Augustus II wants to strengthen royal power in the Commonwealth, and to this end has brought in troops from Saxony.

More than twenty-five thousand Saxon troops were inside Commonwealth's borders by the summer of 1714, a development that has produced dissent within the Commonwealth.

The increasingly powerful Russian Tsar Peter the Great meanwhile uses the growing conflict between Augustus II and the Polish nobility (szlachta).

At this time, Russia is not yet strong enough to conquer and absorb the Commonwealth outright, nor can it easily and openly assume control of it, despite the Commonwealth's dysfunctional politics; the "Polish anarchy" is not to be easily controlled.

Hence, Peter's goal is to weaken both sides, and to prevent Augustus from strengthening his position, which he fears will lead to a resurgent Commonwealth that could threaten Russia's recent gains and growing influence.

As an ally of the Commonwealth against Sweden in the great Northern War, he has succeeded in forcing through conditions (such as reduction of the Commonwealth army's size) that increases the Commonwealth's political dependence relative to Russia.

Peter has used Augustus' recent policies, aiming at the reduction of power of the hetmans (Polish military commanders-in-chief), as well as the occurrence of a bad harvest and some Polish-French negotiations, to stir up opposition to Augustus.

The nobles, spurred by Russian promises of support, form the Tarnogród Confederation on November 26, 1715.

The Confederation's marshal is Stanisław Ledóchowski.

The Tarnogród Confederation is only the most recent and most notable of several confederations formed against Augustus at this time.

The Confederates are supported by most of the Commonwealth's own army.

The Russians enter Poland but do not participate in any major engagements.

They bide their time, as Peter posed as the mediator between the Commonwealth's king and its szlachta.

Crucially, the Russians do not support the Confederates as promised, and instead insist on bringing both sides to the negotiating table.

Saxon forces under the command of Jacob Heinrich von Flemming, enjoying military superiority, advance southeastwards and take Zamość, a victory accomplished less through military tactics than through diplomacy and treachery.

The Confederates now push back, enter Wielkopolska (Greater Poland), and take Poznań (which leads to further plundering of the city), gaining some support from a local Wielkopolska confederation and from Lithuania.

Russian forces, who had arrives in the region in the same year (they will remain until 1719), accept payment not to enter the city.

Neither side is however posed to achieve victory, and the Russian pressure mounts; eventually, the Russians declare that they will consider any side that refuses to enter into negotiations an enemy, and open hostilities against them.

Unable to defeat the Confederates, many of whom still see Peter as the protector of their rights (and some of whom hope for Augustus to be deposed), Augustus agrees to open the negotiations with Russians acting as arbitrators.

The Russians are represented by a delegation headed by prince Gregory Dolgoruky.

A peace treaty between the Confederates and Augustus is signed on November 3 or 4, 1716, as relations between the Confederates and the Russians deteriorate.

The Russians are making it increasingly apparent that their goals are not wholly benign to the Commonwealth.

A session of the Sjem is finally called for February 1, 1717.

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, subjected to almost constant warfare until 1720, has suffered enormous population losses as well as massive damage to its economy and social structure.