Cossacks - a unique phenomenon in Eastern Europe, which are not found anywhere else in the world.Cossacks Motherland - the lower reaches of the Dnieper.On the islands of the Ili River were placed first Sich - the strengthening of the Cossack troops.
Hetman were known far beyond the borders of their lands.The exploits of the Cossacks in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire is remembered in many countries of Western and Eastern Europe.
history of the Cossacks
The concept of "Cossack" is not of Slavic origin.It belongs to the Turkic and Turkish language.It means "guardian", "free man."The first news about the Cossacks date back to the 15th century.In the complaint, the Crimean Khan Lithuanian prince is about these people that at the mouth of the Dnieper between Kiev and Cherkassy smashed the Turkish ships.
Thereafter, in documents and chronicles are increasingly referred to as the Cossacks militant groups that their way of living.Their number increased each time by "uhodnikov."So called enslaved villagers, who have not had their land in search of a better life left on the sparsely populated land of forest-steppe zone of modern Ukraine.
Later, they will create a state of their own troops Zaporizhzhya.This name is due to the fact that the Cossacks settled for the Dnieper rapids.It was there that they built their fortifications and fought Tatar raids.Led by their Hetman.
Creation of the first Cossack Sich
first Hetman (Cossack chieftain) are little known.With the creation of the first Host name associated with Prince Dmitry Vishnevetzkogo (1550-1563), which is referred to by the nickname folklore Baida.It is known that he was from a family of landowners in Volyn.
He collected in 1553 from a group of Cossacks, and 300 people went beyond the threshold of the Dnieper in the struggle with the Tatars, who ravaged the land and kept at bay the few inhabitants of the border areas.
on the island of Khortytsya Malaya established the first Sich.Tatars tried several times to destroy this strengthening.They succeeded in 1557.Vishnevetskii Prince was forced to leave the Sich.However, he did not stop fighting with the Tartars.
Death first Hetman shrouded in many legends.It is known that he was captured by the Turkish army in 1563 in Moldova.He was taken to Istanbul (Constantinople), where he was killed.It hung over the metal hook over the sea.
Some legends say that Biden was very impressed with the Sultan of Turkey, and he offered him to convert to Islam to marry his daughter and to become a better fighter.But the Cossacks refused and insulted publicly faith sultan and his family.For this, and was executed the first hetman of Ukraine.
first "registries" Cossacks
As the Cossacks grew in size and has a special military organization, it became a serious threat not only to the impinging of the Tatars, but also for the Polish kingdom.It was he who owned Ukrainian lands after signing with the Lithuanian principality of the Union of Lublin in 1569.
To control the military power needed to subdue the Cossacks themselves.Such attempts to commit Zhigmont August.He suggested that 300 Cossacks to enter the "Register" and receive a fee from the king for his service.At the head of registered Cossacks was hetman of Ukraine.However, this amount is a small part of those who considered himself the Zaporozhye Cossacks.
value Hetman Zaporozhian
administrative and political center of Sich became the 16th century.All power in the Cossack Arrange belonged Sich Rada.Every Cossack had the right to vote.
| Management Zaporizhzhya Sich | |
| Sich glad | conduct internal and external policies, declare war, conclude peace, mending court worked with embassies. |
| Getman (ataman) | Higher Military, administrative, judicial authority.During the war, his power is unlimited in time of peace all his decisions were consistent with the Sich Rada. |
| Branch clerk | Guide Sich chancellery, diplomatic correspondence and all documentation. |
| Troop judge | Court, pursuant to the law. |
| Troop osavul | Assistant hetman in military and administrative affairs. |
From the table it is clear that all power belongs Sich Rada.Hetman were restricted in their decisions.Moreover, their position was elective, it is not inherited.If necessary, ataman could change.
most famous Hetman
Cossacks existed since the 15th century.During this time at the camp were selected set of Hetman and the Cossack chieftain.All of them played a role in history.However, the most famous are the following Hetman.
list is presented in chronological order of the Board:
- Dmitry Vishnevetskii (Bayda).
- Petro Konashevich (Sahaidachny).
- Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
- Ivan Mazepa.
- Kirill Razumovsky.
each of them must devote a separate book.On the first representative of the list mentioned above.
Petro Konashevich (1614-1622)
His name is associated with the era of heroic campaigns of Cossacks against the Ottoman Empire.At that time, the Cossacks have made many sea raids on Turkish galleys.They freed prisoners captured and looted the ship.
known that Peter was born in the village of Konashevich Kulchytsi (modern Lviv region) in a family of small Ukrainian landowner.He received his education in the Ostrog Academy and Lviv Brotherhood school.
His nickname is associated with the name of the bow and quiver - Sagaidak.Thanks to the skills accurately shoot a bow and called his Sahaidachny.
victory in the Battle of Khotyn in 1621 brought Hetman glory and death.This battle decided the outcome of the Turkish-Polish war.In addition, it showed that defeat the Ottoman army may capture and stop further European countries the Islamic world.Raging from defeat janissary killed Sultan own, leading to a further decline of the Ottoman Empire.
Badly wounded, he died a few months in Kiev as a great hetman of Ukraine.Sahaidachny all his property divided between his wife and sister schools.
Bohdan Khmelnytsky (1648-1657)
Born in 1595 into a family of Cossack Centurion.He also took part in the Turkish-Polish war.It was killed by his father.Himself same Khmelnitsky Turks seized and sent to Constantinople, where he spent two years in captivity.
After many successful naval campaigns against the Turks, he was appointed a centurion.Bohdan Khmelnytsky and the Cossacks took part in the war with Spain on the side of France in 1646.Thanks to him was to take the fortress of Dunkirk.
Khmelnitsky was the one who raised the national liberation uprising of the Ukrainian lands against the Polish omnipotence, which cover all segments of the population.It was created Cossack state, which led the foreign policy of many countries.In its policy Hetman sought allies from different sides: among the Crimean Khanate, Muscovy, Europe.His choice, he stopped on cooperation with Russia, which approved all the host of Zaporozhye on Pereiaslav Rada.
Bohdan Khmelnytsky died in 1657.After that, the Ukrainian lands began a period of Ruins (ruin).Hetman, like all Ukrainian lands will be divided between Poland and Russia on the Right Bank and Left Bank, respectively.In each of the selected parts of their Hetman.List of Cossack leaders from that time is doubled.
Ivan Mazepa (1687-1708)
most controversial figure among the Hetman Ivan Mazepa is.His mind, education, ability to manipulate people allowed him to be Hetman of Left Bank Ukraine for more than 20 years.
He was born in 1639, received a good education, was in the service of the Polish king, and later at the Right-Bank Ukraine Hetman Petro Doroshenko.During the quest, he was captured and handed over to the prisoner Levoberezhny hetman, however, I was able to gain a foothold in the new conditions.
He found a common language with Peter the Great, received from him a gift of land and is the one with the richest people in Europe.Many funds he donated to the development of education, the construction of Orthodox churches.The style of these buildings over time, will carry to mazepevskomu or Cossack Baroque.
During the Great Northern War broke out Ivan Mazepa (Hetman) goes to the side of Sweden.However, he did not get the support of all the Cossacks, and was defeated in the Battle of Poltava in 1709.Together with Swedish King Carl Mazepa fled to Moldova, where he died that same year at the age of 70 years.
His act during the Soviet period was considered solely as a betrayal.Modern Ukrainian historians lean toward that Ivan Mazepa, above all, protect their interests and Hetman.
Kirill Razumovsky (1750-1764)
last hetman of Ukraine - Kirill Razumovsky.He was an educated young man, who was appointed to manage Hetmanate in 22 years.The choice was due to the fact that his older brother Alex is a favorite of Russian Empress Elizabeth.
He was not like the old ataman and most of the time spent in Saint Petersburg.However, the period of his rule is considered to be the "golden autumn" Hetman.
With the coming to power of Catherine II is changing and in 1764 the last Hetman of Ukraine renounced clubs.Part of the Cossacks was the true Cossack troops, later the Black Sea, and later the Kuban Cossack army.Those who are not obedient, went over to the Turkish sultan and founded the Danubian Sich.
