Poland is a nation in Eastern Europe, once one of the largest nations in Europe, before it was partitioned in the late 18th century. In Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Both Nations, as Poland was formally known at the time, had sat out the First Global War, while her major neighbors had fought in the war. In 1763, during the War, King Augustus III died. Russia and Austria were both too busy attempting to defend themselves to dominate the election of a new king, and so, Kazimierz Pulaski was elected king. The newly-crowned King Kazimierz attempted to steer Poland on an independant course. This alarmed Russian and Austria, and so, in 1769, they signed an agreement to invade Poland. Kazimierz was forced to abdicate, and in his place, Catherine the Great placed her former lover Stanislaus