Petro Dorofeyevych Doroshenko (1627–1698, , ) was a
CossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
political and military leader,
HetmanHetman was the title of the second-highest military commander in 15th- to 18th-century Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together, from 1569 to 1795, comprised the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Rzeczpospolita....
of
Right-bank UkraineRight-bank Ukraine , a historical name of a part of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding with modern-day oblasts of Volyn, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Kiev, as well as part of Cherkasy and Ternopil...
(1665–1672) and a
RussianThe Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
voyevodaVoivodship is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administered by, a voivod. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia....
.
Earlier life
Petro Doroshenko was born in
ChyhyrynChyhyryn is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast of central Ukraine. In 1648 to 1669 the city was the capital of Ukraine .- Location :...
to a noble Cossack family with a strong leadership background. Where his father a Registered Cossack held the rank of a colonel, and his grandfather
MykhailoMykhailo Doroshenko was the Hetman of the registered Ukrainian Cossacks from 1623–1628.He was elevated to the rank of Cossack colonel in 1616, and he was active in Petro Konashevych's wars against Muscovy. He personally participated in the Battle of Khotyn in 1621...
held the
bulavaThe bulawa is a ceremonial mace or baton. The word is of Turkish origin....
in the 1620s as hetman of the Registered Cossack Army.
Though it is not known where Doroshenko studied nonetheless he received an excellent education. Doroshenko became fluent in Latin and Polish and had a broad knowledge of history.
In 1648 Doroshenko joined the forces of
Bohdan KhmelnytskyBohdan Zynoviy Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky was a hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . He led an uprising against the Commonwealth and its magnates which resulted in the creation of a Cossack state...
in the
uprisingThe Khmelnytsky Uprising, was a Cossack rebellion in the Ukraine between the years 1648–1657 which turned into a Ukrainian war of liberation from Poland...
against the Polish domination of
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. In the earlier stages of the uprising Doroshenko served in both military and diplomatic capacity. He primarily served in the
Chyhyryn regimentThe Chyhyryn Regiment was one of the seventeen territorial-administrative subdivisions of the Hetman State. The regiment's capital was the city of Chyhyryn, now in the Cherkasy Oblast of central Ukraine...
, where he held the rank of artillery secretary. Until eventually being appointed colonel of the
Pryluky regimentThe Pryluky Regiment was one of the seventeen territorial-administrative subdivisions of the Hetman State. The regiment's capital was the city of Pryluky, now in the Chernihiv Oblast, north-central Ukraine.-History:...
in 1657.
When Khmelnytsky's death occurred in 1657 Doroshenko supported the election of general chancellor
Ivan VyhovskyIvan Vyhovsky was a hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks during three years of the Russo-Polish War . He was the successor to the famous hetman and rebel leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky...
as Khmelnytsky's successor. Between 1657 and 1658 he helped Hetman Vyhovsky to suppress pro-Russian uprising of Iakiv Barabash and
Martyn PushkarMartyn Pushkar was a polkovnyk of Poltava's Cossack regiment known for his loyalty to Muscovy. Together with Iakiv Barabash Pushkar led a pro-Muscovy uprising against Ukrainian hetman Ivan Vyhovsky in 1657. After inflicting several defeats on Vyhovsky's Cossacks and his Polish allies, Martyn...
a bloody fratricidal conflict, resulting in some 50,000 deaths.
Hetman
Pavlo TeteriaPavlo Teteria was Hetman of Right-Bank Ukraine .Before his hetmancy he served in a number of high positions under Bohdan Khmelnytsky, and Ivan Vyhovsky....
promoted Doroshenko to the rank of his chief (general)
yesaulYesaul, or Osaul , , a post and a rank in the Ukrainian and Russian Cossack units.The first records of the rank imply that it was introduced by Stefan Batory, King of Poland in 1576.-Cossacks in Russia:...
in 1663. Doroshenko became the leader of the Cossack
starshyna (senior officers) and elements within the ecclesiastical authorities who opposed 1654
Treaty of PereyaslavThe Treaty of Pereyaslav is known in history more as the Council of Pereiaslav.Council of Pereyalslav was a meeting between the representative of the Russian Tsar, Prince Vasili Baturlin who presented a royal decree, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky as the leader of Cossack Hetmanate. During the council...
. Supported by
Crimean TatarsCrimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
and Ottoman Turkey in 1665, Doroshenko crushed the pro-Russian Cossack bands and eventually became Hetman of Ukraine (
Right-bank UkraineRight-bank Ukraine , a historical name of a part of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding with modern-day oblasts of Volyn, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Kiev, as well as part of Cherkasy and Ternopil...
).
Hetman
As Poland withdrew from the
right-bank UkraineRight-bank Ukraine , a historical name of a part of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding with modern-day oblasts of Volyn, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Kiev, as well as part of Cherkasy and Ternopil...
due to numerous peasants and cossacks uprisings whose rebels sought military support other than from Poland and Moscow in order to secure their liberties. They found it in the realm of the
Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the
Crimean KhanateCrimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
. In the beginning the first Hetman recognized by Crimea was Sotnyk (captain) Stepan Opara from the Medvedesky company. However, the same summer of 1665 he was replaced by Doroshenko. In order to strengthen his newly position, Doroshenko introduced new reforms in hope of winning the respect of the rank and file Cossacks. Doroshenko would often organize general councils where he would listen to the lower classes opinions. And in order to rid himself of the dependence on the starshyna, the hetman created the Serdiuk regiments which consisted of 20,000 mercenary infantry units who took orders directly only from him.
Once his hetmancy began, Doroshenko like all Right-bank hetmans, followed a pro-Polish line. But this policy was quickly changed upon hearing the signing of the 1667
Treaty of AndrusovoThe Truce of Andrusovo was a thirteen and a half year truce, signed in 1667 between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which were at war since 1654 over the territories of modern-day Ukraine and Belarus....
. The treaty officially divided Ukraine between Russia and Poland, with Russia gaining sovereignty over
Left-bank UkraineLeft-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
and Poland acquiring Right-bank Ukraine. Once the news reached Doroshenko, he reportedly suffered a seizure upon learning of Ukraine's partitioning. Doroshenko quickly deserted his pro-Polish position and decided to seek aid from the
Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The Council of Officers were willing to support an alliance with the Turks, and in the fall of 1667 Cossack emissaries were sent to
IstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
to present a proposal for an Ottoman protectorate over Ukraine. The alliance was eventually approved by the council and proclaimed by the
sultanSultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mehmed IVMehmed IV Modern Turkish Mehmet was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1648 to 1687...
on May 1, 1669.
In the fall of 1667 Doroshenko aided with Ottoman support defeated the
Polish forcesThe Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
in
PodoliaThe region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
, and expelled them from the Right-Bank. With the Right-Bank seemingly secured, Doroshenko and his men crossed into
Left-bank UkraineLeft-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
and supported an uprising against
Ivan BriukhovetskyIvan Briukhovetsky was a pro-Russian hetman of Left-Bank Ukraine from 1663 to 1668. For background see The Ruin...
. Following Briukhovetsky's execution the Left-bank regiments proclaimed Doroshenko the hetman of all Ukraine on June 9, 1668. As Doroshenko was reaching his highest hour of triumph in succeeding the re-uniting of Ukraine, his numerous enemies united against him. The Poles began supporting rivals for the hetmancy, eventually proclaiming the colonel of the
Uman RegimentThe Uman Regiment was one of the seventeen territorial-administrative subdivisions of the Hetman State. But after the division of the Hetman State the regiment became part of the Right-bank Ukraine...
Mykhailo KhanenkoMykhailo Stepanovych Khanenko was a Ukrainian Cossack military leader, and nominal hetman of Right-bank Ukraine from 1669-74 in rivalry with Petro Doroshenko during The Ruin ....
as hetman of Right-bank Ukraine. Soon after the Poles recognized his hetmancy, Khanenko and Jan Sobieski launched a massive invasion onto the Right-bank.
Turning to advance against the invaders, Doroshenko appointed
Demian MnohohrishnyDemian Mnohohrishny was the Hetman of Left-bank Ukraine from 1669 to 1672. See The Ruin His surname literally means "of many sins"....
acting hetmanActing Hetman was a title during the 17th, and 18th centuries, in the Cossack Hetmanate. The acting hetman was the governing authority in the Hetmanate temporarily substituted for the hetman. The acting hetman was appointed by the hetman himself, to perform the duties of the hetman when absent...
of the Left-bank. While Doroshenko was away, the Muscovite army invaded the Left-bank and took advantage of his absence. The troops forced Mnohohrishny to renounce all ties with Doroshenko and recognize the sovereignty of the tsar. This led to Doroshenko's defeat of Left-bank Ukraine led by
Ivan SirkoIvan Sirko was a Cossack military leader, Koshovyi Otaman of the Zaporozhian Host and putative co-author of the famous semi-legendary Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks that inspired a major painting by the 19th-century artist Ilya Repin.- Biography :...
and voyevoda
Grigory RomodanovskyPrince Grigory Grigoryevich Romodanovsky was a leading Russian general of Tsar Alexis's reign who promoted the Tsar's interests in Ukraine.Romodanovsky belonged to the Rurikid clan of Romodanovsky...
.
As his forces were weakened from the ongoing wars, Doroshenko was forced to rely increasingly on the Ottomans. This was very unpopular with the majority of deeply
Orthodox ChristianThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
Cossacks. As the Turks were considered the hated
infidelsInfidels is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 22nd studio album, released by Columbia Records in October 1983.Produced by Mark Knopfler and Dylan himself, Infidels is seen as his return to secular music, following a conversion to Christianity and three evangelical, gospel records...
of Europe. This would later on prove to be a serious mistake on the part of the hetman.
In 1672, with a force of 12,000 he aided the 100,000 strong Ottoman Army which invaded Poland and laid sieges to Kamenets (it has been captured and sacked) and
LvivLviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
. The war ended with the capture of Podolia and the signing of the Peace of Buchach. According to the terms of the treaty, the Podolia voivodeship was turned into an Ottoman province. And the Bratslav Voivodeship and the southern portion of the Kyiv Voivodship were to be recognized as Cossack territory administered by Doroshenko under a Turkish protectorate.
But the war left consequences for Doroshenko, it devastated his country the most damage of all. The vast Ukrainian territory was laid waste, cities were burned down, and hundreds of people were taken into captivity by the Crimean Tatars.
As the Right-bank faced devastation by the Turkish influence, Doroshenko's respect began to deteriorate among his loyal civilians for his collaboration with the hated infidels. Although the alliance did perform an integral part in his successes, the rest of the population suffered in the hands of the Turks. The situation worsened when in 1674 an invasion was launched by Muscovite and Ukrainian forces under the commands of the hetman of Left-bank Ukraine
Ivan SamoylovychIvan Samoylovych was the Hetman of Left-bank Ukraine from 1672 to 1687. His term in office was marked by further incorporation of the Cossack Hetmanate into the nascent Russian Empire and by attempts to win the Right-bank Ukraine from Poland-Lithuania....
and Romodanovsky.
The joint forces besieged Dorosenko's capital at Chyhyryn in June of 1674 but he was protected by a Turkish army.
The invasion brought the downfall of Doroshenko because the majority of his officers refused to support the Muslim Ottomans against their fellow Orthodox countrymen. Which resulted in most of Doroshenko's regiments to abandon him and join Samoylovych. After a second siege of Chyhyryn Doroshenko decided to abdicate (September 19, 1676) and surrender his insignia to Samoylovych, who in return proclaimed himself the new
Hetman of UkraineHetman of Ukraine may refer to:* Hetmans of Ukrainian Cossacks* Pavlo Skoropadskyi...
.
Doroshenko was arrested and brought to
MoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
where he was kept in honorary exile, never to return to Ukraine.
Voyevoda of Vyatka
In 1676 Petro Doroshenko asked new Russian Tsar
Feodor IIIFeodor III Alexeevich of Russia was the Tsar of all Russia between 1676 and 1682....
to forgive him and promised his loyalty. In 1679 he was appointed voyevoda (governor-duke) of
VyatkaKirov , formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov, is a city in northeastern European Russia, on the Vyatka River, and the administrative center of Kirov Oblast. Population: -History:...
in central Russia, and after a few years was granted an estate and principality of Yaropolch in
VolokolamskVolokolamsk is a town and the administrative center of Volokolamsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Gorodenka River, not far from its confluence with the Lama River, northwest of Moscow. Population: -History:...
UyezdUyezd or uezd was an administrative subdivision of Rus', Muscovy, Russian Empire, and the early Russian SFSR which was in use from the 13th century. Uyezds for most of the history in Russia were a secondary-level of administrative division...
.
Petro Doroshenko died in 1698 near
VolokolamskVolokolamsk is a town and the administrative center of Volokolamsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Gorodenka River, not far from its confluence with the Lama River, northwest of Moscow. Population: -History:...
. To this day he remains a controversial figure in Ukrainian history. Some consider him a national hero who wanted an independent Ukraine, while to others he was a power-hungry Cossack Hetman who offered Ukraine to a Muslim Sultan in exchange for hereditary overlordship of his native land.
Descendants
Among his descendants are
Natalia PushkinaNataliya Nikolaevna Pushkina-Lanskaya , , was the wife of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin from 1831 until his death in 1837 of a duel with Georges d'Anthès...
, and
Dmytro DoroshenkoDmytro Doroshenko was a prominent Ukrainian political figure during the revolution of 1917-1918 and a leading Ukrainian emigre historian during the inter-war period.-Political career:...
. Natalia would marry the poet Alexander Pushkin, and have a daughter named Natalia, who was named the
Countess of MerenbergCount of Merenberg is the title bestowed in 1868 by the reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, George Victor, upon the morganatic wife and male-line descendants of Prince Nikolaus Wilhelm of Nassau , who married Natalia Alexandrovna Pushkina , former wife of Russian General Mikhail Leontievich...
following her marriage to her husband, a Nassau prince. Their descendants subsequently married into, amongst others, the
RomanovThe House of Romanov was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule over Russia, reigning from 1613 until the February Revolution abolished the crown in 1917...
dynasty and the Westminster and Milford-Haven noble families of Great Britain. Dmytro on the other hand was a prominent Ukrainian political figure during the Russian Revolution and a leading Ukrainian emigre historian during the inter-war period.
External links
See also
- Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks
Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire, also known as Cossacks of Saporog Are Drafting a Manifesto , is a painting by Russian artist Ilya Repin. The 2.03 m by 3.58 m canvas was started in 1880 and finished in 1891. Repin recorded the years of work along the...
- Hetmans of Ukrainian Cossacks
Hetman of Ukrainian Cossacks as a title was not officially recognized internationally until the creation of the Ukrainian Hetmanate. With the creation of Registered Cossacks units their leaders were unofficially referred to as hetmans, however officially the title was known as the "Senior of His...