Polish diplomacy and the principle of uti possidetis in the Karlowitz negotiations (1698–1699)

Abstract

The article analyses the position of Polish diplomacy towards the principle of uti possidetis (“what you possess, you keep”), which became the basis for the peace negotiations in Karlowitz in 1698–1699, ending the long-standing conflict between the Holy League and the Ottoman Empire. The author drew on the literature on the subject and diplomatic documents from the period. The research method adopted is a critical synthesis based on a comparison of the positions of the parties involved in the negotiations. The focus is on assessing Poland's unfavourable position in the international context and its attempts to oppose the imposed treaty conditions. The diplomatic actions taken by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in particular by the extraordinary envoy Stanisław Małachowski, aimed at rejecting the negotiating formula unfavourable to Poland, are presented. The broader political context is also discussed, such as the change on the Polish throne after the election of Augustus II the Strong, the attitude of the allies from the Holy League, and the mediation initiatives of England and the Netherlands. The conclusions indicate that despite an unfavourable starting point and a lack of real military leverage, Poland managed to negotiate a return to the pre-1672 borders (status quo ante bellum). Although the Treaty of Karlowitz was considered unsatisfactory in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in reality it was a diplomatic success – it managed to avoid further marginalisation of the state and opened a new stage in Polish-Turkish relations, based on equal treatment.