Cossack Hetmanate

From Wikinfo

Cossack Hetmanate or Zaporizhian Sich is a political, social and military organization of ukrianian Cossacks during the 16-18-th Centuries. It was established in central Ukraine on the banks of the river Dniepr. Its appearance is related to the intensification of national and religious oppression of the Russian Empire. Cossacks fought for their independence from Russia and Poland.

Cossack Hetmanate or Zaporizhian Sich was led by hetman and the supreme government body called Cossack Rada. The most famous hetmans are Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Petro Sahaidachny, Pylyp Orlyk, and Ivan Mazepa.

At the turn of the 18-th century Zaporizhian Sich was ahead of number of Eastern and Western European countries in terms of literacy. Schools were to be found in most villages. Ukrainian Cossacks were known as well-educated people. Hetmans Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Petro Sahaidachny, and Ivan Mazepa knew several languages.

References

• Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Cossack_Hetmanate" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cossack_Hetmanate, used under the GNU Free Documentation License