The Polish Imprint

Russia and Poland - two neighbours, but not always on the best of terms! The history of the two countries has been full of conflict and political intrigue for centuries, long periods of war giving way to peaceful interludes. The Polish Imprint chronicles the many dramatic historical events and figures behind the centuries-old confrontation between these two Slavic nations. Why were the Poles the first to take up arms and invade Kievan Rus? What role did the struggle against the Mongol invaders play in the relations between the Slavic nations? What caused the Poles to kill Russians in the streets of Warsaw in the late eighteenth century? How did the partitions of Poland between other countries lead to its disappearance? How did the Poles begin to get close to the Russian imperial court, and how did they influence Russian policy in the early nineteenth century? How did Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power in France influence the relations between Russia and Poland? Why did the Poles, with French support, attack Russia? How and why did Napoleon disappoint the Poles, and the Poles disappoint Napoleon? How did Poland eventually rise up from oblivion, and what role did the Russian rulers play in this process?