Not, however, for ever; for when in 1807 Napoleon, after crushing Prussia and defeating Russia, recast at Tilsit to a great extent the political conformation of Europe, bullying King Frederick William III and flattering the Emperor Alexander, he created the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, over which he placed as ruler the then King of Saxony.
Now let us see how Nicholas Chopin fared while these whirlwinds passed over Poland.

The threatening political situation and the consequent general insecurity made themselves at once felt in trade, indeed soon paralysed it.

What more particularly told on the business in which the young Lorrainer was engaged was the King's desertion of the national cause, which induced the great and wealthy to leave Warsaw and betake themselves for shelter to more retired and safer places.

Indeed, so disastrous was the effect of these occurrences on the Frenchman's tobacco manufactory that it had to be closed.

In these circumstances Nicholas Chopin naturally thought of returning home, but sickness detained him.