Heads of State Poland

A few facts about the Heads of State of Poland that have governed Polska since 991.

• There have been 21 Hereditary Kings and Senior Princes dating back to 991 until 1296.

• There have been 13 Hereditary Kings from 1300 until 1572.

• There have been 11 Elected Kings of Poland & Lithuania from 1573 until 1795.

• From 1795 until 1918 Poland was partitioned and ruled by a number of different countries including, Austria, Prussia (later to become Germany), Russia and as a French vassal during the Napoleonic Wars. The Polish State was abolished during these years and not re-established until 1918 as an independent republic.

• Known as the ‘Second Republic', there have been 4 Presidents and Heads of State until 1939.

• In 1939 the Polish Second Republic was overwhelmed and destroyed by a joint Nazi and Soviet attack. After the Second World War two governments existed, the legal government in exile in London, United Kingdom and the Soviet controlled government within Poland.

• The Polish government in exile had 7 leaders until 1990.

• The Polish People's Republic had 5 leaders under Soviet rule.

• Since 1989 the third Polish Republic, once again as a free state, has had 9 leaders.

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