A national uprising is an armed uprising by the people of a country to defend the freedom of the nation. In the history of Poland, there have been several important national uprisings against occupying states: Russia, Austria and Prussia. The Kosciuszko Uprising was an armed uprising of Poles against Russia, which began on March 24, 1794 in the market square in Krakow. Its commander was Tadeusz Kościuszko, a famous Polish and American general. One of the key battles of the Kosciuszko Uprising was the victorious Battle of Raclawice, held on April 7, 1794. In this battle, Polish peasants armed with scythes, the so-called "kosynierzy", were famous. Despite the initial successes of the uprising, it ultimately failed. The November Uprising was another national uprising of Poles against the Russian invaders, lasting from November 29, 1830 to October 1831.As a result of the failure of the uprising, many Poles left their homeland going into exile. Massive Russification began in the Polish lands, with the liquidation of the Polish army, universities and Polish administration. The third national uprising of the Poles was the January Uprising (January 22, 1863 - autumn 1864) against Russia. It was the longest lasting of the uprisings, with more than 1,200 battles fought. Despite the initial successes and support of the uprising by Western countries, it ended in defeat for the insurgents. The uprisings were reflected in literature, painting and music, celebrating the courage of the insurgents.