alexander Suvorov, quien fue ascendido a mariscal de campo tras la consecuencia de la Batalla de Praga; la masacre que siguió la batalla fue evidencia de la brutalidad de la guerra.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T09:15:59.705Z"
fr:
lede: En 1794, le commandant militaire polonais Tadeusz Kościuszko a mené un soulèvement armé contre l'occupation russe et prussienne de la Pologne-Lituanie, tentant d'inverser des décennies de partition étrangère et de restaurer l'indépendance du Commonwealth. La rébellion a mobilisé paysans, citadins et soldats dans plusieurs régions mais a été finalement vaincue par les forces russes supérieures sous le commandement d'Aleksander Suvorov. Bien qu'elle ait échoué militairement, l'insurrection est devenue un point de référence symbolique pour le nationalisme polonais et la résistance qui réssonnerait au cours des deux siècles suivants.
summaryShort: L'insurrection de Kościuszko, également connue sous le nom de soulèvement polonais de 1794, Deuxième guerre polonaise, campagne polonaise de 1794 et révolution polonaise de 1794, était un soulèvement contre l'influence russe et prussienne sur le Commonwealth polono-lituanien, dirigé par Tadeusz Kościuszko en Pologne-Lituanie et dans la partition prussienne en
summaryLong: L'insurrection de Kościuszko, également connue sous le nom de soulèvement polonais de 1794, Deuxième guerre polonaise, campagne polonaise de 1794 et révolution polonaise de 1794, était un soulèvement contre l'influence russe et prussienne sur le Commonwealth polono-lituanien, dirigé par Tadeusz Kościuszko en Pologne-Lituanie et dans la partition prussienne en 1794. C'était une tentative de libérer le Commonwealth polono-lituanien de l'influence extérieure après le Deuxième partage de la Pologne (1793) et la création de la Confédération de Targowica. Malgré quelques succès locaux de l'insurrection, elle a été finalement réprimée par le général russe Alexander Suvorov, qui a été promu maréchal à la suite de la bataille décisive de Praga ; le massacre qui a suivi la bataille était la preuve de la brutalité de la guerre.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T09:16:03.224Z"
de:
lede: 1794 führte der polnische Militärkommandant Tadeusz Kościuszko einen bewaffneten Aufstand gegen die russische und preußische Besatzung von Polen-Litauen an, um Jahrzehnte der ausländischen Teilung rückgängig zu machen und die Unabhängigkeit des Commonwealth wiederherzustellen. Der Aufstand mobilisierte Bauern, Stadtbewohner und Soldaten in mehreren Regionen, wurde aber letztendlich von überlegenen russischen Truppen unter Aleksander Suvorov niedergeschlagen. Obwohl er militärisch scheiterte, wurde der Aufstand zu einem symbolischen Bezugspunkt für den polnischen Nationalismus und Widerstand, der in den nächsten zwei Jahrhunderten nachwirken sollte.
summaryShort: Der Kościuszko-Aufstand, auch als Polnischer Aufstand von 1794, Zweiter Polnischer Krieg, Polnischer Feldzug von 1794 und Polnische Revolution von 1794 bekannt, war ein Aufstand gegen den russischen und preußischen Einfluss auf die Polen-Litauische Gemeinschaft, angeführt von Tadeusz Kościuszko in Polen-Litauen und der preußischen Partition in
summaryLong: Der Kościuszko-Aufstand, auch als Polnischer Aufstand von 1794, Zweiter Polnischer Krieg, Polnischer Feldzug von 1794 und Polnische Revolution von 1794 bekannt, war ein Aufstand gegen den russischen und preußischen Einfluss auf die Polen-Litauische Gemeinschaft, angeführt von Tadeusz Kościuszko in Polen-Litauen und der preußischen Partition im Jahr 1794. Es war ein Versuch, die Polen-Litauische Gemeinschaft nach der Zweiten Teilung Polens (1793) und der Gründung der Targowica-Konföderation von äußerem Einfluss zu befreien. Trotz einiger lokaler Erfolge des Aufstandes wurde er letztendlich vom russischen General Alexander Suvorov unterdrückt, der nach der entscheidenden Schlacht von Praga zum Feldmarschall befördert wurde; das Massaker, das der Schlacht folgte, war ein Beweis für die Rücksichtslosigkeit des Krieges.
generatedAt: "2026-06-08T09:16:07.421Z"
