During the Great Embassy in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth after the death of Jan Sobieski, an interregnum began. There were many candidates for the throne: the son of the late King Jan, Jacob Sobieski, Count Palatine Karl, Duke Leopold of Lorraine, Margrave of Baden Louis, grandson of Pope Odescalca, French Prince Conti, Saxon Elector Frederick August II and several Polish nobles. The main contenders were Conti and August.
Russia's attitude to this election was simple: no matter who was on the Polish throne, it was all the same, as long as Poland did not withdraw from the sacred union of the four powers before the conclusion of a common peace with the Turks; Therefore, Russia had to oppose only one candidate - Prince Conti, because France was on friendly terms with the Ottoman Empire and hostile to Austria. Poland with the French king could easily submit to French policy, and indeed, the French envoy declared to the Polish nobles the Sultan's promise to conclude a separate peace with Poland and return Kamyanets-Podolsky to her if a French prince was elected king. Since this statement greatly strengthened the French party, Peter, in a letter sent to the Polish masters from Königsberg, stated that if the Polish nobles continued to support Prince Conti,then this will have a very strong impact on the relationship between Russia and the Commonwealth.
On June 17, 1697, there were double elections: one party proclaimed Conti, the other - the elector of Saxon. This was further reflected in the internal situation in the country: the confrontation between the two warring parties only intensified. The adherents of Augustus relied heavily on the royal charter, in their support Peter sent another of the same content; therefore the Saxon party began to gain a clear advantage. To support Augustus, Peter moved the Russian army to the Lithuanian border. Saxon Elector August II promised Tsar Peter to support Russia in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate. These actions of Peter allowed the Saxon elector to enter Poland and be crowned, having converted to Catholicism.