Ouch. That must have hurt, to have this Russia kicking you in the back... Good luck getting something out of the Austrians!
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The war with Austria - 1818
King Józef Antoni Poniatowski tried desperately to get the Austrians to sign a peace treaty. Of course a white peace was out of the question so he tried to gain peace with what little money he had in the treasury. But the Austrian emperor always said no. He even tried to convince Prussia or Russia to give the polish army a right of passage through there territory but to no avail. It seemed like the only way to gain peace was to cede Kraków but even that didn't appease the Austrians. It seemed like a stalemate had emerged with Austria rejecting all offers of peace and both countries having no capabilities of actually fighting anymore. The King wanted peace at almost any cost because he was afraid that the Prussians might try to seize the advantage and attack the White Eagle. A few monthes of diplomatic meetings passed with no result.
Polish diplomats rejected in Vienna
The situation was becomong dire for the Kingdom. In september of 1818 Prussia declared war with Poland. The White Eagle was now in a fight for survival
The Death of the White Eagle
The war with the Black Eagles 1818-1819
The King had barely assembled a 15 000 army which was supposed to be used to fight in Austria. The King quickly ordered a conscription of 5000 infantry. But before the new units could be formed a 35 000 Prussian army entered Mazovia. A huge battle ensued near the town of Pruszków about 20 km from Warsaw.
The battle of Pruszków 1818
The battle was fierce. The prussian army was at first surprised by the stiff resistance of the Poles. Unfortunately it's numerical superiority and better tactics and weapons eventually prevailed. The King himself commanded 4 failed cavalry charges. After 10 hours 6 000 polish and 13 000 prussian soldiers were dead. Only about 2 000 troops with the King barely escaped to Warsaw which was preparing for the siege. The siege began in November and thankfully a harsh winter decimated enough german troops to make an assualt on Warsaw impossible during the winter. But as soon as the winter snow melted and spring began a new force of 14 000 joined the 7 500 soldiers besieing Warsaw. An assualt began. The King seeing that the there was no hope for withstanding the attack gathered 200 surviving cavalry units and lead a final charge against the enemy. The cavalry soldiers hacked away at the swarm of Prussian killing over 400 of them before being killed themselves. The King managed to break off only to see that he was surrounded with a fistful of men by the enemy with the vistula at his back. Not wanting to be taken to captivity he turned his horse around and jumped into the cold waters of the river into the arms of death...
The Death of Poniatowski 1819
The city fell just a few hours later. The Prussians once again pillaged and razed the city. After two nights the fires in the city could be seen from miles away.
Warsaw burning
With no administative power except a few of the Kings advisors the Prussians deemed fit to not ask for peace terms but to simply take what they wanted. After a quick meeting with the Austrians a resolution was reached. Poland would be annexed with Cracow and it's region going to the Austrians and Warsaw and Mazovia going to the Prussians. After over 800 years of existence the White Eagle was erased from the map of Europe...
Map of central Europe 1819
Finis Polonaie - the end of Poland
King Józef Antoni Poniatowski tried desperately to get the Austrians to sign a peace treaty. Of course a white peace was out of the question so he tried to gain peace with what little money he had in the treasury. But the Austrian emperor always said no. He even tried to convince Prussia or Russia to give the polish army a right of passage through there territory but to no avail. It seemed like the only way to gain peace was to cede Kraków but even that didn't appease the Austrians. It seemed like a stalemate had emerged with Austria rejecting all offers of peace and both countries having no capabilities of actually fighting anymore. The King wanted peace at almost any cost because he was afraid that the Prussians might try to seize the advantage and attack the White Eagle. A few monthes of diplomatic meetings passed with no result.
Polish diplomats rejected in Vienna
The situation was becomong dire for the Kingdom. In september of 1818 Prussia declared war with Poland. The White Eagle was now in a fight for survival
The Death of the White Eagle
The war with the Black Eagles 1818-1819
The King had barely assembled a 15 000 army which was supposed to be used to fight in Austria. The King quickly ordered a conscription of 5000 infantry. But before the new units could be formed a 35 000 Prussian army entered Mazovia. A huge battle ensued near the town of Pruszków about 20 km from Warsaw.
The battle of Pruszków 1818
The battle was fierce. The prussian army was at first surprised by the stiff resistance of the Poles. Unfortunately it's numerical superiority and better tactics and weapons eventually prevailed. The King himself commanded 4 failed cavalry charges. After 10 hours 6 000 polish and 13 000 prussian soldiers were dead. Only about 2 000 troops with the King barely escaped to Warsaw which was preparing for the siege. The siege began in November and thankfully a harsh winter decimated enough german troops to make an assualt on Warsaw impossible during the winter. But as soon as the winter snow melted and spring began a new force of 14 000 joined the 7 500 soldiers besieing Warsaw. An assualt began. The King seeing that the there was no hope for withstanding the attack gathered 200 surviving cavalry units and lead a final charge against the enemy. The cavalry soldiers hacked away at the swarm of Prussian killing over 400 of them before being killed themselves. The King managed to break off only to see that he was surrounded with a fistful of men by the enemy with the vistula at his back. Not wanting to be taken to captivity he turned his horse around and jumped into the cold waters of the river into the arms of death...
The Death of Poniatowski 1819
The city fell just a few hours later. The Prussians once again pillaged and razed the city. After two nights the fires in the city could be seen from miles away.
Warsaw burning
With no administative power except a few of the Kings advisors the Prussians deemed fit to not ask for peace terms but to simply take what they wanted. After a quick meeting with the Austrians a resolution was reached. Poland would be annexed with Cracow and it's region going to the Austrians and Warsaw and Mazovia going to the Prussians. After over 800 years of existence the White Eagle was erased from the map of Europe...
Map of central Europe 1819
Finis Polonaie - the end of Poland
The End
I hope you enjoyed one of the longest AARs ever made (It took me 3 years to finish) and that you had as much fun reading it as I had writing and playing it. Thank You for reading.
And it was already looking so well at one point... 
Pity you haven't made it, you were doing amazingly well! Congratulations on finishing this at last, and with such a nice style!
Pity you haven't made it, you were doing amazingly well! Congratulations on finishing this at last, and with such a nice style!