not happen because of Poland's internal weakness. Christopher M. Clark says that John Casimir of Poland was "eager to separate Brandenburg from Sweden and to neutralize it as a military threat" when Poland–Lithuania was threatened by the Tsardom of Russia and ready to accept the Hohenzollerns' demands because of pressure by the House of Habsburg, which, after the emperor's incidental death earlier that year, needed to secure the elector's vote since its "urgings [...] carried considerable weight since the Poles were counting on Austrian assistance in the event of a renewed Swedish or Russian attack". Clark thus views Frederick William as a "beneficiary of international developments beyond his control" and verifies his thesis by the post-Bromberg developments in which the elector lost all further war gains because of French intervention at the Treaty of Oliva. Józef Włodarski regards the treaty as one of the greatest mistakes in Polish foreign policy towards Prussia with fatal consequences for Poland. According to Anna Kamińska, the treaty marked the end of Polish influence on the Baltic and the decline of Poland–Lithuania's position in Europe. Frost says that the treaty was subject to criticism of historians such as Kazimierz Piwarski, who considered that the price paid by Poland in Bromberg was unnecessarily high. According to Frost, these critics argue from a view after the partitions of Poland and neglect the complexity of the contemporary situation: "Contemporary [Polish] politicians were aware of the dangers of conceding sovereignty, which they accepted not because they were stupid, indifferent, or lacking in foresight, but because the alternatives seemed more damaging to the Commonwealth's interests". Frost regards as having merit Piwarski's assertion of the Polish decision to have been heavily influenced by the Habsburgs but also states that the Polish interest in a rapprochement with Brandenburg had emerged before 1656, long before Lisola entered the scene. See also List of treaties Notes Sources References Bibliography Makiłła, Dariusz: Traktat welawski z 19 IX 1657 r. - dzieło pomyłki czy zdrady? Uwagi na tle historii dyplomacji polskiej w czasach drugiej wojny północnej (1654-1667). Muszyńska, J.; Wijaczki J.(red.) - Rzeczpospolita w latach Potopu 4. J. Wijaczka: Traktat welawsko-bydgoski - próba oceny. External links Text of the Wehlau-Bromberg treaty Scan of the treaty ratified at Bromberg, consisting of the terms regarding Prussia and Ermland (22 articles, Wehlau), the terms regarding the Brandenburg-Polish alliance (6 articles, Wehlau) and the amendments regarding Lauenburg-Bütow, Elbing etc, and