Polish National Government (November Uprising)

Polish National Government of 1831 was a Polish supreme authority during the November Uprising against the Russian occupation of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was formed by the decree of the Sejm (parliament) of the Congress Poland on 29 January 1831 to assume the competences of the Polish head of state in the follow-up of an earlier decree of 25 January: deposing the usurping Tsar Nicholas I of Russia from the throne of Poland.[1]

Flag of the November Uprising, 1831

Coat-of-arms of the November Uprising, 1831

Legal dethronisation of Russian Tsar Nicholas I on Polish soil by the National Government, 1831

The government concentrated on issues related to the fight with the Russian Empire. In August the government of Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski resigned, facing loss of support and radicalization among the Varsovians. Czartoryski was replaced by Jan Krukowiecki. After the capitulation of Warsaw the government was taken over by lawyer Bonawentura Niemojowski. After the government went into exile, it passed its powers to General Maciej Rybiński.

Presidents

• Prince Adam Czartoryski 30 January-17 August 1831, head of Department of Foreign Affairs
• Jan Krukowiecki 17 August-7 September 1831
• Bonawentura Niemojowski 7 September-25 September 1831 (left the country with archives, refusing to capitulate)
• General Maciej Rybiński 25 September-9 October 1831 (not a president per se, but a legal successor)

Others

• Stanisław Barzykowski, head of Department of War, Drafts and Armaments
• Alojzy Biernacki
• Aleksander Bniński
• Leon Dembowski
• Kajetan Garbiński
• Antoni Gliszczyński
• Andrzej Horodyski
• Joachim Lelewel, head of Department of Religion, Education and Justice
• Franciszek Lewiński
• Gustaw Małachowski
• Teodor Morawski
• Izydor Krasiński
• Teofil Morawski, head of Department of Finance
• Franciszek Morawski
• Wincenty Niemojowski, head of Department of Administration and Police
• Andrzej Plichta
• Wiktor Rembieliński
• Jan Olrych Szaniecki