Ivan Vyhovsky is a well-known historical figure from the times of an independent Cossack state. Possessing the art of diplomacy and warfare, this man, having become a hetman after the death of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, tried with all his might to preserve the independence of Ukraine, to wrest his country from Moscow's tutelage. What was the hetman's policy? Why did the Cossack foreman remove him from his post and thereby prevent Ukraine from becoming an independent country? We will try to find answers in this article.
Vyhovsky: See you soon with Bohdan Khmelnitsky
The Vyhovsky family originates from the Ukrainian Orthodox gentry. The year of Vygovsky's birth is unknown, history has not preserved any data about his parents either.
However, it is known that Ivan Vygovsky was a very highly educated person for his time. After graduating from the Kiev-Mohyla Academy, he spoke several languages.
Military servicebegan to comprehend in the Polish army. And when in 1648 the Poles were defeated under the Yellow Waters, he was captured by the Tatars.
Vygovsky tried to escape from captivity 3 times, all 3 attempts were unsuccessful, he was returned back. For the escapes, Ivan Vygovsky was sentenced to death by the Horde, but here chance intervened in his fate.
Ivan Vygovsky was spotted by Bohdan Khmelnitsky, whose troops were allies with the Tatars, and it was he who bought the Cossack he liked from captivity.
Service in the Cossack army
Ivan Vyhovsky immediately liked Khmelnitsky, he quickly won his trust, and quickly became the general military clerk.
Having taken a new position in 1648, the clerk set about arranging the hetman's diplomatic and administrative headquarters. On his initiative, the Ministry of the Interior was organized, in other words, the General Military Chancellery. It was Vyhovsky who compiled the Cossack register in 1649, and he was also the co-author of many letters from Khmelnitsky and generalists.
The Military Chancellery Ivan Yevstafievich Vygovsky headed the well-known hetman until his death. Compatriots noted that the trust between Vyhovsky and Khmelnytsky was so great that only the clerk knew all the hetman's innermost secrets.
Death of Khmelnytsky
When Bogdan Khmelnitsky was still alive, the council of the Cossack foreman decided after his death to transfer the mace to his son Yuri, who was only 16 years old.
However, after the death of the hetmanthe decisive mood of the Cossacks changed. The point is that by handing over power to the hetman's son, the Cossacks would thereby adopt a law on the succession of power, in other words, a monarchical form of government would be established in Ukraine.
Therefore, on August 23-26, 1657, at the council, which was held in the city of Chyhyryn, it was decided to elect Vyhovsky as a hetman. With the amendment - until the age of Khmelnitsky's son.
Hetman of Ukraine
Vyhovsky became hetman at a very difficult time for Ukraine. He spent only 2 years in this position and during this time he did his best to ensure that Ukraine became autonomous. During this period, everything was in his life: large-scale wars, the signing of new treaties, diplomatic maneuvering between Moscow and Warsaw.
The foreign policy of Ivan Vyhovsky completely continued what Bogdan Khmelnitsky had begun. He sought to strengthen the international authority of his country and achieve independence.
In October 1657, the hetman signed an agreement with Sweden, which ensured the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
At the same time, Vygovsky did his best to avoid all sorts of complications with Moscow.
Relations with Russia
In Russia, Vygovsky was not recognized as a hetman for a long time and demanded certain concessions from him. Moscow wanted to limit Ukraine's independence by pledging certain major cities along with voivodeships.
When transferring Nizhyn, Chernihiv andPereyaslava Moscow also demanded new elections for the hetman, where representatives of the tsar would be involved.
Hoping for a settlement of the conflict, Vyhovsky agreed to these demands and was recognized as a hetman.
Domestic policy
First of all, the Hetman of Ukraine tried to enlist the support of the senior elite, so he supported its interests, gave gifts in the form of land plots and new privileges. Such actions led to the discontent of the poor Cossacks.
A conflict was brewing within the country. This was skillfully used by Martyn Pushkar, a colonel from Poltava, and Yakov Barabash, the ataman of Zaporozhye.
Vygovsky was forced to speak out against the rebels. The hetman's army defeated the rebels: Pushkar was killed, and Barabash was taken prisoner.
Moscow, during this period, intervened in the internal affairs of the country, supporting the rebels financially.
Vygovsky vs. Moscow
The dishonest actions of Moscow led to the fact that the hetman began to look for other allies. So, in September 1658, he signed the Treaty of Gadyach, in which Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland formed a federation of three independent states. The new union was united only by the jointly elected king.
Russia's goal is to become the most powerful country in Eastern Europe, Ukraine's goal is to gain independence. These conflicting goals led to the fact that in 1658-1659, a war broke out between Moscow and Ukraine.
The decisive battle took place on June 28, 1659 near Konotop. In this fight, Vyhovsky won.
End Hetmanate
Ivan Vygovsky,whose biography received a new round, could not fully enjoy the victory. The strife in Ukraine has not stopped; Ukrainians themselves were not unanimous about the future fate of their country. Each defended their own interests.
This led to the fact that a new uprising broke out in the country - an anti-government one. At the head of this uprising was the son of Khmelnitsky - Yuri.
Some Cossacks opposed the Gadyach Treaty adopted by Vyhovsky, others were afraid of war with Moscow.
At the Cossack Rada, which took place in September 1659, the Cossacks expressed no confidence in their hetman.
Vyhovsky, in order to avoid the Civil War, renounced the hetmanship and left for Volhynia, which at that time was under the rule of the Polish king. The son of Khmelnytsky became the Hetman of Ukraine.
