Czartoryski had begged Alexander to declare Russian Poland an autonomous kingdom united with Russia only by the golden link of the crown, but this timely proposal was rejected;[121] and the Czar displayed the weakness of his judgment and the strength of his vanity by plunging into war with Turkey and Persia, at a time when Poland was opening her arms to the victor of a hundred fights.

It was, therefore, easy for Napoleon to surround Russia with foes; and, as will shortly appear, he took steps to invigorate even the remote Persian Empire.
But, above all, he spurred on the Poles to take up arms.

His encouragements were discreetly vague.

True, he countenanced Polish proclamations, which spoke grandiloquently of national liberty; but proclamations he ever viewed as the _ballons d'essai_ of politics.

He also warned Murat not to promise the Poles too much: "My greatness does not depend on the aid of a few thousand Poles.