After the short reign of Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, the throne of Poland passed to Lord Hetman Jan (John) Sobieski, hero of the Turkish wars. He had to rule a country rent by rival factions of magnates and territorially diminished by a temporary Turkish occupation of Podolia. Though from the military standpoint he was the glorious victor at the relief of Vienna, 1683, he could not meet the challenge of putting the affairs of the state in order. He was not successful on the diplomatic front, either (loss of half of Ukraine to Russia, shaky alliances with France and Austria). With Sobieski's death in 1696, the Sarmatian period of the Polish Noblemen's Commonwealth wound to a close. From then on, the predominant role in the country would be played by factions of magnates. Polish military triumphs also became a thing of the past.
Poland - Official Promotional Website of the Republic of Poland
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