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Hetman of the Zaporizhian Cossacks

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"Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny, Hetman of H[is] R[oyal] G[race]'s Zapo[rizhian] Host."[a] 1622 engraving.

The phrase Hetman of the Zaporizhian Cossacks encompasses various titles and positions of the Cossacks in the history of Ukraine.

With the creation of the Registered Cossacks units in 1572, their leading officers were officially referred to as "Senior of His Royal Grace's Zaporozhian Host".[c] The Commonwealth created the Cossack Registry in competition with the formations of the unregistered Zaporizhian Cossacks (colloquially known as the "Zaporizhian Host") living in the Siches of southern Ukraine.[4] According to the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, "The Commonwealth government officially named the registered Cossacks the Zaporozhian Army to underscore the fact that it considered the actual Zaporozhian Host a legal nonentity."[4] For a brief period between the 1625 Treaty of Kurukove and the 1638 Ordinance of the Zaporizhian Host [uk], the Registered Cossacks had the right to elect their own hetman, although he had to be approved by the king.[4] After the 1637–1638 Cossack uprisings were suppressed, the post of hetman was abolished and replaced by a government commissioner.[4] However, the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648 saw the combined forces of Registered (Town) and unregistered (Sich) Cossacks elect Bohdan Khmelnytsky as "Hetman of the Zaporizhian Host", without reference to "His Royal Grace"; this would become the title of the head of state of the Cossack Hetmanate ever since.[5]

Background

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Historical map of Cossack Hetmanate and territory of Zaporozhian Cossacks under rule of Russian Empire (1751).

The Registered Cossacks were formally established in 1572. Several Polish starostas such as Lanckoroński and Daszkiewicz, who also led their own Cossack formations in Polish service in the early 16th century, have been retroactively considered hetmans of the Registered Cossacks. According to Mykhailo Hrushevsky they were not really considered as hetmans, at least by their contemporaries. Among others such starostas were Karpo Maslo from Cherkasy, Yatsko Bilous (Pereiaslav), Andrushko (Bratslav), and many others. Even Princes Konstanty Ostrogski and Bohdan Hlinski were conducting Cossack raids on Tatar uluses (districts).[citation needed]

The commanders of Zaporozhian Host units (the Kish), often considered as hetmans (and sometimes named as such in primary sources), in fact served the function since the 1620s known as Kish otaman, a term which by the end of the 17th century completely replaced "hetman".

From 1572 onwards,[6] "hetman" was the unofficial title of commanders of the Registered Cossack Army of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which officially called them starszy ("senior" or "elder"). From 1625, Registered Cossacks were allowed to elect their own hetmans, subject to approval by the king. However, after suppressing the 1637–1638 Cossack uprisings, the Registered Cossack hetmanship in the Commonwealth was abolished and replaced by a government commissioner.

From the 1648 Khmelnytsky Uprising onwards, Hetman of the Zaporizhian Host was the title of the head of the Ukrainian Cossack state, the Cossack Hetmanate. Cossack hetmans were elected by the Cossack Rada (an early form of democracy), had limited powers in peacetime, but broad powers in wartime, and acted as supreme military commanders and executive leaders (by issuing administrative decrees).[citation needed]

After the split of Ukrainian territory along the Dnieper River by the Commonwealth-Tsardom Treaty of Andrusovo (1667), there was an introduction of dual leadership for each bank, or for each Ukraine of Dnieper (left and right). After 1667, there existed two different Cossack Hetmanates with two Hetmans: the Right-bank hetman was called "Nakazny Hetman of His Royal Mercy of Zaporizhian Host", and the Left-bank one titled "Hetman of His Tsarist Mercy's Zaporizhian Host".[citation needed]

Eventually the official state powers of the Right-Bank Hetmanate were phased out around 1712, when the Commonwealth discontinued conformations or appointments of hetmans and colonels of Registered Cossacks, integrated them in the Commonwealth army, and abolished the ten remaining Regiments on the Right Bank.

The state powers of the Left-Bank Cossack Hetmans were gradually diminished in the 18th century, and finally abolished by Catherine II of Russia in 1764. On the other hand, the powers of the hetmans of the Zaporizhian Sich increased in the 18th century at the expense of the Sich Rada democracy, until its liquidation in 1775.[citation needed]

Cossack leaders (until 1648)

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Starosta

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A starosta (administrator, literally "elder") governed a starostwo, subordinate to a voivode.

  • Przecław Lanckoroński (Predslav Lyantskoronsky; 1506–1512, died 1531), not an actual hetman, he was a starosta of Khmilnyk. Although later historians have often retroactively identified him as the first or second "hetman" or "otaman" of the Cossacks in service of Poland,[7] the Cossack registry would not be formally established until 1572, and he has faced historiographic competition from Dashkevych and Vyshnevetsky as the "first".[7]
  • Ostap Dashkevych (1506–1536), not an actual hetman, he was a starosta in charge of a defense force approved by the Sejm near Cherkasy. Dashkevych offered to create a defense force on the banks of the Lower Dnieper, an important step towards the establishment of the Registered Cossacks in 1572.[8] For similar reasons as Lanckoroński and Vyshnevetsky, he has therefore sometimes been retroactively considered the first or second hetman or otaman of the Cossacks.[7]
  • Dmytro Vyshnevetsky (1550–1564), not an actual hetman, he was a starosta of Cherkasy and Kaniv, who established a Cossack garrison at Khortytsia Castle in the 1550s.[9][10] His characterisation as the "first Cossack hetman" (championed by Mykhailo Hrushevsky amongst others) has been challenged; it enjoys some, but not universal support amongst historians.[7]

Officers of the Registered Cossacks

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Senior officers or starshyna of the Registered Cossacks in service of the Commonwealth. They were usually stationed in the towns of Central, Northern and Western Ukraine, hence their later name "Town Cossacks".

  • Kostiantyn Vovk [uk] (1625–1638), not an actual hetman, he was a Registered Cossack officer, participant in the Smolensk War.
  • Ivan Sulyma, Senior of the Registered Cossacks (1628–1629), not an actual hetman.
  • Karpo Skydan [uk], Pavlo Pavliuk's assistant, Colonel of the Registered Cossacks (at least 1637–1638), headed the 1637 uprising while Pavlyuk returned to Zaporizhia. Battle between Moshny and Ros on 6 December 1637.
  • Savva Kononovych (1637), former Pereyaslav polkovnyk
  • Ilyash Karaimovych (1637), Mykola Potocki's appointee of Registered Cossacks, Bohdan Khmelnytsky was appointed a pysar of Karaimovych.

Hetmans of the Registered Cossacks

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The Hetman was selected from the senior officers of the Registered Cossacks to lead a Commonwealth army during one campaign season (similar to a похідний отаман, pokhidny otaman, 'campaign otaman'); later, their tenure would be longer than a single season. Usually, they were appointed by the Grand (Crown) or Field Hetmans of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In times of Cossack uprisings, rebel Registered or unregistered Cossacks elected their own Hetmans.

  • Hryhoriy Loboda, Hetman of the Registered Cossacks (1593–1596, with interruptions).[11]
  • Tykhin Baybuza (1597–1598), Registered Cossack senior from Cherkasy, Hetman in the Commonwealth army.
  • Samiylo Kishka (1599–1601), Kish otaman, Hetman of the Registered Cossacks, managed to reinstate the rights of Cossacks in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
  • Yatsko Borodavka [uk] (Yakiv Borodavka-Neroda), elected Hetman by rebel unregistered Cossacks in 1619; confirmed Hetman by a general council of both rebel Registered and unregistered Cossacks in June 1621. Succeeded by Sahaidachny.[12]
  • Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny, Hetman of the Registered Cossacks (1616–1622), led successful campaigns against the Tatars and the Turks, aided the Polish army at Moscow in 1618 and at the Battle of Khotyn in 1621. He also saw Cossack interests in the independence of Ukraine from Poland.
  • Mykhailo Doroshenko, Hetman of the Registered Cossacks (1623–1628).
  • Ivan Petrizhitsky-Kulaga, Hetman of the Registered Cossacks (1631–1632).[13]
  • Vasyl Tomylenko [uk], Senior officer of Registered Cossacks, Hetman of the Commonwealth Registered Cossack Army (1636–1637).
  • Pavlo Pavliuk (Mikhnovych), Colonel of the Registered Cossacks, elected Hetman by rebel Zaporizhian Cossacks in July 1637, led the Pavliuk uprising (July–December 1637).

Other positions

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Hetmans of the Cossack Hetmanate

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United Hetmanate (1648–1663)

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Hetman Elected (event) Took office Left office
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
(1596–1657)
Зиновій-Богдан
Хмельницький		 1648
(Mykytyn Sich)		 26 January 1648 6 August 1657 died
Yurii Khmelnytsky
(1641–1685)
Юрій Хмельницький		 death of
his father
[clarification needed]		 6 August 1657 27 August 1657 placed under
Vyhovsky's regency
until adulthood
Ivan Vyhovsky
(c.1608–1664)
Іван Виговський		 1657
(Korsun)		 27 August 1657
(confirmed:
21 October 1657)		 11 September 1659 resigned
Yurii Khmelnytsky
(1641–1685)
Юрій Хмельницький		 1659
(Hermanivka)		 11 September 1659
(confirmed:
11 September 1659)		 October 1662 resigned

Left-bank Hetmanate

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Left-bank Hetman Elected (event) Took office Left office
Pavlo Teteria
(1620?–1670)
Павло "Тетеря"
Моржковський		 1662
(Chyhyryn)		 October 1662 July 1665 resigned
Ivan Briukhovetsky
(1623–1668)
Іван Брюховецький		 1663
(Nizhyn)		 27 June 1663
(confirmed:
27 June 1663)		 17 June 1668 died
Petro Doroshenko
(1627–1698)
Петро Дорошенко		 1666
(Chyhyryn)		 10 October 1665
(confirmed:
January 1666)		 19 September 1676 resigned to
Ivan
Samoylovych
Demian Mnohohrishny
(1631–1703)
Дем'ян Многогрішний		 1669 (Hlukhiv) 17 December 1668
(confirmed:
3 March 1669)		 April 1672 arrested and
exiled to Siberia
Ivan Samoylovych
(1630s–1690)
Іван Самойлович		 1672
(Cossack Grove)		 17 June 1672 August 1687 arrested and
exiled to Siberia
Ivan Mazepa
(1639-1709)
Іван Мазепа		 1687
(Kolomak)		 4 August 1687 11 November 1708
2 October 1709[e]		 removed,
later died[e]
Ivan Skoropadsky
(1646–1722)
Іван Скоропадський		 1708
(Hlukhiv)		 6 November 1708 14 July 1722 died
Pavlo Polubotok
(1660–1724)
Павло Полуботок		 appointed
hetman		 1722 1724 died in prison
Collegium of Little Russia (Stepan Velyaminov) 1722–1727
Danylo Apostol
(1654–1734)
Данило Апостол		 1727 (Hlukhiv) 12 October 1727 29 March 1734 died
Yakiv Lyzohub
(1675–1749)
Яків Лизогуб		 appointed
hetman		 1733 1749 died
provisional Hetman Government Administration 1734–1745
Kyrylo Rozumovsky
(1728–1803)
Кирило Розумовський		 1750
(Hlukhiv)		 22 February 1750 1764 resigned
Collegium of Little Russia 1764–1786 (Pyotr Rumyantsev)

Historians such as Mykola Arkas[17] question legitimacy of Pavlo Teteria's October 1662 election, alleging that it involved corruption.[18] Some sources claim Teteria's election took place a little later, in January 1663.[19] The election of Teteria led to the Povoloch Regiment Uprising in 1663, followed by larger number of disturbances in the modern region of Kirovohrad Oblast as well as Polesia (all in Right-bank Ukraine).[20] Moreover, the political crisis that followed the Pushkar–Barabash Uprising divided the Cossack Hetmanate completely along the banks of the Dnieper River.[20] Coincidentally, on 10 January 1663, the Tsardom of Muscovy created the new Little Russian Office (Prikaz) within its Ambassadorial Office.[citation needed]

Vouched by Charles Marie François Olier, marquis de Nointel, Yuriy Khmelnytsky was freed from the Ottoman captivity, appointed and along with Pasha Ibragim was sent to Ukraine fight the Moscow forces of Samoilovych and Romadanovsky. In 1681 Mehmed IV appointed George Ducas the Hetman of Ukraine, replacing Khmelnytsky.[citation needed]

Following the anathema on Mazepa and the election of Ivan Skoropadsky, Cossack Hetmanate was included into the Russian Kiev Governorate (Guberniya) in December 1708. Upon the death of Skoropadsky, the Hetman elections were disrupted and were awarded as a gift and a type of princely titles, first to Moldavian nobleman and later to the Russian Empress favorite.[citation needed]

Right-bank Hetmanate

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The mention of the "Ukrainian State" (Polish: Ukrainskie Panstwo) in the text of the Treaty of Buchach (1672) refers to the Right-bank Hetmanate.
Right-bank Hetman Elected (event) Took office Left office
Pavlo Teteria[21]
(1620–1671)
Павло Тетеря		 1662 (Chyhyryn) 1663 1665 resigned
Petro Doroshenko[21]
(1627–1698[22])
Петро Дорошенко		 1665 (Chyhyryn)[22] 1666[22] 1669
 defected to
Ottomans[22]
Mykhailo Khanenko
(1620–1680)
Михайло Ханенко		 1669 (Uman) 1669
(confirmed:
2 September 1670[23])		 1674 resigned
Ostap Hohol [uk]
(early 17th c.–1679)
Остап Гоголь		 1675 1676
(confirmed[24])		 January 1679 died
Stefan Kunicki
(c. 1640–1684)
Стефан Куницький		 23 August 1683 23 August 1683
(confirmed:
24 August 1683)		 January 1684 died
Andriy Mohyla
(c. 1610–1689)
Андрій Могила		 January 1684 January 1684
(confirmed:
30 January 1684)		 January 1689 died
Hryhoriy Hryshko [uk]
(1649–1692)
Григорій Гришко		 1689 1689 1692 died
Samiilo Samus
(1656–c.1713
Самійло Самусь		 1693 1693 1704
c. 1713		 resigned to
Ivan Mazepa,
later died[f]

As Commonwealth forces, Crimean Tatars and Ivan Vyhovsky's Cossacks delivered a crushing blow to the Russian army in the Chudniv campaign, Yurii Khmelnytsky's Cossacks returned to the Commonwealth side and signed the Treaty of Chudniv (1660), which was confirmed by the Cossack Rada at Korsun. However, because the Left-bank regiments refused to recognise his hetmancy, this led to the de facto the division of the Ukrainian Hetmanate along the banks of the Dnipro, with competing hetmans on either side.[5] Even when Pavlo Teteria was de jure elected as Hetman of both banks in 1662, the Left Bank continued to reject his legitimacy, leading to the Black Council of 1663. The winner, Ivan Briukhovetsky, afterwards had both his opponents Yakym Somko and Vasyl Zolotarenko executed, but failed to extend his authority over the Right Bank. There, Petro Doroshenko succeeded Teteria in 1665,[21] and confirmed as the Right-bank Hetman by the Polish king at the Treaty of Pidhaitsi [uk], but Doroshenko defected to the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Korsun (1669) [uk].[22][23]

In 1669, in order to depose Doroshenko, Mykhailo Khanenko was elected the Hetman of the Zaporizhian Host by the Cossack Rada in Uman, organised by the Kalnyk (Vinnytsia) Regiment, Korsun Regiment, Pavolotsky Regiment, and Uman Regiment.[23] In 1675 John III Sobieski confirmed Ostap Hohol [uk] as Hetman (died in 1679).[24]

Sanjak-bey of Yedisan (appointed by the Ottoman Empire)

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In 1669 Petro Doroshenko received the title of Sanjak-bey of Yedisan (Ottoman Ukraine, Khanska Ukrajina, or Dobusary) from Mehmed IV. This title existed in 1669 to 1683.[citation needed]

Hetmans-in-exile

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On 5 April 1710 the Cossacks Rada, veterans of the battle at Poltava, elected Pylyp Orlyk to succeed Mazepa as the Hetman of Ukraine in exile. Orlyk waged a guerrilla warfare at the southern borders of the Russian Empire with the support from Ottoman and Swedish empires.[citation needed]

The title existed in 1710–1760.[26]

Buh Cossack Host (appointed by the Russian Empire)

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ Old Ukrainian: Пе[т]ръ Конашевич–Сага[й]дач[ний]. Гі[т]ма[н] Во[й]ска Є[го] К[оролевскои] М[илости] Запо[розкого], romanized: Pe[t]rŭ Konashevych-Saha[i]dach[ny]. Hi[t]ma[n] Vo[j]ska Ye[ho] K[orolevskoj] M[ylosty] Zapo[rozkoho].
  2. ↑ Old Ukrainian: Гетман Войска Єго Королевскои Милости Запорозкого, Hetman of His Royal Grace's Zaporozhian Host;[1] Ukrainian: Гетьман Війська Запорозького, romanized: Hetman Viiska Zaporozkoho).[2]
  3. ↑ Ukrainian: старший його Королівської Милості Війська Запорозького, Starshyi Yoho Korolivskoi Mylosti Viiska Zaporozkoho; Polish: starszy Wojska J.K.Mci Zaporoskiego).[2][3]
  4. ↑ Lubny massacre, a massacre that was conducted by the Polish army led by Hetman Zolkiewski. After that battle the Cossack movement was greatly reduced within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
  5. 1 2 Following his alliance with Sweden, on 11 November 1708 Mazepa was officially removed from his post by Peter I, but continued to be recognised as hetman by Charles XII of Sweden.
  6. ↑ Samus offered the title and mace of the Right-bank Hetman to Ivan Mazepa. Mazepa refused, because he did not want to provoke a war between the Commonwealth and the Tsardom. Samus continued to lead his forces in rebellion against the Tsardom, including during Pylyp Orlyk's March on Right-bank Ukraine until his death around 1713.[25]

References

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  1. ↑ ВЂршЂ на жалосный погреб зацного рыцера Петра Конашевича Сагайдачного, гетмана войска єго королевскои милости запорозкого
  2. 1 2 Mytsyk 2004, p. 99.
  3. ↑ Універсали Богдана Хмельницького. 1998. p. 74. ISBN 9667217531.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Wynar 1993.
  5. 1 2 "Hetman". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Vol. 2. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. 1989. Retrieved 22 September 2026. With the partition of Ukrainian territories between Poland and Muscovy in the 1660s there arose competing hetmans in Right-Bank Ukraine and Left-Bank Ukraine and a prolonged period of civil war began.
  6. ↑ Гетьман [Hetman (definition)]. history.franko.lviv.ua (in Ukrainian). Handbook of the History of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Plokhy, Serhii (2005). Unmaking imperial Russia: Mykhailo Hrushevsky and the writing of Ukrainian. versity of Toronto Press. p. 204. ISBN 0-8020-3937-5.
  8. ↑ "Dashkevych, Ostafii". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  9. 1 2 Hrushevsky, M. Illustrated History of Ukraine. "BAO". Donetsk, 2003. ISBN 966-548-571-7
  10. ↑ Dovidnyk z istorii Ukrainy (1st ed.). 1993. Archived from the original on 20 December 2005. Retrieved 30 March 2007.
  11. ↑ "Loboda, Hryhorii". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Vol. 3. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. 1993. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "Borodavka (Nerodych), Yatsko". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Petrazhytsky-Kulaha, Ivan". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Vol. 3. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. 1993. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Pidkova, Ivan". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Vol. 4. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. 1993. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Nalyvaiko, Severyn". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Vol. 3. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. 1993. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  16. ↑ Shcherbak, Vitaliy Oleksiyovych (2006). "Сулима Іван" [Ivan Sulyma]. Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine. Retrieved 23 September 2026.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ Pavlo Teteria, Hetman of the Right-bank Ukraine. Cossack leaders of Ukraine (textbook).
  18. ↑ Lohvyn, Yu. Pavlo Teteria. Hetmans of Ukraine. "Merry Alphabet".
  19. ↑ Pavlo Teteria. History of the Great Nation.
  20. 1 2 Horobets, V. Civil wars in Ukraine of 1650s-1660s. Encyclopedia of history of Ukraine. Vol.2. Kyiv: "Naukova Dumka", 2004.
  21. 1 2 3 Plokhy 2022, p. 397.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Doroshenko, Petro". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Vol. 1. Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. 1984. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 Chukhlib, Taras Vasylovych (2013). "Ханенко Михайло Степанович" [Mykhailo Stepanovych Khanenko]. Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Vol. 10. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  24. 1 2 Chukhlib, Taras Vasylovych (2004). "Гоголь Остап" [Ostap Hohol]. Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Vol. 2. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine. Retrieved 21 September 2026.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ↑ Tairova-Yakovleva 2020, pp. 155–156.
  26. ↑ Bilousko, O. A.; Mokliak, V. A. "Pylyp Stepanovych Orlyk". Друга половина XVI – друга половина XVIII століття [The second half of XVI – the second half of the XVIII century] (in Ukrainian). histpol.narod.ru. pp. 205–206.
  27. ↑ "Генерал Скаржинский и его дети: неизвестное о представителях известного рода". 19 November 2016.
  28. ↑ http://resource.history.org.ua/cgi-bin/eiu/history.exe?&I21DBN=EIU&P21DBN=EIU&S21STN=1&S21REF=10&S21FMT=eiu_all&C21COM=S&S21CNR=20&S21P01=0&S21P02=0&S21P03=TRN%3D&S21COLORTERMS=0&S21STR=Skarzhynski_rid

Bibliography

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