Norman Davies in his history of Poland https://global.oup.com/academic/product/heart-of-europe-9780192801265?cc=gb&lang=en& argues that the Polish nobility saw themselves, and only themselves, as the true Poland. as such, as long as they existed, Poland existed. Hence the Polish nobility kept their rank and titles and served whichever monarchy or Empire they found themselves in, Russian, Hapsburg or Prussian.