In July 1704, Swedish advances and the resulting internal quarrels in Poland–Lithuania caused the dethronement of Augustus the Strong and election of Stanisław Leszczyński, the candidate promoted by the Charles XII of Sweden, as the Polish king.[1][7] However, Augustus the Strong still enjoyed support in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, particularly by the Sandomierz Confederation and about 75% of the Polish army.[8] In the name of the commonwealth, Augustus and his supporters declared war on Sweden and joined the anti-Swedish coalition at Narva.[8]
The alliance was both defensive and offensive.[1] The treaty ruled that Poland and Russia were both to continue the war and to sign no treaties without mutual consent.[11] Peter the Great was to grant August the Strong 200,000 rubles annual subsidies,[12] maintain 12,000 troops, and return Semen Paliy's conquests in Ukraine and Russian conquests in Livonia.[11]
Peter the Great had thus ensured that the Polish-Lithuanian theatre would continue to bind Swedish forces.[9][13] Most notably, enforcements for Charles XII's Russian campaign were cut off in the Battle of Koniecpol.[14] To pay the agreed on subsidies, a monetary tax was raised from the peasantry.[15]
For Augustus, the treaty was favourable, as his position had deteriorated from his numerous defeats by Swedish armies.[9] Peter the Great, in pursuit of the treaty, ordered Ivan Mazepa to expel Paliy (Paley) from the commonwealth's cossack territories, which he eventually did, Dzialinsky's irrefutable condition during the negotiations.[9][16] However, Russian "helpful occupation" of Livonia would result not in the anticipated handover but instead in integration into the Russian Empire.[10][16]
Anisimov, Evgeniĭ Viktorovich (1993). The reforms of Peter the Great. Progress through coercion in Russia. The New Russian history. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN1-56324-047-5.
Bromley, J. S. (1970). Rise of Great Britain & Russia, 1688-1725. The New Cambridge Modern History. Vol. 6. CUP Archive. ISBN0-521-07524-6.
Donnert, Erich; Mühlpfordt, Günter (1997). Europa in der Frühen Neuzeit: Festschrift für Günter Mühlpfordt. Aufbruch zur Moderne (in German). Vol. 3. Böhlau. ISBN3-412-00697-1.
Frost, Robert I (2000). The Northern Wars. War, State and Society in Northeastern Europe 1558-1721. Harlow: Longman. ISBN978-0-582-06429-4.
Schuyler, Eugene (2004). Peter the Great. Vol. 2 (reprint ed.). Kessinger Publishing. ISBN1-4179-7143-6.
Wróbel, Piotr; Kozicki, Richard J., eds. (1996). Historical dictionary of Poland, 966-1945. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN0-313-26007-9.