The first half of the 18th century in Europe was marked by a series of conflicts over issues of succession.
Since these conflicts were foreseeable, the parties involved had time to prepare themselves for the coming confrontations. This was certainly true in the case of the Polish succession.
For years, August IΓs health had been deteriorating. During this time, Leszczynski worked feverishly to obtain the backing of France, England, Holland, the Ottomans and the Tatars. The Polish candidate also counted on the support of Orlyk and his “Ukrainian Revolution.” But the powers which opposed the election of Leszczynski that is, Prussia, Austria and Russia— the “Alliance of the Black Eagles”—also had time to prepare. After some hesitation, they finally agreed to support the candidacy of August IΓs son, August III. Meanwhile, the Russians, aware of Leszczynski’s contacts with Orlyk, began to make the necessary military and political adjustments in case the conflict in Poland spread to the Russian-Ottoman border and involved Ukraine.From the Russian point of view, Ukraine had all the makings of a potential trouble spot. Orlyk’s activity abroad, the dangerous proximity of the Zaporozhians, the recurrent possibilities of a Tatar-Ottoman intervention were worrisome enough. But St. Petersburg was also well aware that discontent with Russian rule was widespread in the land, especially among the politically crucial starshyna. Therefore, as long as the possibility of an Ottoman war and especially one combined with the Polish conflict loomed large, Russian statesmen attached great importance to Ukrainian affairs.