English: "The first partition of Poland, 1772. In the Middle Ages, Poland was a large kingdom. Partly because of its unworkable Parliament, Poland fell prey to the greed of its powerful neighbors, and in 1772, Russia, Prussia, and Austria signed the first treaty to dismember Poland. Further partitions came in 1793 and 1795, by which time Poland ceased to exist as an independent nation. On the left here is Catherine II of Russia. At the right are Joseph II of Austria and Frederick the Great of Prussia."[1]