Between Empires

During the eighteenth century, the city of Gdańsk (or Danzig), like the rest of Poland, found itself caught between the rising powers of Russia and Prussia. The city was besieged and briefly occupied by Russia in 1734, remained part of Poland during the First Partition of Poland in 1772, and was eventually annexed by Prussia in 1793 as part of the Second Partition. Right up to the very end, Gdańsk’s armed forces tried to defend the city’s freedom. Between Empires provides a detailed account of the organisation and operations of Gdańsk’s armed forces during this tumultuous period, including the changes in the uniforms and equipment following the Great Reform of 1769–1771.

Based on extensive archival research and using primary sources not previously presented in an English-language publication, Between Empires provides a wealth of detail on the armed forces of one of the most important cities on the Baltic coast during a pivotal century for the region.