"The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth were a series of three partitions which took place in the second half of the 18th century and ultimately ended the existence of the Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów; Lithuanian: Abiejų Tautų Respublika), resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland, and Lithuania, its partner in the Commonwealth, for 123 years. The partitions were conducted by the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia and Habsburg Austria, which divided up the Commonwealth lands among themselves progressively in the process of territorial seizures."--Wikipedia.