The final years of Augustus II’s reign were marked by efforts to consolidate power and secure a dynastic succession for his son, Friedrich August. However, these ambitions clashed with Lithuania’s internal dynamics, which reflected a broader pattern of magnate factions pursuing private interests. Augustus, constrained by the political limitations imposed after the Silent Sejm of 1717, sought Austrian support and made strategic marriages, but his attempts to centralize power alienated the Lithuanian nobility. Lithuania, like the rest of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was increasingly fragmented and influenced by foreign powers, weakening its ability to act independently during the growing geopolitical tensions.
Augustus’ reign saw a decline in Lithuania’s military capacity and political cohesion, exacerbated by the devastation of the Great Northern War and the accompanying plague outbreak. Although Augustus managed to bring a measure of peace after the war, his focus on securing the Polish throne for his son created friction among the Commonwealth’s factions. The weakening of internal governance in Lithuania also set the stage for the challenges that would emerge with the War of Polish Succession (1733–1735).
When Augustus II died in 1733, his efforts to secure the throne for his son triggered a succession crisis, sparking the War of Polish Succession. Lithuania’s political factions divided along familiar lines, with some supporting the Saxon dynasty and others rallying behind the former Polish king, Stanisław Leszczyński, whose supporters opposed Saxon influence. The conflict reinforced Lithuania’s growing vulnerability, as Russia, Austria, and France exploited the succession struggle to further their own interests. The war confirmed Augustus III as king, but it also highlighted the Commonwealth’s inability to control its own affairs, with Lithuania remaining under the shadow of foreign manipulation.
Europe after the 1738 Treaty of Vienna, which concluded the war. © Bryan Rutherford
The Treaty of Vienna (1738), which concluded the war, left lasting consequences for Lithuania. Poland–Lithuania relinquished its claims to Livonia and ceded direct control over the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. While Courland technically remained a fief of the Commonwealth, it was never fully integrated into its political structure and gradually fell under significant Russian influence. This dominance persisted until the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, marking the end of Russian control over the region.