Kościuszko's proclamation refers to a speech given by

Tadeusz Kościuszko Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (; 4 or 12 February 174615 October 1817) was a Polish Military engineering, military engineer, statesman, and military leader who then became a national hero in Poland, the United States, Lithuania, and ...

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

on 24 March 1794. The speech is considered the starting point of the

Kościuszko Uprising The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794, Second Polish War, Polish Campaign of 1794, and the Polish Revolution of 1794, was an uprising against the Russian and Prussian influence on the Polish–Lithuanian Common ...

against the forces of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

that were occupying Poland. Around 10 o'clock in the Old Town square in Kraków, the Act of Insurrection was read by Kraków's

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

representative. The document gave Tadeusz Kościuszko command over the ''National Armed Force'' () and he vowed to convene a Supreme National Council. Drafted by

Hugo Kołłątaj Hugo Stumberg Kołłątaj, also spelled ''Kołłątay'' (1 April 1750 – 28 February 1812), was a prominent Polish constitutional reformer and educationalist, and one of the most prominent figures of the Enlightenment in Poland, Polish Enlighten ...

, an advocate of

physiocracy Physiocracy (; from the Greek for "government of nature") is an economic theory developed by a group of 18th-century Age of Enlightenment French economists. They believed that the wealth of nations derived solely from the value of "land agricult ...

, it began with:

"The wretched state in which Poland finds itself is known to the universe; the indiginities of two neighboring powers, and the crimes of traitors to their country have sunk this nation into an abyss of misery."

Soon afterwards Kościuszko stepped forward and recited his oath:Storozynski, A., 2009, The Peasant Prince, New York: St. Martin's Press,

Aftermath

On 10 May, the council was appointed by Kosciuszko, which was led by Kołłątaj as the minister of treasury, Potocki as minister of foreign affairs, and other ministers for justice, security, military needs, provisions, national affairs and administrative affairs. The council coined money with "Freedom, Unity, Independence-The Republic, 1794" on the new zloty. Kosciuszko stated the council was formed of "...virtuous citizens and friends of the people, and when I nominated them, I did not want to think about whether they are peasants, burghers or aristocrats.".

References

Kościuszko Uprising Oaths Military history of Kraków {{Poland-hist-stub