orig. Stanis 0142; aw Poniatowski
born Jan. 17, 1732, Wo 0142; czyn, Pol.
died Feb. 12, 1798, St. Petersburg, Russia
King of Poland (176495).
Son of a Polish noble, he was sent in 1757 to Russia to win support for Polish interests and became the lover of the future Empress Catherine II . In 1764 Catherine used Russian troops and influence to ensure Stanis 0142; aw's election as king. He tried to introduce administrative reforms, but opposition from Polish nobles and from Catherine forced him to continue his rule as a pawn of Russia. He attempted to pass a new constitution but could not stop the partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, 1795), after which he abdicated.