Jason Yuschenko?

[People's Commissar]

I will BCC this to a person who knows a lot about Slavic things.

Heh, guess not. Too bad.

On Sun, 2 Dec 2001 19:16:31 -0800 (PST) Kari Nevala <kari_...@yahoo.com>
writes:
> Hi!
>
> Do you know much about the early Kiev? I read that the
> Vikings called it Kvenugard (in english roughly
> something like Kven Castle), where in the kven stands
> for one finnish tribe ("kveenit", today "kainuu"). The
> same questionable source also claims that the Khazars
> called it Sambat, which would actually be the mythical
> samba/sampo of finno-estonian mythology (a kind of
> limitless source of wealth). The source is
> questionable, and I just wondered if you would happen
> to know something about this. Anyway, this is
> questionable, so don't spread this around :)

The land there, Black Earth. That's the wealth.

As I said, this debate went on in the ussr - about who the original Kievans
were. You can NOT determine things by using language that is spoken - no
way. I can absolutely say this: next door were the Pechenegs. ANY Kievan
would be able to pass as a Pecheneg if they rode a horse and spoke their
language. No one could tell the difference. This fact is in Russian
archives. The Pechenegs were the same people as the later Batu Khan
people - Pechenegs were definitly Turanians - and they LOOKED it. So then
if..... get it?

The argument in Stalin's time was whether or not the original Kievans were
"Mongolic" Finns, or "Nordic" Scandinavians. Remember, there is MUCH
admixture there since then!

Jason? Any info? Please email it to both of us.

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[Jason Yuschenko]

Kiev was founded by early slavs. Varangians came down from Novgorod to
establish a trade route under Prince Oleh.
By the time of Yaroslav the Wise they were essentially intermingled.

"Sambat" was a khazar word which referred to the Dnieper River Valley where
the slavs lived ie "fertile valley".
(pre Kiev-Rus)

Pechenegs did not arrive until the 11th Century, and lived in Eastern
Ukraine. They must have been either assimilated or vanquished.
No mention is made of them after a war in 1056.

I have seen no source mentioning what the pechenegs looked like. They were
enemies to the slavs.

At this point, I can only differentiate what are known as "rusyn" or simply
"nashe" - our people. These are western Ukrainians, some Kievans
and extend into Slovakia and Serbia.

No such thing as a pure bloodline these days, maybe we all should remember
this sometimes.

Here is a bit of propaganda tho - the Crimea ...... Tatars always .... no
evidence that we were there historically ... not Muscovites.

Jason Y

[Jason Yuschenko]

This is from the actual chronicles

KYIVAN RUS CHRONICLES

Loose, abbreviated translation by George Skoryk
of Chronicles by Venerable Nestor (1056 - 1136 AD) -
a monk of the Theodosian Monastery located in caves on the outskirts of
Kyiv,
from Ukrainian text, as published on Internet by Igor Solovey.

After the Deluge, three sons of Noah - Shem, Ham and Japhet divided up the
earth.
Shem obtained the East : Phoenicia, Syria, Assyria, Babylonia, Media, Persis
(Persia), Mesopotamia, Bactria and India. (Presently: Lebanon, Palestine,
Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and India)
Ham obtained the South, namely North Africa including Mauritania, Libya,
Egypt and Ethiopia. In the East he obtained land on the west coast of
present day Turkey including Lydia; also Mediterranean islands Sardinia,
Crete and Cyprus.
Japhet obtained North and West, namely all present day Europe including
islands Sicily, Euboea, Rhodes, Chios (Khios) and Lesbos. Also most of the
present day Turkey, Kavkaz Mountains, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Therefore Japhed lands included the North side of the Black Sea with rivers
Danube, Dnister, Dnipro and Volga, which flows toward Shem's part of the
earth. These lands contained numerous tribes such as Rus, Chud, Pechera,
Uhra, Lytva, Lethola, Mordva, Zmyhola, Merya, Muroma, Perm, Ves, Yam, Kors,
Lib. Further North, toward the Viking Sea (Baltic Sea) were , Wends, Goths,
Lakhs, Prus and Chud. Upon that sea sat Vikings and further West Japhet's
domain extend up to England , then South up to Italy, neighboring with Ham's
lands. Thus Japhet's domain included also Northmen, Anglo-Saxons, Galicians,
Walachians and Romans.
After Shem, Ham and Japhet divided up the earth they decided not to
interfere with each other and each of them lived upon their part as one
nation.
After people multiplied, they come upon an idea to build a tower to reach
the heaven and to construct the city Babylon around it. They build the tower
for forty years but did not complete it because God came down to look at it
and said "This is one nation and one language". So God mixed the nations,
divided them into seventy two nations with different languages and scattered
them all over the earth. After that God demolished the tower with strong
wind and only ruins remained.
After that the sons of Shem, Ham and Japhet retained their father's lands
and, from one of the Japhed tribes, originated Slav nations called Noriks.
After long time Slavs settled around river Danube, where presently Hungary
and Bulgaria exist. From there they dispersed and took up different names:
those who settled on river Morava called themselves Moravians, others
Czechs, Croats, Serbs and Khorutans.
When Walachians invaded those Slavs, they settled among them and oppressed
them. Then some of the Slavs migrated North, settled on river Visla and
called themselves Lakhs. Later they divided up into Polans, Lutychs,
Mazovshans and Pomoryans. Those who settled on river Dnipro divided up into
Polans (field people), Derevlans (wood people, because they lived in
forests), Drehovychs (between rivers Prypyat and Dvina), Polochans (after
river Polota, which flows into Dvina). The Slavs who settled on lake Ilmen
were called Slovens. They built a city and called it Novhorod. Others
settled on rivers Desna, Seym and Sula called themselves Siveryans.
When Polans lived on the hills of Kyiv site, it was the route along Dnipro
river between Vikings to Greeks. Also from the upper Dnipro one could travel
on river Lovota to lake Ilmen and then to big lake Nevo, which connects to
the Baltic Sea. From there one could sail to Rome and then, past
Constantinople, to Black Sea and Dnipro, which flows into the Black Sea.
Apostle Andrew, Peters brother, sailed across Black Sea into Dnipro's mouth,
then up the river to the hills of Kyiv. And he told his students that there
will be a big city with many churches, He then climbed up, blessed the hills
and placed a cross there. He then went further up the river and visited
Slavs at the site of Novhorod.
When he came back to Rome he was telling what he saw and learned about
Slavs. He was specially impressed by their wooden steam houses, where people
stripped naked, flogged themselves with branches , then poured cold water on
themselves. "And they do it every day. Nobody is punishing them, they punish
themselves; it is not seem like bathing, it is a torture."
Among Polans lived three brothers - Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv, and their sister
Lybid. They resided on separate hills. They built a small town there and
called it Kyiv, after their eldest brother. Surrounding this town was a big
forest, where they hunted animals. Kyi ruled his tribe and traveled as far
as Danube where he founded a small township called Kyivets.
After death of these brothers , their descendants continued to rule over
Polans.
Derevlans had their separate principalities and so did Drehovychs, Slovens
in Novhorod and Polochans at the river Polota. Further East, on the upper
Volga, Dvina and Dnipro, were Kryvychs; their town was Smolensk. Further
East were Siverians. On lake White were Ves and on lakes Rostov and
Kleshchyna were Merya. Buzhany lived on river Buh and further, where
present, Volynia is, were Dulibs.
Among Lakhs lived two brothers: Radym and Vyatko. Radym settled on river
Sozh and his people were called Radymych. Vyatko settled on river Ots and
his people were called Vyatychs.
Up North lived tribes which were not Slavs: Chud, Ves, Merya, Muroma,
Cheremys, Mordva, Perm, Pechera, Yam. Lytva, Zymyhola, Kors, Narova, Dib.
They had their own language and apparently were original inhabitants,
whereas Slavs came from around river Danube.
All tribes had their own customs, legends and laws of their ancestors.
Polans' customs were quiet and gentle. They treated their women with respect
and revered their elders. In their wedding custom, the bridegroom did not go
to get his bride; the bride was brought to the bridegroom in the evening and
next day her family received the gifts.
Derevlans lived like animals, they killed each other and ate unclean food.
they did not marry, but snatched their women near the water.
Radymych, Vyatychs and Siveryans had similar customs. They lived in the
forests like animals, did not respect their women and parents. Instead of
weddings they had games between the villages, where they danced and sang
satanic songs. Then, by previous arrangement, grabbed their women and had
two to three wives. They incinerated their dead, collected their bones in a
small container and placed it upon a post on the side of a road.
Such customs had also Kryvych and other pagans, who did not obey God' laws,
but made their own laws.
Years after death of Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv,when Polans were besieged by
Derevlans and other surrounding tribes, Khazars came to them and demanded
takings, whereupon Polans gave them swords, one from each household, which
were brought to Khasar elders and their King. When asked where they got
these takings from, the reply was: "In the forest on the hills at river
Dnipro". After inspecting the swords Khasar elders said to their King: "
These takings are no good. We have conquered them by single edged swords,
but their swords are double edged. Soon they will be getting takings from us
and other lands." And so it happened, because they said so not because of
their conviction but because of God's will.
Like it was when Moses was brought before the Egyptian pharaoh Rameses, his
elders predicted that Moses will conquer Egypt, which came true. At first
Jews were slaves, but later they were conquerors. So it was with Khazars -
at first they were rulers and later they were ruled by Kyivan princes
In year 6360 (852 AD), during reign of Greek king Michael our land was
called Rus. We have learned about it from Greek chronicles by Georgius,
where he mentions Rus raids on Constantinople. Therefore we start from there
and establish the dates.
From Adam to the Deluge were 2242 years, from the Deluge to Abraham were
1082 years, from Abraham to the Exodus were 430 years, from Exodus to David
were 601 years. From death of David to the reign of Solomon and conquest of
Jerusalem - 448 years, from then to the start of reign of Alexander the
Great - 313 years, from death of Alexander to birth of Jesus Christ - 333
years, from birth of Jesus Christ to start of reign of Constantine the
Great - 318 years, from then to the death of Michael - 542 years.
From the first year of reign of king Michael to the first year of reign of
prince Oleh in Kyiv were 29 years.

Here we will now return to the period of king Michael and describe, in
chronological order, the course of events.

In 6366 (858) king Michael with his army marched on land and sea on Bulgars.
Bulgars, unable to resist, surrendered and asked to be christened. Whereupon
king Michael christened their king Borys and all his boyars (nobles) and
made peace with Bulgars.
In 6367 (859) Vikings, coming from across the sea, were extracting takings
from Chuds, Slovens, Mers, Ves and Kryvychs. And Khazars were extracting
takings from Polans, Siverians and Vyatychs; they took a white squirrel from
every household.
In 6370 (862) Chuds, Slovens, Ves' and Kryvychs expelled Vikings and started
to govern themselves. However, due to disagreements and infighting, they
decided to look abroad for a suitable ruler. They went across the sea to
Vikings, who were then called Rus, and asked for somebody to come across and
rule them. Three Viking brothers with their families agreed.
They came at first to Slovens and founded the town Lahoda, where settled the
eldest brother Ruryk. The second brother Syneus settled on lake White and
third brother Truvor settled in town Isborsk. From these Vikings (Rus) the
name Rus originated.
After two years Syneus and Truvor died and their lands were taken over by
Ruryk. When Ruryk came upon lake Ilmen, he founded a town on Volkhov and
called it Novhorod, where first settlers were Slovens. And he ruled from
there, giving his men various districts to construct towns. One of them
built Polotsk, where first settlers were Kryvychs, another built Rostov,
where first settlers were Meryas, another built Bilo-ozero, where first
settlers were Ves', another built Muroma, where first settlers were Muromas.
And all above were ruled by Ruryk. Two of Ruryk's men, not of his tribe,
Askold and Dyr, got permission to travel to Constantinople. Sailing on river
Dnipro they sighted a town upon the hills. They found out from the
inhabitants that this town was built by three brothers Kyi, Shchek and
Khoriv, who since passed away and they lived in their town, paying dues to
Khazars. Whereupon Askold and Dyr decided to remain in this town, brought in
many Vikings and started to reign over the Polans land. And Ruryk reigned in
Novhorod.
In 6374 (866) Askold and Dyr went on Greeks. King Michael was away at that
time on another military engagement, but returned when he heard that Rus
were coming. In the meantime Rus entered Sud, were they killed many
Christians, and besieged Constantinople with two hundred ships. King Michael
and patriarch Photius barely managed to enter the city, went to the church
of St Mary and prayed. Then, singing hymns, they brought St Mary's statue to
the sea shore and immersed it in the water. The sea was calm, then suddenly
big storm erupted, scattered atheist Rus fleet and wrecked many ships; only
few came back home.
In 6375 (867) King Basil started to reign in Greece.
In 6377 (869) whole Bulgaria accepted Christianity.
In 6387 (879) prince Ruryk died, nominating Oleh as his successor and asking
him to look after his small son Ihor.

In 6390 (882) Oleh, with many soldiers consisting of Vikings, Chuds,
Slovens, Mers, Ves and Kryvychs, marched on Smolensk, took it and installed
one of his men there. Then he went down the river Dnipro, captured Lubach
and installed one of his men there.
When Oleh arrived at the Kyivan hills, where Askold and Dyr ruled, he left
his soldiers behind, hiding some of them in boats. Then, with little Ihor in
his arms, he stepped upon the shore and sent his emissary to Askold and Dyr
to ask them to join Oleh and prince Ihor in the raid on Greece.
When Askold and Dyr came down, the soldiers jumped out of boats and captured
them. Then Oleh said to them " You are not princes and are not of royal
descent. Whereas I am of royal descent and this here is Ruryk's son".
Thereupon they killed Askold and Dyr and buried them. Askold's grave is in
location of present church of St Nicholas, and Dyr's grave is in location of
present church of St Oryna.
Then Oleh installed himself as prince of Kyiv and proclaimed: " Let it be
the mother of all Rus cities". Hence Slovens, Vikings and others called
themselves Rus. Then he started to build towns taking taxes from Slovens,
Kryvychs, Mers and Vikings from Novhorod.
In 6391 (883) Oleh started to fight against Derevlans and, after subduing
them, collected taxes from them.
In 6392 (884) he defeated Siveryans, asked them to pay small taxes, but told
them not to give anything to Khazars, because he was their adversary.
In 1693 (885) he sent emissaries to Radymychs and told them to pay taxes to
him instead of Khazars. Thus Oleh ruled Derevlans, Polans, Siveryans,
Radymychs, and also had treaty with Ulychs and Tyverts.
In 6395 (887) Greece was ruled by king Leo, his son Basil, who was also
called Leo, and his brother Alexander. They ruled for twenty six years.
In 6406 (898) Magyars, who fought against Slavs and Walachians, marched past
Kyiv on the hill, which nowdays is called Hungarian Hill.
In 6410 (902) Greek king Leo hired Magyars against Bulgars. Magyars defeated
Bulgars and their king Symeon barely managed to escape to Derester.
In 6411 (903) When prince Ihor grew up, he kept company with Oleh during his
raids and everybody obeyed him. They brought him a wife from Pskov - Olha.
In 6415 (907) Oleh left Ihor in Kyiv and went on Greece. He took with him
many Vikings, Slovens, Chuds, Kryvychs, Mers, Polans, Siverians, Derevlans,
Radymychs, Khorvats, Dulibs and Tyverts (collectively known as " Big
Scythia"). They went on horses and some two thousand ships.
When they arrived at Constantinople, Greeks blocked the sea entry and closed
the city. Oleh ordered to drag the ships onto the shore, plundered all
around the city, killed many Greeks, demolished many castles and burned
churches, tortured and killed the prisoners.
Then Oleh ordered to fit wheels to the ships and when a suitable wind
occurred they sailed on land to the city gates.
When Greeks saw this they promised to give anything in order to spare the
city. Oleh stopped the attack and Greeks brought out a lot of food and wine.
However Oleh did not accept it because it was poisoned. He then demanded and
received huge loot whereupon he negotiated peace with Greek rulers Leo and
Alexander, resulting in additional takings and very favorable trade
agreements.
Oleh returned to Kyiv with a lot of gold , cloth, fruit, wine and other
goods from Greece.
In 6419 (911) A big star, looking like a spear appeared in the sky.
In 6420 (912) Oleh sent his emissaries - Karl, Ingeld, Farlof, Vermud,
Ruslaw,Hudy, Ruald, Karn, Frelaf, Ruar, Aktevu, Truan, Lidul, Fost and
Stemyd to Greek rulers - Leo, Alexander and Constantine wit a proposed
treaty of peace, friendship an cooperation between Rus and Greece. It
contained detailed procedures of how to deal with crimes and injustices
committed by individuals or groups from one nation against the other. It
also contained proposed maritime and trade laws and ways of solving problems
relating to mercenaries, prisoners, hostages and slaves. It was dated
"Second day of September of year 6420 from the creation of the earth"
King Leo bestowed on Rus envoys gifts of gold and textiles and showed them
their beautiful churches, golden palaces and other riches. They also
explained to them their Christian faith.
The envoys then returned to Kyiv and told Oleh how they made peace and drawn
up a treaty between Rus and Greece.
Hence prince Oleh ruled from Kyiv and lived in peace with all lands.
In the Autumn Oleh remember his horse, which he did not see for four years
because, one fortune teller told him, that his beloved horse will be the
cause of his death. When Oleh found out that this horse died he laughed and
said that the wizards were wrong "The horse died and I am alive". Thereupon
he went to the place where his horse's bones and scull were, put his foot on
horse's scull and laughingly said: "Will I receive death from this scull?".
Suddenly a snake slid out of the scull and bit Oleh on the leg. From this
Oleh got sick and died.
All people cried for him and buried him on the Shchek's hill. He ruled for
thirty three years.

In 6421 Ihor succeeded Oleh as prince of Kyivan Rus.
At the same time the son or Leo and Roman's son in law, Constantine became
king of Greece.
Also Derevlans locked themselves up from Ihor in Iskorsten.
In 6422 (914) Ihor attacked Derevlans, defeated them and put up taxes on
them, grater than what they had to pay Oleh.
In the same year, Bulgarian king Symeon went on Constantinople, made peace
with Greeks and returned home.
In 6423 (915) Pechenehs, for the first time invaded Rus, but after making
peace with Ihor, left for the river Danube.
At the same time king Symeon went on Greeks and plundered Phrygia. The
Greeks then called in Pechenehs but when they arrived to fight against
Symeon, Greek leaders started to fight between themselves. Seeing that,
Pechenehs returned home whereupon Bulgars defeated Greeks and took
Adrianopole.
In 6428 (920) Romanus became the king of Greeks. Prince Ihor fought
Pechenehs.
In 6437 (929) Bulgarian king Symeon went on Constantinople, occupied Phygia
and Macedonia then, with a large force, arrived at Constantinople, made
peace with king Romanus and returned home.
In 6442 (934) Magyars, for the first went on Constantinople and plundered
Phrygia. King Romanus had to make peace with them.
In 6449 (941) Ihor went on Greeks. Although king Romanus was informed by
Bulgars that ten thousand Rus ships are sailing toward Constantinople, they
arrived there and started to plunder , burn and devastate the country on
both shores of the gulf. They captured, tortured and killed many Greek
soldiers; burned many churches, monasteries and other property on both sides
of Bosporus.
Then Greek army arrived from the East and surrounded Rus. After a fierce
battle, when it became apparent tat Greeks were winning, Rus boarded their
ships at night and fled. However they were intercepted by Greek fleet and
Rus ships were bombarded with fire from tubes. Thus many ships were
destroyed. Those who managed to escape returned home and and explained what
happened, saying that "Greeks have a weapon like a lightning in the skies,
which they directed toward our ships and that is why we could not defeat
them".
Prince Ihor then began to assemble many soldiers and send envoys to Vikings,
calling upon them to join him in another raid on Greeks.
In 6450 (942) Bulgarian king Symeon went on Croats. He was defeated by
Croats and died, leaving his son Peter to rule.
In the same year Ihor's son Svyatoslav was born.
In 6451 (943) Magyars again went on Constantinople but, after making peace
with king Romanus, returned home.
In 6452 (944) Assembled many soldiers - Vikings, Rus, Polans, Slovens,
Kryvychs and Tyverts. He also hired Pechenehs and went on Greeks, on ships
and horseback, to revenge his previous defeat.
When king Romanus learned from Bulgars about it, he sent to Ihor and
Pechenehs his best boyars with expensive gifts and promises of more if Ihor
stops the raid.
After arriving at river Danube and consulting his soldiers, Ihor took the
Greek offer, left Pechenehs to plunder Bulgaria, and returned to Kyiv.
In 6453 (945) Greek rulers Romanus, Constantine and Stephen sent their
delegates to Ihor to restore the former peace. After peace talks, Ihor sent
his men to Romanus and a charter was drawn detailing conditions for the
second peace treaty between Greeks and Rus thus, which was being disregarded
for many years.
Like the peace treaty concluded between Oleh and Leo in 6420 (912), it
included in great detail items such as trade, fishing and maritime
regulations, crime fighting and extradition agreements, military
cooperation, exchange and ransom of prisoners or hostages. It also
acknowledged the fact that Rus already contained a considerable number of
Christians and that both communities were obliged to respect and obey this
peace treaty. Ihor with his warriors and other pagans went upon the hill
where the statue of their chief god Perun stood, put down their weapons,
shields and gold there and swore to do so. Christians, which included some
Rus, Vikings and Khazars swore their obedience in St Iliya's church.
Hence Ihor ruled from Kyiv and lived in peace with all lands, but in Autumn
he started to plan campaign against Derevlans to obtain more taxes from
them.
In 6453 (945) Ihor marched on Derevlans, violently got his booty from them
and started to retreat. On the way back he told his troops to return home
with the booty and, with a small detachment, went back for more takings.
However Derevlans met him at Irskorsten, defeated his small team of soldiers
and killed him. His burial mound remains near the town called Derevlans.

Ihor's wife Olha remained in Kyiv with Oleh's small son Svyatoslav and his
protector Asmud; the governor there was Sveneld.
Derevlans told Olha that they killed prince of Rus and proposed the marriage
between her and their prince Mal. They sent twenty of their best men to
clinch the deal. When they arrived, Olha asked them to stay in their boat,
saying that they will be carried in it to her residence. In the meantime
Olha ordered to dig a large and deep hole in the ground behind the town.
Derevlans were carried and dropped there in their boat. As they were buried
alive they complained to Olha that their death was much worse than that of
her husband.
Then Olha sent her emissaries to Derevlans asking them to send their most
prominent men for her so that she can depart with honor, otherwise people of
Kyiv will not let her marry their prince. When they arrived Olha prepared a
bathhouse for them and, after they entered it and started to wash, Olha
ordered her servants to lock the doors and set fire to the bathhouse, and
they perished there.
Then Olha sent her envoys to Derevlans saying that she is coming to visit
the place where her husband was killed and requested them to bring plenty of
mead for the funeral feast. Derevlans complied, Olha arrived with a small
team of warriors, cried for her husband and ordered to construct a large
mound on his burial site. Then she decreed to commence the funeral feast,
serving Derevlans with lots of mead. They asked her where are their friends,
which were sent to her; she replied that they are coming. When Derevlans
became drunk Olha ordered his warriors to slay them all, about five thousand
of them.
Then Olha returned to Kyiv and started preparation for the raid against
remaining Derevlans.In 6454 (946) Olha with her son Svyatoslav gathered many
brave warriors and marched on Derevlan's land. When the two armies met,
Svyatoslav threw a spear, but it landed at an enemy horse's feet because
Svyatoslav was then only small. His protector Asmud and the governor Sveneld
then shouted "Our prince has started the battle. Let us all follow him and
attack". Hence Derevlans were defeated and fled and shut themselves up in
their towns.
Olha and Svyatoslav besieged Iskorsten, where Ihor was killed, but Derevlans
defended themselves very well from behind strong city walls and Olha stood
there during whole summer. Then Olha thought of something and told Derevlans
in Iskorsten that all other towns have surrendered and are paying taxes and
that she will spare them in return for a booty. When asked what she would
like, Olha requested three doves and three sparrows from each household.
Derevlans were happy to oblige and were told to remain within the walls
while Olha retreats. At the dusk Olha ordered her soldiers to tie kindling
to each dove and sparrow, lit it and set the birds free. The birds returned
to their nests and set fire to all buildings. People fled the city and were
captured by Olha's soldiers. The elders were burned, some were battered
others were given as slaves to Olga's men. the remaining Derevlans were left
to pay heavy taxes to Kyiv and Vyshhorod, which was Olga's city.
In 6455 (947) Olha went to Novhorod to establish collection of taxes from
peoples living on rivers Mst and Luh. Then she returned to Kyiv to live with
her son Svyatoslav.
In 6463 (955) Olha went to Constantinople, which was then ruled by Leon's
son, Constantine. Impressed by her beauty and inteliegnce he said that she
is fit to rule Constantinople with him. Realizing what he meant, Olha
replied that she is a pagan and if he wants her to be christened, then he
has to do it himself. So she was christened by Constantine and patriarch
Polievkt and was explained about the rules of Christian religion.
Then, when Constantine asked Olha to marry him, she replied that when he
christened her, he called her his daughter, therefore she cannot marry him.
Knowing that he was outwitted, Constantine bestowed her many gifts and
dismissed her, as his daughter.
After returning to Kyiv, Olha tried to convert her son Svyatoslav to
Christianity, but did not succeed; she kept praying for her people and her
son, while he was growing up into adulthood.

In 6472 (964) Svyatoslav gathered many brave warriors and went on many
raids. He himself was very brave and traveled light, without a kettle or a
tent. He ate meat sliced into thin pieces cooked on coal. Before a raid he
always warned his adversaries "I am coming against you". When he came on
Vyatychs at river Oko and Volga, they said that they pay taxes to Khazars.
In 6473 (965) Svyatoslav vent on Khazars, who met him with their prince
Yosyf. The battle was won by Svyatoslav, who then took Khazar capital Ityl
and city Bila Vezha (White Tower).
He then defeated Yas and Kasohs and returned to Kyiv.
In 6474 (1966) Svyatoslav defeated Vyatychs and imposed taxes on them.
In 6475 (1967) Svyatoslav vent on Bulgars at river Danube, defeated them,
took their seventy towns and began to rule from Peryaslavets, collecting
taxes from Greeks.
In 6476 (968), while Svyatoslav was in Peryaslavets, Pechenehs invaded Rus.
They besieged Kyiv, with Olha and her grandsons Yaropolk, Oleh and Volodymyr
within. There was a detachment of Rus soldiers in boats on the other side of
Dnipro river, but Pechenehs had much greater force, which prevented people
to move in or out of the city.
People within the city, suffering from thirst and hunger, began to look for
somebody to cross the river and to ask soldiers to break the siege,
otherwise the city would be forced to surrender. A young boy volunteered,
sneaked out of the city and holding a snaffle bridle, pretended to look for
his horse. Pechenehs thought he was one of them because he kept asking in
their language "Has anybody seen my horse." When he came near the river he
took off his clothing, plunged in and started to swim. Pechenehs were
shooting arrows at him but failed to harm him and he was picked up by a boat
from the other side. The leader of Rus soldiers Pretych, hearing the boy's
message, decided that he must rescue Olha and her grandsons, otherwise
Svyatoslav will punish him. Early next morning, with a loud fanfare, he and
his soldiers sailed toward the city. Pechenehs, thinking that it was
Yaroslav coming to the rescue with his main force, retreated and allowed
Olha, her grandsons and other people to come aboard the boats. Seeing that,
Pecheneh's prince Kurya wondered if it really was prince Svyatoslav. When
informed by Pretych that he was only one of prince's men and that the main
force will be arriving shortly, Kurya asked Pretych to be his friend and
they parted after exchange of gifts.
Then a messenger was sent to Svyatoslav asking him to return home from
foreign land, otherwise Pechenehs may take his mother and sons. Whereupon
Svyatoslav, with his warriors arrived in Kyiv, kissed his mother and sons,
gathered an army, expelled Pechenehs and established peace.
In 6477 (969) Svyatoslav informed his mother and boyars that he does not
like to remain in Kyiv and would like to live in Peryaslavets on river
Danube because it was the centre of his land, where all the goods arrive:
textiles, gold, wine and fruit from Greeks; silver and horses from Czechs
and Hungarians; furs, wax, honey and utensils from Rus. Olha was then very
ill and asked him to stay until she dies. She died three days after that and
was mourned by her son and all the people. She was one of the first
Christians and herald of Christianity in Rus.
In 6478 (970) Svyatoslav sat Yaropolk in Kyiv, and Oleh in Derevlans.
Volodymyr and his uncle Dobrynya went to Novhorod. Svyatoslav then set off
to Peryaslavets.
In 6479 (971) Svyatoslav arrived at Peryaslavets, which was defended by
Bulgarians. After a fierce battle Svyatoslav defeated Bulgarians and
proclaimed Peryaslavets his City. Then he sent envoys to Greeks to inform
them that he is coming to take also their cities. Cunning Greeks replied
that they are not strong enough to resist and are prepared to pay a booty,
but wanted to know how many soldiers Svyatoslav has in order to calculate
the amount. Svyatoslav said that he had twenty thousand, although there were
only ten thousand soldiers. Thereupon Greeks refused to give booty and
gathered one thousand soldiers. When confronted with such outnumbering force
Svyatoslav told his soldiers that he has no choice but fight and that he
will lead them up front and if he gets killed they can all look after
themselves. His soldiers replied that if he dies they will fight until death
too. A fierce battle ensued and was won by Svyatoslav, who then chased
fleeing Greeks up to Constantinople, destroying their other cities on the
way.
The Greek king Ion offered a multitude of gifts, which were accepted and
Svyatoslav returned to Peryaslavets. Realizing that he lost many men in
battles, Svyatoslav decided to make peace with Greeks and sent emissaries to
their king in Derester proposing a strong peace and friendship treaty. The
king was glad to hear it and sent more gifts. Then a comprehensive peace
treaty was drafted by which Svyatoslav, in return for taxes, pledged not
raid counties under Greek rule, including Korsun country and Bulgaria. There
upon Svyatoslav sailed toward Dnipro cascades, ignoring Sveneld's warning
that Pechenehs are there and that he should bypass cascades on horsebacks.
Unable to cross the cascade, Svyatoslav decided to spend winter at
Biloberezhya. There was not much food and his soldiers became very weak.
In 6480 (972), in spring Svyatoslav arrived at the cascades and was attacked
by Pechenehs under their prince Kurya. They killed Svyatoslav, made a
chalice from his scull and drank from it. Thus ended Svyatoslav's twenty
eight year rule. Sveneld vent to Kyiv to Yaropolk.

In 6481 (973) began the rule of prince Yaropolk in Kyiv.
In 6483 (975) Sveneld's son Lyutych, while chasing an animal during a hunt,
was killed by prince Oleh, who was also hunting there. This caused hate
between Yaropolk and Oleh. Sveneld wanted to revenge the death of his son
and kept asking Yaropolk to fight Oleh and take his land.
In 6485 (977) Yaropolk marched on his brother Oleh in Derevlan's land. Oleh
came out against him, but was defeated and ran away toward a town called
Vruchyi. There was a bridge across a deep trench in front of the town's gate
and in panic soldiers and horses pushed each other off the bridge and piled
up on the bottom of the trench. When Yaropolk arrived there, they found his
brother dead under other corpses in the trench. He cried and told Sveneld
that he got what he wanted. He buried Oleh on a hill near Vruchyi and took
over his land.
When prince Volodymyr in Novhorod heard about it, he got scared and and went
oversees. Then Yaropolk sat his people in Novhorod and ruled Rus by himself.
His wife was Greek, a former nun, which was brought in earlier by his father
for him, because she had a nice face.
In 6488 (980) Volodymyr, with Vikings, returned to Novhorod and sent his
messengers to his brother Yaropolk to tell him to be prepared for a fight
against him. He also sent envoys to Polovetsian prince Rohvolod in Polotsk
to ask for his daughter's hand. However they came back with the the message
that Rohnid wanted to Marry Yaropolk.
Then Volodymyr gathered a fighting force of Vikings, Slovens, Chuds and
Kryvychs, raided Polotsk killed Rohvolod and his two son, took his daughter
Rohnid for his wife and marched on Yaropolk.
Yaropolk, unable to to fight Volodymyr's superior force, closed himself up
with his governor Blud in Kyiv. Volodymyr entrenched his force between
Dorohozhych and Kapych and secretly sent a message to Blud saying that he
only fights Yaropolk because he was afraid for his life since Yaropolk
killed his brothers. Hence he promised that if Blud helps him to kill
Yaropolk, he will treat Blud with respect, as he would his own father.
Blud replied that he he will side with Volodymyr. Then he treacherously
convinced Yaropolk to flee from Kyiv, saying that people were plotting to
hand him over to Volodymyr. Yaropolk listened to this advice, retreated from
Kyiv and closed himself up in Rodno. Volodymyr entered Kyiv.
A big famine ensued in Rodno where Yaropolk was besieged and Blud advised
Yaropolk to meet Volodymyr in person to make peace with him. Although one of
his boyars, Varyazhko, warned him not to do so, Yaroslav went to Volodymyr's
quarters and was killed there by two Vikings. Varyazhko escaped to Pechenehs
and continued to fight against Volodymyr.

Volodymyr then lived with Yaropolk's Greek wife, who was pregnant and gave
birth to Svyatopolk, who was disliked by Volodymyr. In the meantime Vikings
demanded reward for their past services, which Volodymyr promised but was
slow in giving it. Instead he selected among Vikings the god, clever and
courageous ones and granted cities to them. He told others to go to Greeks
to seek their fortune there. Then he sent a warning to Greek king Basil not
to keep Vikings in Constantinople because they will cause a lot of trouble,
but to disperse them throughout the country instead and not let them to come
back.
Then Volodymyr started to reign in Kyiv. He erected statues of Perun, Khors,
Dazhboh, Struboh, Simarhl and Mokosha and people called them gods and kept
bringing offerings to them, including their sons. Volodymyr sat his uncle
Dobrynya in Novhorod, who erected a statue of Perun there and people were
bringing offerings to him.
Volodymyr liked women and had six wives:
Rohnid, who bear him four sons - Izyaslav, Mstyslav, Yaroslav, Vsevolod and
two daughters Peredslava and Peremyslava.
His Greek wife had a son - Svyatopolk.
His two Czech wife Allogia had a son - Vysheslav and other Czech wife
Malfrid had two sons - Svyatoslav and Stanislav.
His Bulgarian wife had two sons Borys and Hlib.
He also had three hundred concubines in Vyshhorod and three hundred in
Berestov.
In 6489 (981) Volodymyr vent on Lakhs (Poles) and took their cities
Peremyshl, Cherven and others. He also conquered Vyatychs and put taxes on
them.
In 6490(982) Vyatychs staged an uprising but were subdued by Volodymyr.
In 6491(983) Volodymyr went on Yatvyahs and took their land. Then he
returned to Kyiv and continued to bring offerings to the pagan gods together
with his people. The human offerings were selected by the coin throw.
There was a certain Viking called Turyn, who returned from Greeks and
observed Christian faith. When he was told that his son was selected to be
sacrificed, he replied that the idols which people worship are not gods but
chunks of wood which will rot in time. He refused to give his son to them
saying that there is only one god who created heaven and earth and people
and stars. Thereupon people broke into his house and killed him and his
family.
In 6492(984) Volodymyr sent his governor called Vowchyi Khvist (Wolfe's
Tail) to conquer Radymychs, who descended from Lakhs. He defeated them on
river Pishchana and imposed taxes on them.
In 6493(985) Volodymyr, with his uncle Dobrynya, moved on Bulgars defeated
them and made peace with them.

In 6494 (985) Bulgars came to Volodymyr and tried to talk him into adopting
the faith of Mohammed. They said that, according to this faith they
circumcise boys, do not eat pork or drink wine. Also, they said, Mohammed
will give each man seventy beautiful women, with the most beautiful one as
the number one wife. Volodymyr heard them out and, although he liked the
part about women, he was not impressed by the cirumsission and not eating
pork or drinking. He told them that in Rus drinking is joy, which people
cannot do without.
Then came Germans from Rome. They told Volodymyr that they were sent by Pope
to say: "Your land is same as ours, but our faith is different. Our faith is
light. We worship one god, who created heaven and earth and stars and the
moon and all life, but your gods are only wood. When Volodymyr asked them
about their commandments they replied: "Fasting as much as possible and
drinking only to glorify God". Volodymyr sent them away saying that he was
not prepared to adopt their faith because his forefathers stayed with old
ways.
Then came Khazars, who practice Judaism and said to Volodymyr: "We heard
that Bulgars and Christians were trying to convince you to adopt their
faith. Christians believe in one that we crucified, but we believe in God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob". When asked what are their laws they replied:
"Circumcision, not eating pork or hares and observance of Sabbath". Then
Volodymyr asked : "Where is your homeland ?" and they replied : "In
Jerusalem". When asked if it is their homeland now, they replied that God
became angry with their ancestors, scattered them throughout the world and
their homeland was given to Christians. Thereupon Volodymyr said: "How can
you teach others if you were rejected by God? If God loved you then you
would not have been scattered throughout the world. Do you want us also to
suffer such misery?"
Then Greeks sent to Volodymyr a philosopher called Cyril. Volodymyr told him
about his previous visitors and their beliefs. Cyril said that Bulgars, who
believe in Mohammed, practice offensive customs. The faith of Germans, who
came from Rome is similar to faith of Greeks, only they do not use wine and
bread in holly communion, which represent flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.
The Jews did not believe that Jesus was the son of God and crucified him.
However Jesus rose from death and ascended to heaven. After waiting forty
six years for their repentance, he sent Romans on them, who destroyed their
cities and scattered them throughout the world.
When Volodymyr asked why the son of god came to earth to undergone such
torment, Cyril replied: "If you would like to listen, I am going to tell you
the whole story from the beginning". Volodymyr said that he would like that
and Cyril told him following story:

"At the beginning, on the first day, God created heavens and earth. On the
second day he created lands among the waters. On the third day he created
oceans, rivers, springs and lakes. On the forth day - sun, moon and stars.
When the chief angel Satan saw this, he decided to come down and rule the
earth as equal to God. However God defeated him and installed angel Michael
in his place. Ever since Satan became God's adversary.
Then on the fifth day God created whales, reptiles, fish, birds and animals.
On the sixth day God created a man called Adam. On the seventh day, which is
Sabbath, God rested. Then God planted a paradise east of Eden, put Adam
there and told him to eat fruits from any tree except one, which contains
the knowledge of good and evil.
One day, when Adam was asleep, God took one of his ribs and made a woman for
him, called Eve. And God subjugated all animals for Adam and they obeyed
him.
When Satan noticed how God respected humans, he turned into a snake, came to
Eve and convinced her that they should eat fruit from the forbidden tree in
the middle of the paradise because it will open their eyes and they will
become like god, who understands good and evil. After Adam and and Eve ate
this fruit they realized that they are naked and covered themselves with
leaves. And God said to Adam: "The world will be damned for your deeds and
you will have to eat for the rest of your life and, if any of you reach for
the fruit from the tree of life, you shall live for ever". Thereupon God
expelled Adam and Eve from the paradise and they settled outside it, crying
and cultivating the soil for food.
And they had sons - Cain and Abel. Cain became a farmer and Abel a Shepherd.
Cain brought God offering of agricultural products but God did not accepted
them. Abel offered God a first born lamb and God accepted it. Then Cain,
being instigated by the Satan, killed Abel. And Adam and Eve cried and did
not bury Abel for thirty years.
When Adam was 230 years old he begot a son - Seth and two daughters.One
Daughter was taken by Cain and second by Seth. From them people multiplied
throughout the world and They did not recognize their creator, lived a
nomadic existence and practiced deception, uncleanliness, murders and
jealousy. Only one man called Noah lead a righteous life. He had three
sons - Shem, Ham and Japhet. And God told Noah that, because his spirit was
not among the people, he will destroy all people and animals. He told Noah
to build an ark - 300 elbows long, 50 elbows wide and 30 elbows high. And
Noah was building this ark for one hundred years, while people laughed at
him for predicting a deluge.
When the ark was completed God told Noah, his wife, their sons and their
wives to come aboard and to take with them a pair of all animals, birds and
reptiles. Then God brought a deluge upon the earth and everything was
destroyed by it except the Noah's ark, which floated upon the waters.
When water subsided Noah and his family came out and from them the world was
again populated. There were many people, all speaking the same language, and
they decided to build a tower to reach the heavens. But God came down from
heaven, destroyed the tower and divided peoples into seventy one nations
with different languages. Only Jews retained the original language, others
settled all over the earth, each with different customs and worships - some
taking sacrifices to forests and springs others to rivers, but they did not
recognize God. (From Adam to the Deluge were 2242 years, from the Deluge to
separations of the nations were 529 years.)
Later the devil created even a greater deception and people started to
construct different idols, some made from wood or marble others from copper,
silver or gold. And they worshiped them and sacrificed their sons and
daughters to them.
The instigator of of the idol worship was Serug, who begot Nahor, who begot
Terah, who begot three sons - Abram, Nahor and Haran. Terah continued to
worship pagan idols and when Abram grew up he realized that his father was
wrong and set the idols on fire. His brother Haran tried to save the idols
and was also incinerated.
God liked Abram and told him to leave his father's home and go to another
land where he will create a great nation. So Abram took his son lot an the
daughter of Haran - Sarah and, guided by God, came to the land of Canaanite.
And God gave this land to Abram and his descendants.
Sarah became Abram's wife but, as she was unable to bear him children, asked
Abram to take her slave - Hagar. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bare him
a son - Ishmael. Later Abram begot another son with Sarah - Isaac. Abram
died when he was 175 years old. When Isaac was sixty he begot two sons -
Esau and Jacob. Esau became wicked and Jacob became. righteous.
Jacob worked for his uncle Laban and was married with his elder daughter
Leah for seven years and his younger daughter Rachel also for seven years.
With them he had eight sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and
Zebulun from Leah; Joseph and Benjamin from Rachel. Two slaves Zilopha and
Biloham bare Jacob sons - Gad, Asher, Dan and Naphtali. From Jacob's sons
multiplied all Jews.
At 130 years of age, Jacob with 65 members of his clan, went to Egypt and
died there after 17 years. His descendants lived there for 400 years as
slaves. They multiplied there while Egyptians exploited them as hard labor
slaves.
During those times when Moses was born, Egyptian wizards told their king
that a child was born among Jews that will destroy Egypt. Hence king ordered
to throw all new born Jewish boys into river Nile. Moses' mother put him in
a basket and hid him among the bulrushes on the river bank. When Pharaoh's
daughter came to the riverbank to have a bath, she found the crying baby and
decided to look after it. Thus Moses was brought up in Pharaoh's home.
When Moses grew up, he became a trusted and respected member of Pharaoh's
household. Later during the reign of another king, after killing an Egyptian
who was abusing a Jew, Moses escaped from Egypt to Midian. There, while
waking in the desert he learned from archangel Gabriel about creation of the
world, the first man, the deluge, astronomy and other wisdoms. Later God
appeared before him near a burning bush and told him to go to Paraoh and
tell him to release Jews otherwise God will punish him. After Pharaoh did
not listen, God delivered ten punishments upon him: bloody rivers, frogs,
fleas, dog flies, cattle disease, inflammation, hailstorm, locust, three
days of darkness and plague among people. After that Paraoh relented, Moses
collected all Jewish people and started to exit from Egypt. When Pharaoh
found out that Jews are escaping he chased after them and caught up with
them at the Read Sea shore. Then God made the sea waters part and Jews
crossed over to the other side. Then God made the sea waters come together
again and drowned pursuing Egyptians.

Hence Jews, after wandering upon the Sinai desert for three days, arrived at
Marah. They complained to God that water was bitter there, so God showed
them a piece of wood. Moses put it in the water and water became sweet.
Later people complained that they have nothing to eat, saying that it would
have been better to stay in Egypt, so God fed them with manna from heaven.
Later God gave them a set of commandments on the Sinai mountain. However
when Moses was away to collect them, Jews made a casting of a calf's head
and worshiped it. It made Moses very angry and he killed some three thousand
of them. Later, when Jews complained about lack of water, God told Moses to
strike the stone with an iron bar, and when Moses said : " What if we do not
get water from the stone", God was offended and prevented Moses from
reaching the promised land. Instead, God only showed him the promised land
from the top of a mountain, where Moses died.
Thereupon Jesus Navin became the leader and brought Jews to the promised
land called Israel. When Navin died, his son judge Judah together with other
14 judges ruled over Jews. Under them and their successors Jews forgot God
and worshiped devils until God installed David as king of Israel, who
restored faith of God. And God promised David that from his descendants will
come the son of God. David died after forty years of rule. His son, King
Solomon built God a temple and was renown for his wisdom, but at the end he
sinned and died after 40 years of rule.
Solomon's son Rehoboam divided his father' kingdom into Jerusalem and
Samaria. Again Jews forsake their God - in Jerusalem they worshiped Waal,
the god of war and in Samaria they worshiped golden calves. Angry God
started to send prophets to Jews, who predicted many calamities unless
people repent and start worship their true God. But they were also
predicting the coming to earth of Son of God, his life, his death and
resurrection, which all later happened."

At that point Volodymyr asked the philosopher: "When did it all happened? Or
is it still to come?" And Cyril replied: " It did happen some time ago, when
God, within a body of man came to earth." Then he continued:

"When Jews and their kings continued to disobey God's commandments and kill
the prophets, God punished them for their sins. They were captured, taken to
Assyria, where they spent 70 years as slaves. When they returned, they were
without the king and were governed by Pharisees, until King Herod. During
Herod's rule, in year 5500, angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth to tell
virgin Mary that she will bear the son of God, which she did and called him
Jesus. When three kings from the East followed a star to Bethlehem to greet
the new born king of Jews, king Herod ordered to kill all children under two
years old in Bethlehem; some 1400 children were slain as result. Fortunately
Mary and her husband Joseph fled with Jesus to Egypt and stayed there until
Herod's death. Thereupon they returned to Israel and settled in Nazareth. At
the age of 30, Jesus started to perform miracles and predicted God's
kingdom. He collected twelve apostles and continued to perform great
miracles: resurrected dead, cured sick, made lame walk. When he was baptized
in river Jordan by John, a spirit in the form of a dove appeared in the sky
and a voice proclaimed: "This is my beloved son and I am pleased with him"

Then he sent his apostles to preach about God's kingdom. And when Jesus was
teaching people in the temple, Pharisees became jealous, captured him and
took him to the Governor Pilate. They told him: "If you release Jesus, - you
will not be a friend of Caesar." And Pilate ordered to crucify him. So they
crucified Jesus, and darkness fell throughout the world from six o'clock to
nine and after nine o'clock Jesus died. Then he was taken to a tomb, which
was sealed and guards were placed. But on the third day Jesus resurrected
and appeared before his apostles telling them to "Go to all nations and
christen them in the name of Father and Son and the Holly Spirit". And Jesus
stayed with them for forty days, reappearing after resurrection, then he
asked them to remain in Jerusalem "until I send a messenger from my
father."After saying that he ascended to heaven. Thereupon his disciples
returned to Jerusalem and stayed in the temple. And after fifty days the
Holly Spirit descended on apostles, and on his command they spread
throughout the world preaching and christening people with water"

Again Volodymyr asked philosopher: "Why was Jesus borne by a woman,
crucified on the wood and christened by water" and philosopher replied that
it was because the man was prompted by a woman to commit original sin and
Adam ate the fruit of the wood and God punished sinful people by water
during Deluge, thus God cleanses sins by water at christening.

Therefore, Cyril continued, when apostles were convincing peoples around the
world to believe in God, their teachings were adopted by us Greeks and most
of the world. And already God nominated a day when he will descend from
heaven, will judge living and dead, and will, according one's deeds, decide
who shall go to heaven for eternal happiness or to hell for eternal
punishment for their sins.
Volodymyr sighed and said that it will be good for those who go to heaven
and bad for those who go to hell. And Cyril said: "If you want to go to
heaven, then you should get christened." Volodymyr took it to heart and
replied: "I shall wait for a while", because he wanted to investigate other
religions. Then, after giving him many gifts, he dismissed Greek philosopher
with great honor.

In 6495 (967) Volodymyr gathered his boyars and local elders and told them
that he was receiving emissaries from around the world, asking him to adopt
their customs. They all believed that there is life after death and only
their faith will ensure eternal happiness after death, while other faith
will ensue in eternal punishment by fire. The boyars and elders suggested to
send delegates to various countries to find out which faith and custom is
most suitable for Rus. So selected ten good, wise men were at first sent to
Bulgars, then to Germans and to Greeks. On return they told Volodymyr that
Greek customs and faith was by far the best: "When they took us where they
serve their God, we did not know whether we are in heaven or on earth.
Because there is no such spectacle and beauty on earth, we cannot describe."
They also mentioned that if it was not the best faith then his Grandmother
Olha, the wisest of all people, would not have adopted it. And when
Volodymyr asked: "Where shall we conduct christening?", they replied:
"Wherever it may be convenient for you."
In 6496 (988) Volodymyr marched on, and besieged, Greek city Korsun. The
Greeks defended well until a man called Anastas sent the message wrapped on
an arrow disclosing location of the pipeline supplying water to the
defenders. Volodymyr swore that if this is true he will adopt Christianity.
The pipeline was located and water to the city was cut off, whereupon the
defenders, suffering from thirst, surrendered. Then Volodymyr informed Kings
Basilius and Constantine that he took their famous city and now he wants to
take their sister for his wife. When they replied that Christians cannot
marry pagans, Volodymyr suggested that they should come with their sister
and christen him. She resisted but was convinced by her brothers that it
will be good for Greece. When she came to Korsun, Volodymyr suffered
blindness but after he was christened at St Sofia Church, he regained his
sight. Seeing that many of his warriors also decided to be christened. Then
Volodymyr collected some church utensils and few icons, took Princess Anna
and several priests from Korsun and returned to Rus. There he decreed to
destroy pagan idols. Chief idol Peru was tied to the horse's tail and
dragged around while people were hitting him with sticks. Eventually Peru
was dragged to the river Dnipro and Volodymyr urged people to keep pushing
him away from the bank until he disappeared at the cascades. Then Volodymyr
called on all people in the city to come to the river, where they were all
christened next day. Hence Volodymyr, his sons and his country became
Christian. And he had 12 sons: Vysheslav, Izyaslav, Svyatopolk and Yaroslav,
Vsevolod, Svyatoslav, Mstyslav, Borys and Hlib, Stanislav, Pozvid,
Sudyslav... (approximately 3 to 4 pages of text are unavailable here)

In 6522 (1014) when Yaroslav was in Novhorod, his annual donation to Kyiv
was 2000 Hryvni, while 1000 Hryvni were spent in Novhorod. When Yaroslav
stopped giving money to his father in Kyiv, Volodymyr decided to march on
his son. However during preparations he fell sick.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Jason Yuschenko]

ABRIDGED HISTORY OF UKRAINE - PART ONE

Loosely translated and abridged by George Skoryk from
"HISTORY OF UKRAINE" by Mykhaylo Hrushevs'kyi

I. PERIOD PRIOR TO KYIVAN STATE.

Nomads breaking in horses

During Miocene Period in Tertiary Age of Cenozoic Era, some 12
million years ago, most of Ukraine was covered by sea. At the end of
this period the seas receded to approximately present day coasts of
Black, Azov and Caspian seas to form one big sea. The climate was very
hot and humid, lush vegetation covered the ground; there were all kinds
of large animals and birds.
Then, during Pliocene period, some 6 million years ago, the climate
began to cool; many plants and animals disappeared and only those ,who
could adapt to lower temperatures, such as fury mammoths and
rhinoceroses, remained. Later the ground froze up and soon ice sheets
covered most of the northern part of Ukraine; that was Pleistocene
Period in Quaternary Age of Cenozoic Era, about 1 million years ago,
commonly known as Ice Age.
When ice retreated life started to reappear. Traces of human
habitation in Ukraine, dating back at least 30 thousand years, became
evident during geological excavations .
Primitive stone tools, carvings from mammoth tusks, arrow heads
made from flint stone, earthenware, bronze tools and weapons and gold
jewelry found in different layers of earth enabled geologists to
reconstruct way of life of early man.
At first, during Old Stone Age (Paleolitic Age), humans did not
have domestic animals, could not make utensils and relied exclusively on
hunting and fishing. Then, gradually, during Middle Stone Age
(Mesolithic Age) they began to make stone tools and weapons. Later,
during Late Stone Age (Neolithic Age), they began to make utensils from
earth, kept domestic animals for milk and meat, constructed dwellings
and cultivated soil.
During Bronze Age, about 3000 B.C., and Iron Age, about 1000 B.C.,
metal agricultural implements and weapons were in use; crafts and
commerce began to develop.
From 7th century B.C. Greeks started to colonize the coast of
Black Sea. They traded wine, oil, textiles, silver and gold wares and
utensils with local tribes for grain and hides but they also engaged in
slave trade. They introduced Greek Culture and many tribes adopted
Greek customs and religion. The Greek historian Herodotus documented
information about Ukraine of this period.
There were numerous tribes in Ukraine, some nomadic, some
agricultural; most of the time at war with each other. The oldest known
main inhabitants of Ukraine were Cimmerians. They were replaced in 5th
century B.C. by Scythians, who ruled till 2nd century B.C.; they were
then replaced by Sarmatian tribes. Later in 1st century A.D. the
tribesmen of the dominant horde were called Alanis. These tribes,
mainly of Iranian origin, were conquered in 2nd century A.D. by German
tribe called Goths from Baltic region.
About 370 A.D., the first Asian horde of Huns, on way to western
Europe, defeated and expelled Goths from Ukraine. They were followed in
5th-6th centuries by the Bulgars and Avars.
The exact origin of Slav people is unknown, but it can be assumed
that they existed for a long time before they were mentioned in
historical records by Romans in 1st century A.D. A very strong Slav
tribe called Wends developed in 4th century; their settlements extended
from central Ukraine up to Baltic Sea. When in the 6th century they
moved to Southwest Germany, Antes became the dominant tribe in Ukraine.
At different times they were fighting with and against Goths, Huns,
Avars, Greeks and Slovyans. Although ruled by princes, they also had
people's councils and tribal elders.
According to legends, Kyiv was founded in the 5th century by three
brothers Kiy, Shchek and Khoriv and their sister Lebid; later Kyiv was
reigned by princes (or chieftains) Askold and Dyr.
At end of 7th century A.D., Khazars established themselves on
Caspian steppes, which somewhat shielded Ukraine from other Asian
hordes. Also in the 7th century Greeks left Black Sea shores, thus
causing considerable gap in documented history of Ukraine.
Khazar control of the steppe was breached in the late 9th century
by the Magyars, who later were replaced by Pechenegs and then by
Polovetsians as dominant tribes.

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ABRIDGED HISTORY OF UKRAINE - PART TWO.

Loosely translated and abridged by George Skoryk from
"HISTORY OF UKRAINE" by Mykhaylo Hrushevs'kyi

II. PERIOD OF STATEHOOD (879-1360).

Silver coins of Volodymyr the Great with his coat of arms on the reverse
side.

The Kyivan State proper was established by prince Olekh in 879. He
conducted military expeditions to the shores of Caspian Sea and raided
Byzantine cities.
He was followed, in 912, by prince Ehor, who not only continued
external raids but also had to fight insubordinate tribes of Ulitchs and
Derevlans. He died during a battle with Derevlans in 945.
His wife Olha revenged his death by brutal suppression of
Derevlans. In 964 she became a Christian and established her son
Svyatoslav on throne.
Svyatoslav was able and courageous prince; he fought Asian hordes
in the East and conducted raids on Bulgaria. He divided his state
between his sons, then continued with his expeditions and battles. When
he died in 972 during battle with Pechenegs, his sons started to fight
between themselves, often with help from their enemies.
In 980, prince Volodymyr defeated all his brothers and unified the
country into one powerful state with Kyiv as capital. He adopted
Christianity in 988 and started to convert population, who then
worshiped Pagan gods, to Christian Religion. Force was often used
against those who resisted. He produced silver and gold coins with his
portrait on one side and trident on the reverse side ( such special form
of trident is Coat of Arms of present day Ukraine). In History he is
known as Volodymyr the Great or Saint Volodymyr. During his reign,
pillaging Pecheneg hordes defeated Khazars, pushed out Hungarian hordes
from southern steppes and became a menace to the state; Volodymyr
started to fortify Kyiv against them. After his death in 1015 fighting
and assassinations between his sons ensued, resulting in victory for
prince Yaroslav in 1019.
Yaroslav the Great consolidated nearly whole of his father's
territory, defeated Pechenegs and became one of the most powerful rulers
in Europe. A church hierarchy was established, headed (at least since
1037) by the metropolitan of Kyiv, who was usually appointed by the
patriarch of Constantinople. Yaroslav promoted family ties with other
kingdoms, built many churches, improved Kyiv's fortifications,
introduced laws and established courts.
However, same as his forefathers, he divided the country between
his sons, who after his death in 1054 started to fight among themselves
and divide their land between their sons. This resulted in small
principalities who not only fought each other, but also had to defend
themselves from marauding Turkish and Polovetsian hordes, who plundered
the countryside.
In 1097 all princes agreed to stop fighting between themselves. In
1103 they united their forces under leadership of prince Monomakh (one
of the grandsons of Yaroslav the Great) and defeated Polovetsian hordes.
However constant warfare weakened country's economic strength and caused
near collapse of cultural and political system of Ukraine.
After death of Monomakh in 1125 Ukraine remained fragmented into
numerous principalities, having their own customs and rules, with only
nominal allegiance to the Prince of Kyiv ( this position was occupied by
sons of Monomakh on rotational basis). Gradually Kyiv lost it's power
and influence; many principalities separated.
An outstanding chronicle of events was compiled in Old Church
Slavonic language by Venerable Nestor in 1136.
In 1169 prince Andrey Bogolyubski conquered and destroyed Kyiv and
established his capital in Vladimir near present site of Moscow, thus
originating present Russian state.
The Ukrainian princes continued to struggle on against Polovtsi.
One particular battle led by Prince Ehor in 1185 was enshrined in a poem
"Slovo o Polku Ehorevim" (The Tale of Ehor's Regiment).
Western parts of Ukraine - Halych (Galicia) and Volynj (Volhynia) -
free from Polovetsian raids, gradually emerged as leading
principalities. Prince Roman ruled there in 1199. His sons succeeded
in uniting both principalities into one rich and powerful state.
About year 1220, when a new horde of Mongols and Tatars invaded
Ukraine, the princes have reached some sort of accommodation with
Polovtsi and fought together to expel this new horde. They succeeded at
first but, toward the end of year 1240, Tatars returned and besieged
Kyiv. On 16th December 1240 they conquered, plundered and ruined the
city. Afterward they moved westward, plundered Halych, Poland and
Hungary then in 1245 they returned and occupied eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Prince Danylo (son of Prince Roman) established himself
in Halych and his brother Vasylko in Volynj. Together they managed to
keep Tatars away from their principalities. Danylo founded city Lviv in

1250 as a defense site against Tatars. In 1253 he accepted the royal
crown from the pope and effected a short-lived church union with Rome.
After Danylo died in 1264, his sons continued to rule in peaceful
coexistence with Tatars. In 1303 they created a separate archbishopric
office in Halych, responsible to Byzantine, because in 1299 Kyivan
archbishopric seat was moved to Moscow.
The dominant prince was Danylo's son Lev; he died about year 1300.
His son Yuriy again united Halych and Volynj principalities with Lviv as
capital. He was a mighty and just ruler; the country was rich and
peaceful under his rule.
After Yuriy, his two sons ruled till about 1320. They both died
without leaving male successors. This created unstable situation and
internal power struggle, which was exploited by neighboring countries -
Poland, Hungary and Lithuania - in their efforts to occupy this part of
Ukraine. Local boyars and People's Councils tried to resist by
accepting princes from other dynasties and countries and by forming
alliances with Lithuanians and even Tatars, but in 1349, Polish king
Kazimyezh managed to occupy Halych and part of Volynj. About same time,
Lithuanian princes intensified their takeover of eastern principalities
of Ukraine; about year 1360 the Prince of Kyiv was overthrown.
Thus Ukraine was partitioned between Poland and Lithuania with
Tatar Golden Horde remaining in some parts of southern steppes and the
Crimea.

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ABRIDGED HISTORY OF UKRAINE - PART THREE.

Loosely translated and abridged by George Skoryk from
"HISTORY OF UKRAINE" by Mykhaylo Hrushevs'kyi

III. PERIOD OF LITHUANIAN AND POLISH RULE (1360-1599).

Svytryhaylo

The Lithuanian princes were reasonable rulers; in some cases they
assimilated - adopted local customs, language and religion. People did
not resist them and appreciated their protection from Poland, Moscow and
Tatars. However, under Polish rule, western Ukraine was subjected to
exploitation and colonization by influx of people from Poland and
Germany, who were taking over property and offices from local boyars.
There was a period of wars between Poland and Lithuania, but on
15th August 1385 they agreed to unite their kingdoms. In 1386 Polish
queen Yadwiga was forced to marry Lithuanian prince Yahaylo, who thus
became King of Poland and Lithuania.
In 1400 Lithuania, together with its Ukrainian principalities,
separated under king Vitowt - Yahaylo's cousin. This arrangement was
opposed by Yahaylo's younger brother, Svytryhaylo. Ukrainian
principalities under Vitowt were loosing their national character and
independence to Polish influences. In 1413 a decision was made to allow
only Catholics to occupy important government positions ("Horodlo
Privilege"); wide spread discrimination against Orthodox population
followed. Nearly all Ukrainians in those days were Orthodox, therefore
Ukrainian princes and boyars were helping Svytryhaylo in his fight with
Vitowt. After Vitowt died in 1430, Svytryhaylo defended himself from
Poles, but by the year 1440 his sphere of influence was reduced to
Volynj principality.
There was a period of hostilities between Lithuania and Moscow,
when about 1480 several principalities in eastern Ukraine were annexed
by Moscow. Also several popular uprising took place. The rebellion
under Mukha in 1490, in western Ukraine, was seeking help from
neighboring Moldova; uprising under prince Mykhaylo Hlynskiy in 1500 in
eastern Ukraine expected help from Moscow and Tatars. However Poland
and Lithuania, at that time, were very strong, therefore all uprisings
were squashed.
Meanwhile, in the South, marauding Tatar hordes converted large
area of the country into wilderness, without any law or order. It was
very rich part of Ukraine with productive soil, wild animals and rivers
full of fish. It attracted many adventurous people, who although had to
fight Tatars there, could be free from suppression by Polish and
Lithuanian overlords. They began to organize under hetmans, thus
originating Cossack society. To defend themselves from Tatars, they
were constructing forts called "sitch" and amalgamated into sort of
union, with Zaporizhia, downstream of river Dnipro cascades, as a
centre.
In 1552, one of Ukrainian princes, Dmytro Wyshnevetskyi, being
among Cossacks, built a castle on island Khortytsya. From there,
Cossacks conducted raids on Crimean towns sometimes with help from
Moscow. Dmytro wanted to develop Zaporizhia, with help from Lithuania
and Moscow, into a powerful fortress against Tatars and Turks. Being
unable to achieve this goal, he left Zaporizhia in 1561, became involved
in a war in Moldova, was captured and executed by Turks in 1563.
In 1569, by the Union of Lublin, the dynastic link between Poland
and Lithuania was transformed into a constitutional union of the two
states as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Most of Ukraine became
part of Poland, settlement of Polish nationals followed, Polish laws and
customs became dominant. Most of Ukrainian princes and boyars, except
for few - notably Ostrozkyis and Wyshnevetskyis -, were replaced by
Polish nobles. Peasants lost land ownership and civil rights and
gradually became serfs, exploited as manpower in agriculture and
forestry, by landowners. Suppression of Orthodox Church retarded
development of Ukrainian literature, arts and education; preferential
treatment of Catholics inhibited economic and political advancement of
Ukrainians.
In spite of that there was a modest revival of Ukrainian culture
later in 16th century. Church schools and seminaries were set up, based
at first on properties of Ukrainian magnate Hryhoriy Khodkovych and
later on holdings of Ostrozkyi princes. Printing industry began,
culminating in publication of Bible in print shop ran by Ivan
Fedorovych. Trade and church brotherhoods sprang up; they established
schools and hospitals and became centers of defense of Orthodox Church
and fight for justice and equality.
Such situation also multiplied influx of people to Cossack
territory thus increasing Cossacks strength. Tatars were pushed out
into Crimea; Cossacks became more daring in their raids on Turkish
cities.
Although Ukrainian Cossacks defended not only Ukraine, but also
whole eastern Europe from Turks and Tatar hordes, they were causing
diplomatic problems for Poland because Turkey used Cossacks as an excuse
for wars against Poland. When Cossack leader, Ivan Pidkova, conquered
Moldova in 1577, Poles captured and executed him in order to appease the
Turks. They tried to control Cossacks by recruiting some of them into
Polish military system as, so called, Registered Cossacks, but they
could never really tame them.
With decreasing danger from Tatars, Polish nobles and Ukrainian
princes loyal to the king, were granted possessions in territory
controlled by Cossacks and began to introduce their ,freedom limiting,
unpopular laws. Dissatisfied with such treatment Cossacks, under
Kryshtof Kosynskyi, rebelled about 1590, and by year 1593 controlled
most of eastern Ukraine. After Kosynskyi, Hryhoriy Loboda became
Cossack Hetman in 1593.
Another section of Cossacks, numbering about 12000, under Semeryn
Nalyvayko, were recruited by Pope and German Kaiser for war against
Turks. They conquered Moldova and in 1595 returned to Ukraine to fight
against Polish rulers and to defend Orthodox population from Jesuits,
who were instigating amalgamation with Catholic Church. In 1596 at a
synod of Brest, the Kyivan metropolitan and the majority of bishops
signed an act of union with Rome. The Uniate church thus formed
recognized supremacy of the pope but retained the Eastern rites and the
Slavonic liturgical language.
Also in year 1596 Polish king, Sigismund III Vasa, ordered Field
Marshal Stanislav Zholkewski to subjugate Cossack forces. After several
months of fighting, Zholkewski surrounded Cossacks, led by Nalyvayko,
Loboda and Shaula, at river Solonytsya near Lubny. There were about
6000 Cossack fighters and just as many women and children facing much
more superior force. The prolonged siege, lack of food and fodder,
internal squabbles (Loboda was killed in one the fights between sections
of Cossacks) and intensive cannon fire destroyed defenders' capacity to
resist. In order to save their families, Cossacks agreed to
Zholkewski's terms to let them go free in exchange for handing over
their leaders. However, after surrender, Poles did not keep their word;
they attacked and started to massacre defenseless and disoriented
Cossacks. Only a section under leadership of Krempskyi broke through
and joined with troops of Pidvysotskyi, who were coming to the rescue of
besieged Cossacks.
Zholkewski, exhausted by prolonged fighting, decided to abandon the
idea to conquer Cossacks. He returned to Poland, where he tortured and
executed captured Cossack leaders; most severe punishment was handed to
Nalyvayko, who was tortured for about a year prior to a brutal
execution.

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ABRIDGED HISTORY OF UKRAINE - PART FOUR.

Loosely translated and abridged by George Skoryk from
"HISTORY OF UKRAINE" by Mykhaylo Hrushevs'kyi

IV. Cossack PERIOD (1599-1711).

Bohdan Khmelnytskyi

Although Zholkewski failed to destroy Cossacks, he left them
considerably weakened and divided, often fighting among themselves.
Hetman Samiylo Kishka united all Cossack forces and, after leading them
in successful naval expeditions against Turks and land raids on Moldova,
restored former Cossack spirit and power.
Polish king, in difficulty with war with Walachians in Moldova in
1599, had to rehabilitate Cossacks in order to secure their help; later
he used them in war with Sweden. Kishka died in one of the battles with
Swedes but Cossacks continued to fight under other hetmans. When this
war ended in 1603, Cossacks demanded and obtained equal status with
Polish military units and secured authority over large area of Ukraine
adjacent to Dnipro river.
Cossack power continued to grow with raids on lands controlled by
Moscow -helping numerous pretenders for Moscow throne (1604-1613) - and
Black Sea expeditions, in their boats called Chaykas, on coast of
Turkey, Crimea and the mouth of Danube in Moldova (1613-1618). Each
'Chayka' was manned by about 60 Cossacks and was armed by 4 to 6
cannons. In fleets of between 30 and 80 of such boats Cossacks
destroyed or captured many Turkish galleons and plundered Turkish cities
during times when whole Europe was trembling against the might of
Turkish Empire.
It is estimated that the number of Cossacks fluctuated, depending
on circumstances, between 10000 and 40000. Their centre was Sitch - an
armed camp in Zaporizhia "beyond the cascades" of river Dnipro called
Sitch. The Cossack Army was divided into regiments, consisting of
between 500 and 4000 men, led by colonels; each regiment had its own
banner, trumpeter and drummer. Regiments were divided into companies of
100 men led by captains which were further subdivided into 'kurins' of
10 men led by 'atamans'. There was also a small artillery force and
orchestra. Commander in Chief was a hetman, elected by and responsible
to Cossack Council called Rada.
In spring of 1618 hetman Petro Sahaydachnyi with force of about
20000 Cossacks marched on Moscow, conquering many towns and fortresses
on the way. Near Moscow he joined up with Polish forces under prince
Wladyslaw, who pretended for Moscow throne. They failed to capture
Moscow, but managed to secure peace terms favorable to Poland.
Thus Poles, no longer endangered by its enemies, again turned their
attention to pacification of Cossacks. Sahaydachnyi wanted to avoid
hostilities and in 1619 agreed to reduction of Cossack force to 3000.
This did not please Zaporozhtsi (Cossacks in Zaporizhia), who replaced
Sahaydachnyi by hetman Borodawka.
Sahaydachnyi, who retained control of Cossacks on the mainland,
dedicated himself to promotion and defense of Ukrainian culture and
Orthodox faith by diplomatic means; Borodawka continued with traditional
raids on Turkey.
When, in 1620, Poland got into difficulties in war with Turks (in
Moldova Polish army was defeated and Zholkewski killed), Poles again
needed Cossack help. Borodawka was keen to oblige but Sahaydachnyi,
pointing on unfair treatment of Ukrainians, tried to restrain Cossacks
until they receive better deal from Polish king.
But Cossacks became impatient and under Borodawka marched on
Moldova to fight Turks. They lost many men there and blamed it on
Borodawka's inefficient leadership and strategy. Therefore when
Sahaydachnyi returned from his negotiations with the king, Cossacks
dismissed, tried and executed Borodawka and elected Sahaydachnyi as
hetman of all Cossacks.
In 1621 a big battle against Turks took place on the South side of
Dnister river near Khotyn with participation of 40000 Cossacks and 35000
Polish soldiers. It ended with retreat of Turkish army. Cossacks got
full credit for this victory but very little in way of compensation and
again Poles insisted on reduction of their numbers. Sahaydachnyi,
wounded in Khotyn battle, died on 10th April 1622.
Under his successors Cossacks continued to defend Orthodox faith,
resisted exploitation of Ukrainian land and peasants by Polish
landowners and terrorized Turks with their raids across Black Sea.
Polish king, although unable to suppress Cossacks, continued with
policy of conversion of Ukrainian population to Catholicism by
persecution of people of Orthodox faith. In 1924 Orthodox Church
authorities asked Moscow for help but Moscow was not strong enough to
get involved in hostilities with Poland.
Later in 1624, Cossacks secured unexpected alliance with Crimean
Tatars, who rebelled against Turkish sultan. While Turks sailed against
Tatar rebels, Cossacks twice raided Constantinople and plundered both
shores of Bosphorus. They then returned and helped Tatars to expel
Turks from Crimea, thus securing friendly neighbors in their struggle
against Turks and Poles.
Unfortunately, in 1625, when many Cossacks were away on one of
their maritime expeditions against Turks, Polish hetman Konietspolski
attacked and forced Cossack hetman Zhmaylo to accept terms, whereby
Cossack register was to be reduced to 4000 men. Cossacks did not like
it and replaced Zhmaylo by hetman Doroshenko.
Doroshenko was a capable leader and administrator and maintained
reasonably peaceful relationships with Polish authorities. He even
managed to restrain 'unregistered' Cossacks from raids on Turkey.
However when Turks attacked Crimea, Cossacks went to help Tatars and
Doroshenko fell in one of the battles there.
Succeeding Cossack hetmans continued to uphold peaceful conditions
until 1629 when Konietspolski returned from war with Sweden and settled
his soldiers on Ukrainian land, who started to make trouble. He also
tried to eliminate 'unregistered' Cossacks.
In spring of 1630 Cossacks from Zaporizhia led by hetman Taras
Fedorowych went on the march and caught up with Polish forces and
'registered' Cossacks stationed in Korsun. Cossacks from Korsun went
over to Fedorowych, citizens rebelled and Polish soldiers ran away.
This signaled general uprising, which eventually turned into the
war in defense of Orthodox faith.
Reaction of Polish administration was brutal and wide spread.
Konietspolski enlisted a notorious hood, Lashch, to attack and massacre
people in churches, towns and villages. However this made Cossacks, and
Ukrainian population at large, more determined to get rid of Polish
yoke.
A decisive battle took place in mid 1630 near Peryaslav where
Polish forces suffered a major defeat and Konietspolski had to make
peace with Cossacks.
After death of Polish king Sigismund III Vasa (in April 1632)
Ukrainian nobles and politicians intensified their efforts to gain a
better deal for Ukraine by diplomatic means. The new king, Ladislas IV,
was more sympathetic to their cause, mainly in order to counteract
influence from Moscow on Ukrainian scene. Although Catholic Church and
landowners resisted any concessions, Ukrainians managed to make some
progress in spiritual and cultural fields under newly elected archbishop
Petro Mohyla.
The new king appreciated Cossack's potential and used them in wars
with Turkey, Moscow and Sweden; Cossacks proved themselves to be just as
efficient fighters on Baltic Sea as on Black Sea. But polish senate did
not want war with Turkey and constructed a fortress called Kodak near
Zaporizhia in order to block Cossack access to Black Sea. This fortress
was destroyed by Cossacks led by hetman Sulyma in 1635, but 'registered'
Cossacks, in order to avoid retaliation, captured Sulyma and handed him
over to Poles. In spite of his distinguished service in war with Turks
and efforts of king and pope to save him, Sulyma was executed, his body
was cut up and hung on four corners of Warsaw streets.
The betrayal of Sulyma did not gain Cossacks much reward from
Poles. This led to an uprising under hetman Pavliuk in 1637, but it was
suppressed by Polish field marshal Pototski. Another unsuccessful
attempt to overthrow Polish occupation was made by Cossacks, in 1638,
under hetmans Ostryanin and Hunya. After that Cossack movement fell
under Polish control, Kodak fortress was rebuilt and it looked like
Poles may have finally gained unchallenged domination of Ukraine.
A lengthy period of peace, which followed, made it easier for Poles
to maintain control over Ukraine. Cossacks were no longer needed as a
defense force; Polish senate and nobles managed to curtail king
Ladislas' ambitions for aggressive wars; Polish soldiers were on hand to
keep lid on simmering discontent of Ukrainian population. Deprived of
protection from Cossacks, peasants were exploited on land as serfs, city
dwellers were reduced to a state grudging conformity. Political,
cultural and religious matters were under Polish control; commerce was
predominantly in hands of Jewish merchants, storekeepers and innkeepers.
An incident in 1646 started a chain of significant events with
great consequences. The farm of Cossack captain, Bohdan Khmelnytskyi,
was destroyed and his family harmed by local government officials in
Subotiv. Angry and distraught, Bohdan decided to organize an uprising.
Conditions for it were very ripe, and in 1647 Kmelnytskyi went to Sitch
where he was elected as Cossack hetman. Fueled by rumors of imminent
war, volunteers streamed to Zaporizhia to join free Cossack force. This
alarmed Polish authorities and an army, which included 'registered'
Cossacks was sent to restore Polish control. However Cossacks went over
to Khmelnytskyi and Polish force was annihilated on the steppes near
Zaporizhia in May 1648. Cossack victories, with popular support,
continued; even Tatars, dissatisfied with their treatment by Poles,
joined in. Marching westward, the main Cossack force reached and
besieged city Lviv and fortress town Zamostc. Practically whole Ukraine
fell under Cossack control
In the meantime king Ladislas IV died; his brother king Casimir V
made peace with Cossacks, agreeing to all their demands. Victorious
Khmelnytskyi with his army retreated and in January 1649 entered
Ukrainian capital Kyiv to a triumphal acclaim as liberator .
When king's emissaries arrived in Kyiv they insisted that Ukraine
must remain part of Polish Kingdom and offered only to increase number
of 'registered' Cossacks and concessions to Orthodox Church. This
angered Khmelnytskyi because he now wanted full independence and freedom
for all Ukrainian people. He told emissaries that he will liberate
whole Ukraine and "standing on river Vistula I will say 'sit there and
be quiet Poles' and I will expel all dukes and princess beyond Vistula
and if they start to bolt I will even find them there for sure". He
then set out to create an independent Ukrainian Cossack State.
In response Polish army marched on Ukraine. After encountering a
large force of Cossacks and Tatars they retreated to a strong fortress
Zbarazh and were besieged there. Their reinforcements were blocked by
Cossacks near Zboriv. The Poles where nearly defeated there but were
saved by Tatars, who defected from Cossacks after generous promises from
Poles. Faced with combined force of Poles and Tatars, Khmelnytskyi had
to settle for increase of Cossack register to 40000 and concessions to
Orthodox Church only (Treaty of Zboriv in Aug 1649). This did not
satisfy Ukrainian population and soon Khmelnytskyi had to fight again
for their freedom.
After coaxing Tatars again over to his side he defeated Polish army
at Korsun in 1650. However later he was again betrayed by Tatars and in
August 1651 had to make another agreement with Poland, this time
decreasing Cossack register to 20000 and without concessions to Orthodox
Church.
This agreement was treated by Khmelnytskyi only as a period of
respite and in spring 1652, with Tatar participation, he went on the
march again. After a period of bloody and exhaustive battles and
another betrayal by Tatars, Khmelnytskyi decided to seek help from
Moscow.
In January 1654 he met with emissaries from Moscow in Peryaslav
who promised help in defense of Ukraine from Poland if Cossacks swear
allegiance to their tsar. An agreement was reached based on set of
conditions, which in effect guarantied Ukraine independence, connected
to Moscow only by virtue of common monarch. It worked well in military
sense as Poles were expelled from Ukraine and Belarus, however there was
no consensus in political sphere. Ukrainians wanted relationships with
Moscow as equal, independent partners, whereas Moscow considered Ukraine
as an acquisition of another country by its growing empire.
Khmelnytskyi was very disappointed by such attitude and behavior
from his allies and began to look around for other friends.
In 1655 Swedish king Karl X requested and obtained Cossack help in
his war with Poland. When Swedes occupied northern Poland, Polish king
made peace with Moscow and tried also to attract Cossacks over to his
side. But Khmelnytskyi, because of previous experience with Poland and
Moscow, decided to stick with Sweden and at the beginning of year 1657
resumed hostilities with Poland. Unfortunately Khmelnytskyi got very
sick and Cossacks led by colonel Zhdanovytch, unable to achieve any
significant victories, returned home. Khmelnytskyi died on 27th June
1657.
He wanted his son to succeed him but, as Yurasj was yet to young
and inexperienced, Cossacks elected Ivan Vyhowskyi as their hetman. At
first Vyhowskyi conducted a neutral policy toward Poland, Moscow and
Sweden but eventually, aggressive behavior of Muscovites on Ukrainian
territory pushed him toward Poland. In September 1658, in Haydach, he
signed an accord by which Ukraine fell under jurisdiction of Polish
king, albeit as an autonomous country. With help from Poland and
Tatars, Vyhowskyi defeated Moscow forces in Ukraine, but in September
1659 a large section of Cossacks rebelled, accused Vyhowskyi of trying
to sell Ukraine to Poland and elected Yurasj Khmelnytskyi as their
hetman. Soon all Cossacks united under Yurasj and forced Vyhowskyi to
resign.
After entering into another treaty with Moscow, Cossacks and
Russians, in summer 1660, marched on Poland. However this campaign did
not go very well and when Russian force was defeated, Cossacks had to
submit to another union with Poland.
Although Ukrainians resented Moscow domination, Polish authorities
failed to capitalize on it and did nothing gain popular support.
Cossacks on Leevoberezhie (Left Bank), that is on the east side of river
Dnipro, went over to Moscow side; Yurasj Khmelnychenko resigned in 1663
and his place was taken by Pawlo Tererya.
Tererya was a Polish supporter therefore he could not extend his
authority to Left Bank where Cossacks elected hetman Ivan Brukhowetskyi.
At the beginning of 1665 Cossacks overthrew Teterya, thus freeing
territory on Pravoberezhie (Right Bank), that is on the west side of
river Dnipro, from Poland. Unwilling to come under Moscow domination
the Cossacks turned for support from Tatars by electing Petro
Doroshenko as their hetman
In 1667, by the treaty of Andrysovo, Ukraine was partitioned along
the Dnipro River: the western side (Right Bank) went under Polish
control, eastern side (Left Bank), including Kyiv, became the autonomous
hetman state or Hetmanate under Russian protectorate. Zaporizhia still
remained under independent Cossack rule, who elected their own
chieftains and followed their own impetuous policies.
On the Right Bank, Doroshenko accepted Turkish sultan Mohammed IV
as his superior in exchange for help to liberate Ukraine from domination
by Poland and Moscow. Later Cossacks on Left Bank rebelled against
Moscow thus in spring 1668 whole Ukraine came under control of Petro
Doroshenko.
Unfortunately later in 1668, when Doroshenko was occupied with a
family matter, Russians attacked and once again the Left Bank fell under
their domination, with Demyan Mnohohrishnyi as hetman of Cossacks of
that part of Ukraine. Polish forces also invaded Ukraine from West but,
in spring 1671, Turkish sultan sent in a large army and helped
Doroshenko to expel Poles from western Ukraine.
Doroshenko then started negotiations with Mnohohrishnyi about
unification of Ukraine. This did not please Moscow; Mnohohrishnyi was
tried (on trumped up charges) and sentenced to exile.
The new Left Bank hetman Ivan Samoylowytch was hostile to
Doroshenko and, with help from Moscow, marched on Right Bank Ukraine.
He received a considerable support there because Turks and Tatars
antagonized population by trying to promote Muslim religion. Doroshenko
was this time unable to obtain help from Turks as they were busy in war
with Poland and retreated to his holding of Chyhyryn. On 15th March 1674
Samoylowytch was proclaimed hetman of whole Ukraine under Moscow
protectorate.
Doroshenko was ready to surrender but after receiving support from
Zaporozhtsi, encouragement from Poland and help from Turks decided to
keep on fighting against Samoylowych and his Russian backers. This war,
with raids and plunders by Turks, Tatars and Poles caused mass exodus of
people from west to Left Bank. Abandoned by his people Doroshenko
surrendered in September 1676.
Turks then recalled Yurasj Khmelnychenko, who continued to struggle
for Right Bank until 1681, when Turks replaced him by the Walachian
warlord Duky.
In 1683 Right Bank was taken over by Poles under Yan Sobyeski, who
was supported by Cossacks in war with Turks, significantly in rescue of
Vienna in 1683. For their services, Cossacks were rewarded by land
grants in southern Ukraine. People then began to return from east,
which helped Sobyeski to fight Turks. But still, Cossacks resented
Polish supremacy and Paliy, with other Cossack Colonels, planned
uprising and unification with Cossack on Left Bank.
Over there Samoylowych tried to avoid anything which may displease
Moscow but at the price of continuing loss of independence ;Uniate
church disappeared and the Orthodox Kyivan metropolitanate itself was
transferred in 1986 from patriarchal authority of Constantinople to that
of Moscow. Arts and education progressively lost its traditional
Ukrainian character. Also loyalty to Moscow by some of Starshyna
(senior Cossack officers) was ensured by granting them land possessions,
which led to renewed exploitation of peasants.
Samoylowych himself started to adopt autocratic style of rule and
even wanted to introduce his dynasty, which antagonized most Cossack
Starshyna. Therefore, when in 1686 Moscow joined with Poland in war
with Turkey, they blamed Samoylowych for failed expedition against
Tatars in Crimea. Samoylowych was exiled to Siberia, where he died two
years later.
On 25th July 1687 Ivan Mazepa was elected as new Cossack hetman.
For the first few years Mazepa continued with policies of his
predecessor; also built and renovated churches and monasteries.
Literature art and architecture in the distinctive Cossack Baroque style
flourished under his patronage and the Kyivan Mohyla Academy, the first
Ukrainian institution of higher learning, experienced its golden age.
However he neglected needs of peasants and ordinary people , who
bore grunt of Moscow domination.
Attempted uprisings by Petryk took place between years 1693 and
1696. He gained support from Tatars but failed to gain support of
Cossacks. Eventually he was assassinated by a Cossack for monetary
reward from Mazepa. However discontent continued and population started
to shift to Zaporizhia and to the Right Bank, where colonel Paliy was
looked upon as a peoples hero due to his successes in uprising against
Poles.
In 1695 Moscow restarted war with Turkey and Crimea and Cossacks
had to fight wherever they were sent to by tsar Peter. Ukraine became
exposed to devastating raids by Tatars.
In 1700 tsar Peter joined Poland in war with Sweden in order to
gain access to Baltic Sea and Cossacks had to march to distant north,
were many of them died in battles and from brutal treatment by officers
from Moscow. They were also used as manual labor in construction of
fortifications. To make things worse, arrogant Russian regiments were
pillaging Ukrainian towns and villages and abusing not only general
population but also Cossack leaders.
All this started to disturb Mazepa and he began to have few second
thoughts about his alliance with Moscow. By the end of 1705 the war
with Sweden went bad and in 1706 Swedish king Karl XII concluded peace
with Poland thus leaving Moscow alone in this war. Consequently tsar
Peter ordered Mazepa to defend Ukraine without help from Moscow and to
destroy Polish nobles on the Right Bank, who supported Swedes.
Mazepa used this opportunity to take over this part of Ukraine.
But there was a popular Cossack colonel Paliy. Mazepa solved this
problem by inviting Paliy to his place, where he was imprisoned and
handed over to tsar Peter, who sent him Siberia for collaboration with
Swedes.
At the end of 1707 tsar Peter ordered Mazepa to hand over western
lands to Poland. Mazepa did not obey, using all possible excuses to
retain control of that part of Ukraine. While still pretending to be
faithful to tsar Peter, he conducted secret negotiations with Swedish
and Polish kings. When in autumn of 1708 king Karl approached Ukraine
and promised help in liberation from Moscow, Mazepa decided switch
sides.
Unfortunately Moscow became aware of this plot before Mazepa could
organize and inform Cossacks and population in general about reasons and
advantages of his plan. tsar Peter moved swiftly on Ukraine, destroyed
most of Mazepa's supplies and armaments and ruthlessly eliminated people
suspected of collaboration with Mazepa and Swedes. He started extensive
rumors that Mazepa intends to return Ukraine to Polish domination.
Therefore most Cossacks sided with Moscow and elected a hetman
submissive to Moscow - Ivan Skoropadskyi. The church stayed also on
Moscow's side. Only Cossacks in Zaporizhia came out in support of
Mazepa and his remaining some four thousand troops.
Superior Muscovite forces routed Zaporizhia in May 1709 and next
month, supported by loyal to Moscow Cossacks, defeated Mazepa and Swedes
in battle near Poltava. Heartbroken Mazepa fled to Moldova where died
on 22nd August 1709.
Mazepa supporters did not give up hope of liberation from Moscow.
In April 1710 they elected Orlyk as their hetman and continued the
struggle, with help from Sweden, Poland and Turkey for many years to
come. They also drafted many interesting resolutions concerning
proposed Ukrainian government, based on democratic principles, and it is
regrettable that they were unable to overthrow Moscow domination of
Ukraine.

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ABRIDGED HISTORY OF UKRAINE - PART FIVE.

Loosely translated and abridged by George Skoryk from
"HISTORY OF UKRAINE" by Mykhaylo Hrushevs'kyi

V. DECLINE OF UKRAINIAN STATEHOOD AND CULTURE (1712-1783).
Kyrylo Rozumowskyi

After defeat of Mazepa, tsar Peter intensified his efforts to
subjugate Ukraine. Hetman Skoropadskyi had his powers restricted by
Russian supervisors. His residence was transferred from Baturyn to
Hlukhow near Russian border, where two Russian garrisons were stationed
to ensure his loyalty to Moscow.
Ukrainian population became burdened by plundering Russian military
units, dispersed throughout the country. Cossacks were sent to work on
construction of canals near St Petersburg, connecting river Volga with
Baltic Sea, where they died in thousands from hunger, exhaustion and
sickness. Many Cossack colonels were replaced by Russian nationals.
In 1722, tsar appointed a council called "Little Russian
Collegiate", controlled by senior Russian officers and headed by
brigadier Velmyaninow, to monitor and audit hetman's activities and
decisions. This, for practical purposes, transferred all powers to
Russians, leaving Cossack hetman and his officers only with empty
titles.
Hetman Skoropadskyi was very upset by such situation; he became ill
and died in 1722. tsar Peter used this opportunity to abolish the
office of hetman altogether. He directed Cossack colonel Polubotok to
perform hetman's duties under supervision of Velmyaninow and refused to
agree to Cossack requests to elect new hetman.
Russian occupiers continued to persecute and impoverish Ukrainian
population. They kept sending more Cossacks to work on construction of
canals, connecting Caspian Sea with Baltic Sea, where some 20000
Cossacks perished during years 1721 to 1725.
Polubotok was an honest and energetic man. He managed to improve
law and order within Cossack establishment and to improve living
conditions of the population. However this did not please Russian
authorities, who relied on disorder and corruption to maintain their
grip on Ukraine. They feared Polubotok's growing popularity and his
efforts to re establish Hetmanate.
Velmyaninow complained to tsar that Polubotok was not complying
with his directives. Consequently Polubotok was arrested and
interrogated under torture in Petropavlowsk fort, near St Petersburg.
He died there, as a martyr for Ukrainian cause in autumn 1724, in spite
of tsar's belated efforts to save him and to reconcile with Cossacks.
tsar Peter died soon after, at the beginning of year 1725.
Ukraine was thus left at the mercy of Velmyaninow and his henchmen.
As for Cossack colonels, some were in prison near St Petersburg and
others, who were not already replaced by Russians, kept quiet and to
scared to resist.
tsar Peter was succeeded by his wife Catherine. Faced with
possible
war with Turkey, she needed Cossacks and wanted to return to them some
of their former freedoms. However she faced a stiff opposition from the
"old guard" in Russian government, therefore Cossacks received only few
minor concessions. Catherine died in spring 1727 and the grandson of
tsar Peter, Peter II became the emperor of Russia.
The new Russian government sacked Velmyaninow and his "Little
Russian Collegiate", released Cossack colonels from jail and appointed
70 year old Danylo Apostol as Cossack hetman. On 1st October 1727
Apostol was formally accepted by Cossacks by ceremonious election in
Hlukhow.
Although reporting to Russian "resident" Naumow, new hetman managed
to carry out considerable improvements in Ukrainian situation. His
loyalty to Moscow was ensured by presence of one of his sons as virtual
hostage in St Petersburg.
tsar Peter II died in 1730 and his aunt tsarina Anna became the
ruler of Russia. When hetman Apostol fell ill and became paralyzed, she
refused to hand over his powers to Cossacks and ordered Russian
"resident", prince Shakhowski to form a council, consisting mainly of
Russians, to take over. Hetman Apostol died in January 1734 and later
in that year Zaporozhtsi in Sitch decided to come over from Turkish to
Russian side.
With Ukraine becoming almost a province of Russia, russianization
of political, religious and cultural life intensified. Intermarriages
with Russians were encouraged and any efforts to regain independence
were brutally suppressed. Cossack colonels were kept under constant
observation and subjected to house Searches at the slightest sign of
disloyalty. Even any attempts to obtain justice were punished; when, in
1737, Kyiv's city counselors tried to defend their rights against
Russian excesses, they were all jailed. Things were so bad, that when
in 1740 an English general Keith was temporarily appointed in place of a
Russian administrator, people were amazed by his human behavior and
tolerance.
Times were hard for the top layer of Ukrainian society, but even
harder for middle and lower classes and peasants, who suffered most from
Russian exploitation. Cossacks were being forced to fight for Russia
against Turks, Tatars and Poles for small rewards, and often for
nothing.
Under such circumstances, yearning for the return of Hetmanate
autonomy persisted. The possibility of this to happen occurred after
the end of war with Turkey in 1740 and death of tsarina Anna in 1741. A
short regency of Anna II was terminated by a palace revolution,
whereupon the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth was installed on Russian
throne.
Elizabeth was sympathetic to Ukrainian cause because, prior to
becoming tsarina, she befriended and fell in love with a handsome son of
a Cossack court choir singer, Oleksiy Rozumowskyi. She married him
after her coronation.
While visiting Kyiv in 1744, she agreed to promote Cossacks'
request to re install hetman's office and proposed Oleksiy's younger
brother Kyrylo Rozumowskyi for this position.
Twenty year old Kyrylo, who studied abroad, returned in 1746,
married into royal family and was bestowed with many orders and titles.
In 1747 Russian senate was requested to take steps toward re
establishment of Hetmanate.
In February 1750, ceremonious formality of election of new Cossack
hetman took place in Hlukhow, followed by celebrations and festivities.
In spring of 1751 hetman Kyrylo Rozumowskyi, again with great ceremony
and parade was installed as hetman.
Unfortunately, being brought up in St Petersburg, Rozumowskyi was a
stranger to Ukraine and ways of life there. His Russian advisor Teplow
was unsympathetic to Ukraine's newly won autonomy and did all he could
to hinder its development. Rozumowskyi himself was bored with life in
Ukraine and preferred to spend most of his time in St Petersburg.

It could be said that, during this period, Ukraine was divided into
several parts such as Left Bank consisting of Hetmanate and
Slobidshchyna, Zaporozhian Sich, Right Bank, Halychyna (Galicia),
Wolhynia, Bukovyna and Transcarpatia.
The Hetmanate included areas around Poltava, Lubny, Peryaslav,
Kyiv, Nizhyn, Chernihiv, Hlukhiv and also areas, which are at present
parts of Russian Federation, around Starodub, Pochep and Mhlyn.
The neighboring areas centered around Kharkiv were called
Slobidshchyna meaning free (from serfdom) lands also referred to as
Sloboda Ukraine. They included Izyum, Balakleya, Akhtyrka, Sumy and,
presently Russian areas around Bilhorod, Ostrohozhsk and Sudza.
Originally these lands were settled by adventurous people, who tried to
establish themselves free from Polish and Russian domination. They
formed Cossack regiments for protection from Tatars and for some time
were able to lead an independent life, because they served as a buffer
from Turks and Tatars. However later they fell under direct Russian
rule; the autonomy of Loboda Ukraine was abolished under Catherine II
in 1765.
To ensure lasting domination over these two parts of Ukraine,
Russians tried to suppress Ukrainian culture. They disallowed Ukrainian
language in books, schools and theaters. The church and government were
controlled by Moscow and the only way for a person to advance was to
speak Russian and to be loyal to Moscow.
While Ukraine on the east side of Dnipro (Left Bank) was being
russianized, the western Ukraine consisting of Galicia Wolhynia and
Bukovyna (areas around Lviv, Ternopil Lutsk and Chernivtsi) was under
Polish influence. Polish authorities were preventing not only national,
but also economic development of Ukrainians. The Orthodox Church was
being gradually taken over by Polish dominated Catholic Church.
Between western Ukraine and, Russian dominated, parts on east side
of Dnipro was a large territory on Right Bank, partly de-populated by
recent wars involving Cossacks, Poles, Russians, Turks and Tatars.
Gradually, Polish nobility began to return, reclaimed their landholdings
and started to exploit Ukrainian peasants as serfs. The resistance to
this, at first, was in the form of outlaw gangs, said to have robbed the
rich to help the poor. Some of the gang leaders were even considered as
folk heroes, such as Olexa Dowbush, who operated between 1738 and 1745.
There were also uprisings by so called Haydamaks, generally during
hostilities between Poland and Russia. The biggest uprising was in
1768. Haydamaks, led by Maxym Zaliznyak and Ivan Honta, captured Umanj
and killed many Polish oppressors and their Jewish collaborators. They
expected help from their Orthodox "brothers" from Russia. However
Russians made peace with Poland, captured Zaliznyak, Honta and many
other Haydamaks handed them over to Poles. Those, who were not
immediately tortured and executed, were tried in Kodno and sentenced, in
most cases, to death.
The Transcarpathian Ukraine (areas around Uzhhorod and Mukachiv)
was under Hungarian rule. Overwhelmingly rural in character
Transcarpathia had a Ukrainian - Ruthenian peasantry, a powerful
Hungarian nobility and a substantial number of urban and rural Jews.
Ukrainian population there did not display much enthusiasm for
independence but managed to retain their language, customs and religion.

Cancellation of Hetmanate was decided by tsarina Catering II, who
ruled Russia from 1762, after short reign of her husband Peter III.
Hetman Rozumovskyi resigned and, in his place, on November 1764, tsarina
re installed "Little Russian Collegiate", under presidency of Graf
Rumyantsev.
Rumyantsev's policy was to eliminate all remaining traces of
Ukrainian autonomy and separatism, to introduce serfdom of peasants and
to integrate Ukraine with Russia. This was resisted by Cossacks and
population at large.
In 1767 tsarina ordered election of deputies from all parts of
Russian Empire in order to be informed what kind of government people
want. The deputies from Ukraine declared their desire for Hetmanate
autonomy. This angered Rumyantsev and he sent out his officers to
persuade electors to elect deputies supporting his government; people
who resisted were jailed. However in spite of all efforts of Russian
authorities, the popular sentiment for return of Hetmanate system
continued.
In 1772 Galicia and, two years later, Bukovina were annexed to
Austro Hungarian Monarchy, which has somewhat improved conditions of
Ukrainians (Ruthenians in the contemporary terminology of Galicia).
In 1774 the Uniate church (renamed to Greek Catholic church) was, by
imperial decree, equalized in status with Roman Catholic church.
Educational reforms in 1775 allowed for instructions in Ukrainian
language. However on balance government policies favored the Poles.

The Cossack stronghold, Zaporozhian Sitch, was subservient to
Moscow and was utilized for raids on Crimea and Turkey. During Turkish
war, which started in 1768, several thousand Cossacks supported Russians
in battles on land and Sea. Their efforts were rewarded by eulogies
from tsarina but little else and restrictions of Cossack freedoms
continued. Their lands were being colonized by Russians, Serbians and
other foreigners with aim of creation of so called Novorossiya or New
Russia state in the south of Ukraine.
After end of Turkish war in 1775 the Cossacks were being gradually
disarmed and in the Summer of that year, Russian general Tekeli
surrounded Cossacks in Sitch itself with superior force and demanded
abandonment of their fortress. Faced with such overwhelming odds,
Cossack chief Kalnyshevskyj surrendered. Sitch was destroyed and
abolished by tzarist edict of 3rd August 1775. Kalnyshevskyj and other
Cossack leaders were exiled to Siberia.
The Cossack lands were granted to Russian nobles; Cossacks were
told to disperse and settle in towns and villages or to join Russian
forces. Many Cossacks escaped and settled in Turkey near Danube delta;
in 1778 they were formally accepted under Turkish rule.
By end of 1780 all districts, which were formerly under Hetmanate,
were incorporated into Russian regime. In 1783 all Cossack regiments
were transferred to Russian forces; peasants were prohibited to leave
their landlords, which made them serfs on their former land. Ukrainian
church autonomy was abolished and church property was transferred to
Russian treasury.

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ABRIDGED HISTORY OF UKRAINE - PART SIX.

Loosely translated and abridged by George Skoryk from
"HISTORY OF UKRAINE" by Mykhaylo Hrushevs'kyi

VI. UKRAINIAN RENAISANCE (1783-1913).
Taras Shevchenko - Self portrait.

As result of partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, 1795), Ukraine
became occupied by two empires - Russian and Austrian. Galicia,
Bukovyna and Carpathian Ukraine were incorporated into Austro Hungarian
(Habsburg) Empire and the rest of Ukraine became part of Russia. These
two totalitarian powers had strong central governments, mighty armies
and powerful police ready to suppress any attempts by Ukrainian
population to regain freedom and self determination.
Nevertheless conditions under Austria began to improve, whereas
life under Russian occupation deteriorated. Therefore renaissance of
Ukrainian culture and political activities began in western Ukraine.

WESTERN UKRAINE UNDER THE HABSBURG MONARCHY

In 1772 Galicia and, two years later, Bukovina were annexed to
Austro Hungarian (Habsburg) Monarchy, which has somewhat improved
conditions of Ukrainians (Ruthenians in the contemporary terminology of
Galicia). In 1774 the Uniate church was renamed to Greek Catholic
church and equalized in status with Roman Catholic church. Educational
reforms in 1775 allowed for instructions in Ukrainian language. However
on balance government policies favored the Poles.
Led by church activities, schools with Ukrainian language began to
develop. New bishop of Mukachiv, Andriy Bachynskyi (1772-1809),
assembled many learned people, who later together with graduates from
Vienna university became professors in Lviv University (founded in
1784). Some subjects were taught in Ukrainian language there.
However, after death of kaiser Joseph in 1790, Polish nobility
increased their influence on Austrian authorities and, by spreading
rumors of Ukrainian sympathy toward Russia, caused replacement of
Ukrainian by Polish language in state schools. Only private schools
were allowed to use Ukrainian language.
Some Ukrainian clergy resisted this trend, notably metropolitan
Levytskyi, under influence of canon Ivan Mohylnytskyi, author of
"Information about Ukrainian Language", which defended use of Ukrainian
language.
First group defending Ukrainian culture was formed in 1820. A
big impetus to academic activities was provided by fierce polemics
during the 1830s between supporters of popular spoken language and old
printed church language. The proponents of old church language were
Mykhaylo Luchkay and Yosyf Levytskyi; in defense of the spoken popular
language were Yosyf Lozynskyi and a group of young students of Lviv
Seminary.
Most prominent in Ukrainian literature were, so called "Ruthenian
Triad": poet Markian Shashkevych (1811-1843), professor of Ukrainian
language Yakiv Holovatskyi and historian, ethnographer, linguist Ivan
Vahylevych. They were treated with suspicion and animosity by Austrian
authorities. Their first publication in 1834 "Zorya" (The Star) was
banned, second publication - a collection of folk songs and stories,
"Rusalka Dnistrova" (Dnister Mermaid), published in Hungary, was
confiscated and not released till 1848, after death of Markian
Shashkevych.
Many changes came in 1848. Revolutions in Europe affected
circumstances within Austrian Empire. There was a flurry of liberal
reforms: the end of censorship, a promise of national constitution and
the end of serfdom in Galicia. To counter Polish ambitions for
independence, Austrian authorities began to lift restrictions on
Ukrainian culture. In autumn of 1848 the Congress of Ukrainian
Scientists was created to promote exclusively Ukrainian culture and to
plan activities such as establishment of standard grammar for Ukrainians
under Austria and Russia. Stirred by fiery poems of Antin Mohylnytskyi,
they demanded introduction of Ukrainian language in schools and
universities and separation of Ukrainian part of Galicia, centered
around Lviv from Polish part centered around Krakow.
1848 was a turbulent year for Ukrainians under Austria. In their
drive for self determination they had to contend not only with Austrian
authorities but also with Poles in Galicia, Rumanians in Bukovyna and
Hungarians in Carpathia. In the end, aspirations for independence of
Ukrainians and other nationalities within Austrian empire were , for the
time being, kept under control. It was the beginning of quiet reaction
to authoritarian regimes of Austria and Russia.
While in Russia Ukrainians were accused of siding with Poland,
Polish activists convinced Austrian authorities of Ukrainian sympathy
toward Russia. This resulted in Polish dominance of culture and politics
in Galicia. Faced with such situation many Ukrainians started to think
that maybe the only salvation was with Russia; they were called
Moscowphiles or Russophiles. They were ready to sacrifice Ukrainian
national identity for support from Russia against Poles, Rumanians and
Hungarians and promoted idea of one Russian nation from Carpathian
Mountains to Kamchatka. Among them were even former Ukrainians patriots
such as Yakiv Holovatskyi, who was professor of Ukrainian language in
Lviv University.
But there were also many who remained steadfastly on pure Ukrainian
ground, mainly energetic elements of youth, but also some members of old
generation. They keenly absorbed fiery poems of Taras Shevchenko and
read books of other writers from eastern Ukraine such as Panteleymon
Kulish, Marko Vovchok, Volodymyr Antonovych, Konysjkyi and
Levytskyj-Nechuy. They guarded survival of Ukrainian politics, culture
and language by publications such as "Vechernytsi" (Evening Times)
(1862), "Meta" (Destination) (1863-1865), "Nyva" (Field) (1865),
"Rusalka" (Mermaid) (1866), "Pravda" (Truth) (1867). In Bukovyna main
Ukrainian writers were Vorobkevych Brothers and Osyp Fedjkovych. A
local Association of Ukrainian Speakers founded in 1869 had at first a
russofile character but in 1880 Ukrainian patriots gained majority.
To handle educational problems, Ruthenian Pedagogic Society was
created in 1881. In 1910 a Regional School Union came into being
comprising of representatives of Ukrainian cultural, political and
financial organizations, headed by professor Mykhaylo Hrushevskyi.
Between 1907 and 1911 seven private Ukrainian high schools were
established.
The 1890s were years of intensification of political life in
western Ukraine. National movement was gaining strength and attracted
more of, previously neutrally orientated, people. Unavoidably
differences and splits within this movement developed. The progressive
elements were promoting democratic socialism based on national values.
The conservatives wanted to preserve existing way of life based mainly
on church and religion. Generally they sided with Russophiles to act
against Poles and government backers in Galician Senate and Austrian
Senate. On other hand progressives were inclined to support the
government, which caused formation of break away radical faction opposed
to Polish influenced government. Eventually progressive nationals
abandoned their support for government and in 1900 joined with radicals
to form National Democratic Party. This party included a distinguished
historian M. Hrushevskyi a famous writer Ivan Franko and a well known
activist, ethnographer and lawyer, Wolodymyr Okhrymowych, who was
elected to Austrian Senate in 1907.
As result of all this political activity and competition, Ukrainian
national awareness and consciousness spread into wide masses of
population.
There were also big achievements in Ukrainian culture and science.
Mew crop of journals appeared such as "Narod" (People), "Zeta i
Slovo" (Life and Word), "Sloboda" (Freedom). A very popular daily
newspaper "Dilo" (Deed) was born. A notable collaborator and prolific
contributor to these publications was Wolodymyr Okhrymovych.
On stage of Lviv Opera in 1892 started her career world famous
opera singer Salomea Krushelnytska.
Shevchenko Association in Lviv was upgraded to scientific
association in 1892 and in 1898 it was reformed to conform with academy
of science standards. Academics demanded permission to establish a
separate Ukrainian university in Lviv as only a limited number subjects
were conducted in Ukrainian in existing university. In literature the
most prominent writer was Ivan Franko (1856-19160,but there were also
many other talents namely Vasyl Stefanyk and Olena Koblyansjka. Many
high schools were created and an educational journal "Prosvita"
(Enlightenment) was published. To cater for physical culture there were
sporting organizations "Sitch" (named after the famous Zaporozhyan
Cossack stronghold) and "Sokoly" (Falcons). On economic front
cooperatives and credit unions began to function thus reducing
reliability on Austrian and Polish institutions.
At the turn of the century, the ethnic conflict in Galicia
deepened. Massive peasant strikes against the Polish landlords occurred
in 1902. Ukrainian students engaged in demonstrations and clashes with
the Poles, and in 1908 a student assassinated the Galician governor.

EASTERN UKRAINE UNDER IMPERIAL RUSSIAN RULE

People in eastern Ukraine, even outwardly russianized
intelligentsia, have not lost their love for Ukrainian ways of life,
language and history. They longed for the former glory of Cossacks and
independence. In 1791, during adverse relationships between Russia and
Prussia, a Ukrainian nobleman Vasyl Kapyst tried to enlist Prussian help
in planned uprising against Russian oppression; he did not succeed.
Situation improved somewhat after death of tsarina Catherine in
1796. Her son Pavlo, under sway of his minister and confidant of
Ukrainian descent Oleksander Bezborodjko, began to relax Russian grip on
Ukraine. There was even talk about return of the former order, as
during hetman's times (Hetmanate).
Publications in Ukrainian language began to appear. The first
outstanding literary work was "Aeneid" by Ivan Kotlarevskyi (1769-1838)
published in 1798; it was a humorous parody on this famous Roman epic,
transposed to Cossack scene. Kotlarevskyi also wrote operettas "Natalka
Poltavka" and " Muscovite Sorcerer". Another noteworthy, contemporary
writer in Ukrainian language was novelist Hryhoriy Kvitka.
The cultural activities in Ukraine during 18th century were taking
place mainly in church circles. The literature generally contained
scholastic and religious disputes. The dramatic art was confined to
morality plays. A noteworthy philosopher was Hryhoriy Skorovoda
(1722-1794).
After assassination of tsar Pavlo in 1801 his successor, tsar
Aleksander I, began to revert to strict Russian rule. There were some
hopes for renewal of Hetmanate in 1812 and later in 1831, when Cossack
regiments were organized to help Russian warfare, but it did not
eventuate. Russianization of Ukraine continued.
However, many literary works, although written in Russian,
reflected Ukrainian customs, history and folklore. The most famous
writer of such works was Nikolai Gogol, author of "Sorochynskyi Fair",
"Taras Bulba" and many more.
Among non fiction works of this period was book about history of
Ukraine up to abolition of Hetmanate, by George Kosinskyi, published in
1840. Also a book on Ukrainian grammar by Pavlowskyi appeared about
same time.
Folk stories, songs and art became very popular subjects in printed
publications, which brought Ukrainian peasants and intelligentsia closer
together.
Clandestine societies called "hromadas" (communities) promoting
Ukrainian culture were being organized. Associated with Kyiv Hromada
was Mykhaylo Drahomanov, who advocated transformation of the Russian
Empire into a federation of independent states. A secret political
association called Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius (formed in
1826) propagated social equality and freedom of thought, conscience
and speech. They also envisaged a federation of Slavic states under the
leadership of Ukraine.
Schools, universities and theaters began to develop. Books and
journals appeared, notably by professor at Kharkiv University (which
opened in 1805) Petro Hulak-Artemovskyi, ethnographer Amvroziy
Metlynskyi and graduate Mykola Kostomariv, who later became a famous
historian.
Still, majority of books, although dealing with Ukrainian matters,
were published in Russian language until appearance in 1840 of "Kobzar"
- collection of poems by famous poet and painter Taras Shevchenko
(1814-1861). Shevchenko, born a serf, was bought out of servitude by a
group of artists who recognized his talent for painting, but became
famous mainly through his poems. In his poems Shevchenko protested
against injustices and suppression of freedom in Ukraine, encouraged
preservation of Ukrainian language and reminded russianized descendants
of Cossacks forgotten truth and glory of Ukrainian past. His poetry
reflected a conception of Ukraine as a free and democratic society
that had a profound influence on the development on Ukrainian
political thought. In 1845 Shevchenko worked at Kyiv University together
with other prominent activists for Ukrainian renaissance such as
Maksymovych, Kulish and Kostomariv (author of History of Cossacks).
Conditions deteriorated in 1847; members of Brotherhood of Saints
Cyril and Methodius, and many writers including Taras Shevchenko, were
arrested, tried and exiled and forbidden to write. They were not
allowed to return till after year 1850.
Ukrainian reaction to Russian rule was renewed in 1850s, mainly due
to return from exile by members of Brotherhood of St Cyril and writer
Kulish, who began to publish ethnographical material collected before
his exile. The new star of Ukrainian literature Marko Vowchok published
journals "Khata" (Home) and "Osnova" (Groundwork), (1860-1862). A group
called Osnova promoted liberalization of peasants from serfdom and
education, organized Sunday schools and published Ukrainian text books.
They defended Ukrainian history and language from Russian and Polish
influences.
This movement even gained support within some Russian circles. In
1862 St Petersburgh education committee recommended introduction of
Ukrainian language in state schools. Russian writers became interested
in Ukrainian literature, especially in poems by Taras Shewchenko.
However all this came to a halt during Polish uprising in 1863 because
Russian government accused Ukrainians of supporting Poles in their
effort to gain independence from Russia.
At the start of 1870s the centre of Ukrainian movement was in Kyiv,
where censorship was relaxed, which made literary and scientific
activity possible. Promoting Ukrainian sciences were Historian
Antonovych and Drahomanov, ethnographers Chubynsjkyi and Rudchenko,
linguists Zhytetskyi and Mykhaljchuk. In 1672 they founded a branch of
Geographical Society in Kyiv, which became the centre of Ukrainian
culture. Ukrainian literature was represented by talented writers such
as Rudansjkyi, Nechuy-Levytskyi, Myrnyi, Konysjkyi and Starytskyi.
Mykola Lysenko provided foundations for Ukrainian Music by his
collection of songs and compositions and by staging of many beautiful
concerts.
Although all these activities were of cultural and scientific
nature only, avoiding political, or even social affairs, they did not
escape attention of Ukrainian enemies. Government officials Regelman
and Yusefovich kept complaining to Russian authorities that promotion of
Ukrainian language and literature was a Polish and Austrian intrigue
intended to separate Ukraine from Russia. Consequently, a commission in
1875 instituted censorship of Ukrainian literature and banned books from
western Ukraine, except those published by Russophiles which supported
Moscow. The Kyiv branch of Geographical Society was closed down and in
1876 came the ban on publication of books in Ukrainian language. Thus
cultural activities moved again west and centered on Taras Shevchenko
Association, founded in 1873 in Lviv with help by Ukrainians from the
east.
In Kyiv, to circumvent ban on Ukrainian language, a scientific and
historical journal, "Kievskaya Starina" (Ancient Kyiv), came out in
1882. It was in Russian language but by Ukrainian authors and in 1890s
included some articles in Ukrainian.
The literature in Ukrainian language was at first restricted to
cheap popular novels but later more serious themes were introduced by
prominent authors such as Kotsubynsjkyi, Hrinchenko, Samiylenko and
Lesya Ukrainka (1871-1913). There was a strong development of Ukrainian
theater generated by plays based on folklore, notably by Kropyvnytskyi
and Karpenko-Karyi (Ivan Tobylevych) and performances by many talented
actors.
Political activity accelerated toward the end of the century.
Younger, primarily student led hromadas became involved in politiical
activities. One such group in Kharkiv developed into Revolutionary
Ukrainian Party, which in a pamphlet published in 1900 advanced a
political goal of "one, single, indivisible, free, independent Ukraine"
The ban by Russian authorities on Ukrainian language during
meetings and seminars intensified struggle and political activity in
defense of Ukrainian culture. In December of 1904 a special commission
of ministers concluded that Ukrainian national movement does not
constitute a serious danger to Russia. In 1905 cancellation of the ban
on Ukrainian language created great expectations for progress in
cultural and political life. However attempts in 1906 to advance
Ukrainian cause by some deputies in Russian parliament (Duma) did not
achieve any significant results. Anti Ukrainian attitude of authorities
hindered, but did not stop progress of Ukrainian culture, education and
economy.
Newspapers "Khliborob" (Bread Producer), "Hromadsjka Dumka"
(Community Thought), "Ridnyi Kray" (Native Country), "Selo" (Village)
and journals "Viljna Ukraina" (Free Ukraine) and "Nova Hromada" (New
Community) were being widely read. Creation of Ukrainian Scientific
Association in 1907 assembled scientific forces of different
disciplines.
The Ukrainian movement looked forward with confidence toward
future.

THE COSSACKS

The Cossack stronghold, Zaporozhian Sitch, was subservient to
Moscow and was utilized for raids on Crimea and Turkey. During Turkish
war, which started in 1768, several thousand Cossacks supported Russians
in battles on land and Sea. Their efforts were rewarded by eulogies
from tsarina but little else and restrictions of Cossack freedoms
continued. Their lands were being colonized by Russians, Serbians and
other foreigners with an aim of creation of so called Novorossiya or New
Russia state in the south of Ukraine.
After end of Turkish war in 1775 the Cossacks were being gradually
disarmed and in the Summer of that year, Russian general Tekeli
surrounded Cossacks in Sitch itself with superior force and demanded
abandonment of their fortress. Faced with such overwhelming odds,
Cossack chief Kalnyshevskyj surrendered. Sitch was destroyed and
abolished by tzarist edict of 3rd August 1775. Kalnyshevskyj and other
Cossack leaders were exiled to Siberia.
The Cossack lands were granted to Russian nobles; Cossacks were
told to disperse and settle in towns and villages or to join Russian
forces. Many Cossacks escaped and settled in Turkey near Danube delta;
in 1778 they were formally accepted under Turkish rule.
By end of 1780 all districts, which were formerly under Hetmanate,
were incorporated into Russian regime. In 1783 all Cossack regiments
were transferred to Russian forces; peasants were prohibited to leave
their landlords, which made them serfs on their former land. Ukrainian
church autonomy was abolished and church property was transferred to
Russian treasury.
When Cossacks in Turkey, under pressure from Russian field marshal
Potemkin, were told to resettle further inland beyond the Danube river,
many of them returned home. Potemkin, in order to encourage this
process to continue and to discourage future exits of Cossacks from
Ukraine, decided in 1783 to organize Cossacks under name of Black Sea
Force. These Cossacks, after another Turkish war in 1792, were
resettled to Kubanj and were allowed to reestablish their former system
and customs. Other Cossacks settled in lands under Austrian rule.
Cossacks, who remained in Turkey, were under constant pressure from
Russia to return. At the start of another Turkish war in 1828 Cossack
chief Osyp Hladkyj decided to go over to the Russian side and many
Cossacks followed him. After the war they at first settled near
Mariupol on coast of Azov Sea and in the 1860s resettled in Kubanj.
Cossacks, who remained in Turkey were dispersed, as reprisal for
betrayal by Osyp Hladkyj.

[Jason Yuschenko]

Found a translation of some statutes. I'll try to find more on women's
rights ..... for the time they were better than most

Statute of Prince Iaroslav [1019-54]
(Archeographic Copy)

Translated by Daniel H. Kaiser

***************************************

This is the Statute of Iaroslav [on] Hierarchs' Courts

1. Lo I, Grand Prince Iaroslav, son of Volodimir [ca. 980-1015], following
[the example of] my father's gift, have consulted with Ilarion [1051-54],
Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus', [and] we have compared [readings in the]
Greek nomocanon; since a prince, or his boyars, or his judges ought not have
jurisdiction over these suits, I have given to the Metropolitan and bishops
[jurisdiction over the following]: divorce [cases] in all towns; the customs
duty each tenth week [is to go] to the church and the Metropolitan; and his
people are not to pay the customs duty anywhere, nor the duty levied on
goods entering a town; and I have given [the church the revenue from] the
"eighth" [exacted from weighed goods brought into town for trade].

2. If someone abducts a girl [with the aim of marrying her] or rapes her,
[and] if she be a boyar's daughter [the offender] is to pay five grivnas of
gold for her dishonor and five grivnas of gold to the Metropolitan; if she
be [a daughter] of lesser boyars [the offender is to pay] one grivna of
gold, and one grivna of gold to the Metropolitan; if [she be a daughter] of
the "good men and true" [the offender is to pay] two grivnas of silver for
the dishonor, and a ruble to the Metropolitan; and those who help in the
abduction are to pay 60 [nogatas] each to the Metropolitan, and the prince
punishes them.

3. If someone rapes a boyar's daughter or a boyar's wife, [then he is to
pay] five grivnas of gold for the dishonor, and the same amount to the
Metropolitan; [if someone rapes the daughter or wife] of lesser boyars [then
he is to pay] one grivna of gold, and a grivna of gold to the Metropolitan;
[if someone rapes the daughter or wife] of well-to-do people [he is to pay]
two rubles, and two rubles to the Metropolitan; [if someone rapes the
daughter or wife] of common people [he is to pay] twelve grivnas of fur, and
twelve grivnas of fur to the Metropolitan, and the prince punishes [him].

4. If a boyar throws out his wife [who is a daughter] of great boyars, [then
he is to pay] her 300 grivnas for the dishonor, and five grivnas of gold to
the Metropolitan; [if the woman be the daughter] of lesser boyars [he is to
pay her] one grivna of gold, and one grivna of gold to the Metropolitan; [if
she be the daughter] of well-to-do people [he is to pay her] two rubles, and
two rubles to the Metropolitan; [if she be the daughter] of common people
[he is to pay her] twelve grivnas, and twelve grivnas to the Metropolitan,
and the prince punishes [him].

5. If a girl engages in sexual intercourse or becomes pregnant [while she
still lives] with her father or mother, or while she is a widow, after
having found [her] out, put her in a church house [convent].

6. Likewise if a wife without her husband or [even while living] with her
husband becomes pregnant [by some other man], and kills [the child], or
throws it to the swine, or drowns [it], having found [her] out, take her
into a convent, and what her kinsmen pay to redeem her [goes to the
Metropolitan].

7. If a girl who sits [in a convent be the daughter] of great boyars, [they
must pay] five grivnas of gold to the Metropolitan [to redeem her]; [if she
be the daughter] of lesser boyars, [they must pay] the Metropolitan one
grivna of gold; if [she be the daughter] of well-to-do people [they must
pay] the Metropolitan two rubles or twelve grivnas; if [she be the daughter]
of common people, [they must pay] the Metropolitan one grivna of silver or
one ruble.

8. If someone prevails upon a girl [to come to him] and he gives her [over]
for a group rape, then [exact] from the abductor one grivna of silver for
the Metropolitan, and from the rapists 60 [nogatas] each, and the prince
punishes [them].

9. If a husband has intercourse [with some woman other than] his wife, then
the husband is guilty before the Metropolitan, and the prince punishes
[him].

10. If a husband marries another woman, still not having been divorced from
the old [wife], the husband is guilty before the Metropolitan, and take the
young [i.e., more recent] wife into a convent, and he is to [resume] living
with the old [i.e., first] wife.

11. If a wife goes from her husband [to marry] another man, or if she has
intercourse [with that man] apart from her husband, take that wife into a
convent, and [the adulterer is to pay] the marriage fee to the Metropolitan
as a fine.

12. If a wife becomes seriously ill, or is blind, or is ill for a long time,
[the husband] is not to abandon her for that.

13. Likewise the wife is not to abandon her husband [if he suffers serious
or prolonged illness].

14. If a godfather engages in intercourse with a godmother [he is to pay]
the Metropolitan twelve grivnas, and the prescription of penance [will be]
according to the law of God.

15. If someone burns a threshing floor, or a house, or anything else, [he is
to pay] the Metropolitan 40 grivnas, and they [sic] shall undertake penance,
and the prince punishes [him].

16. If someone engages in intercourse with his sister [he is to pay] the
Metropolitan 40 grivnas, and [fulfill] the prescription of penance according
to the law.

17. If someone marries within close kinship [i.e., within the prohibited
degrees of consanguinity], [he is to pay] the Metropolitan 30 or 40 grivnas,
and separate them, and let them undertake penance.

18. If someone marries two wives, [he is to pay] the Metropolitan 20
grivnas, and whichever is false [i.e., the second wife], take her into a
convent, and [the man] is to keep and maintain the first wife according to
the law. If he keeps and treats her badly, punish him.

19. If a man separates from his wife by his own wish, and if there was a
church wedding, then they shall give the Metropolitan twelve grivnas. And if
they were not married in church [they are to pay] the Metropolitan six
grivnas.

20. If a Jew or Muslim [takes] a Rus' woman [to marriage], or [if some]
other [non-Orthodox] foreigner [takes a Rus' woman], [he is to pay] the
Metropolitan 50 grivnas; and take the Rus' woman into a convent.

21. If someone has intercourse with a nun, [he is to pay] the Metropolitan
40 grivnas, and assign [him] penance.

22. If someone copulates with an animal, [he is to pay] the Metropolitan
twelve grivnas, and [execute] penance and punishment according to the law.

23. If a father-in-law engages in intercourse with his daughter-in-law, [he
is to pay] the Metropolitan 40 grivnas, and they shall take penance
according to the law.

24. If someone falls into fornication with two sisters, [he is to pay] the
Metropolitan 30 grivnas.

25. If a [stepfather] engages in intercourse with his stepdaughter, [he is
to pay] the Metropolitan twelve grivnas.

26. If a husband's brother falls into fornication with his brother's wife,
[he is to pay] the Metropolitan twelve grivnas.

27. If someone falls into fornication with his stepmother, [he is to pay]
the Metropolitan twelve grivnas.

28. If two brothers engage in intercourse with one woman, [they are to pay]
the Metropolitan thirty grivnas; and take the woman into a convent.

29. If a father falls [into fornication] with his daughter, [he is to pay]
the Metropolitan 40 grivnas, and they shall take penance according to the
law.

30. If a girl does not wish to marry, [and] then the father and mother give
her [in marriage] by force, and if the girl causes [harm] to herself, then
the father and mother are guilty before the Metropolitan, and they are to
pay the losses. Likewise with a young man [who does not wish to marry].

31. If someone calls another man's wife a whore, and if she be a boyar's
wife [and the daughter] of great boyars, [then he is to pay] her for the
dishonor five grivnas of gold, and the Metropolitan five grivnas of gold,
and the prince punishes [him]; and if she be [the daughter] of lesser
boyars, [he is to pay] her three grivnas of gold for the dishonor, and three
grivnas of gold to the Metropolitan; and if she be [the daughter] of
townspeople, [he is to pay] her three grivnas of silver or a ruble for the
dishonor, and the same amount to the Metropolitan; and if she be a farmer's
wife [he is to pay] sixty rezanas, and three grivnas to the Metropolitan.

32. If someone shaves the hair off someone's head or beard, [he is to pay]
the Metropolitan twelve grivnas, and the prince punishes [him].

33. If a man has stolen hemp or flax or any [sort of] grain, or if a woman
[has stolen it], [the guilty party is to pay] the Metropolitan three
grivnas.

34. If a man steals white clothes, and linen and pieces of cloth, [he is to
pay] the Metropolitan three grivnas. Likewise a woman [is to pay if she has
stolen these things].

35. If someone steals the wedding [fee] and betrothal [fee], everything
[goes] to the Metropolitan.

36. If the cheese be cut for the sake of a girl [thereby sealing a marriage
agreement according to pagan ritual], [those who engage in this ritual are
to pay] one grivna for [using] the cheese, and [pay] her [the girl] three
grivnas for the dishonor, and whatever is lost, [repay] her, and six grivnas
to the Metropolitan, and the prince punishes [them].

37. If a wife steals from her husband, and he catches her, [she is to pay]
three grivnas to the Metropolitan, and her husband punishes her, but for
this do not divorce them.

38. If [a wife] steals from a storage room, treat her in the same way.

39. If a daughter-in-law steals from her father-in-law, they shall carry out
the same [procedure] on her.

40. If a woman be a maker of charms, or a witch, or a pagan sorceress, or a
maker of potions, then her husband, having caught her [doing these things],
punishes her but does not separate from her, and the Metropolitan is [to be
paid] six grivnas.

41. If two men fight like women, either tearing at the skin [with their
nails] or biting, [they are to pay] the Metropolitan twelve grivnas [of fur]
or one grivna [of gold].

42. If a woman beats her husband, [she is to pay] the Metropolitan three
grivnas.

43. If two women fight, [exact] from the guilty [party] either 60 rezanas or
six grivnas.

44. If some man beats another man's wife, [he is to pay] her for the
dishonor as the law [prescribes], and six grivnas to the Metropolitan.

45. If a son beats his father or mother, let them punish him with the
ruler's punishment, and [he stands as] guilty before the Metropolitan, [and
take] such a youth into a church house [monastery].

46. If a monk, or nun, or priest, or priest's wife, or widow, or the woman
who bakes the Eucharist bread, or a sexton falls into fornication, the
Metropolitan is to judge them separately from laymen, and [he is] free to
condemn them to whatever [he pleases].

47. If a girl wishes to marry, but her father and mother do not allow her
[to marry], and she causes [some harm] to herself, the father and mother are
guilty before the Metropolitan. Likewise with a youth [whose parents
prevented him from marrying].

48. If a priest, or monk, or nun gets drunk at an inappropriate time [eg.,
during Lent], [he or she] is guilty before the Metropolitan.

49. If someone sets fire to a house, or threshing floor, or anything else,
[he is to pay] the Metropolitan 40 grivnas, and the prince punishes [him].

50. If someone eats pagan food by his own volition, whether it be mare's
meat, or bear's meat, or any other forbidden meat, he is guilty before the
Metropolitan and [is subject] to punishment [by him].

51. If a priest christens children in the district of another priest, except
in an emergency or during [the infant's] illness [which threatens its life],
that [priest who] celebrates a christening not in his own district [but in
another], he is guilty before the Metropolitan.

52. Do not eat or drink with those who are not baptized or with a foreigner
or [with anyone] from our own people if he be not baptized, until he is
baptized. And whoever knowingly eats and drinks [with unbaptized persons]
will be guilty before the Metropolitan.

53. If someone eats and drinks with those who are excommunicated he will
himself be excommunicated.

54. If someone engages in intercourse with a Muslim or Jewish woman, and he
does not separate [from her], let him be excommunicated from the Church and
from Christians, and [he is to pay] the Metropolitan twelve grivnas.

55. If a monk or nun renounces [his or her] vows, [he or she is to pay] the
Metropolitan 40 grivnas.

56. And for these causes divorce a man from his wife.

And this is the first cause. If a wife hears from other people that they
plot against the tsar, or against the prince, but she does not tell her
husband about this, and later is discovered [to have known about the plot],
divorce them.

And this is the second cause. If a man catches his wife with an adulterer or
initiates a case against her [on the basis of testimony given] by good
witnesses, divorce them.

And this is the third cause. If a woman plots against her own husband with
poison or with other people, if she has come to know that [other people]
wish to kill or murder her husband, but she says nothing to her husband, and
later this comes to light, divorce [them].

And this is the fourth cause. If a wife without her husband's permission
goes [around] with other people, or drinks or eats [with them], or sleeps
outside his house, and then the husband finds out, divorce [them].

And this is the fifth cause. If a wife without her husband's permission goes
to the pagan dances either in the day or at night, and her husband finds
out, but she does not obey [his command to stop these activities], divorce
her.

And this is the sixth cause. If a wife leads thieves against her husband,
orders [them] to rob the house of her husband, or herself robs [him], having
stolen [his] goods or [goods] from a church, and gives [the stolen property]
to others, for this divorce them.

57. And whatever goes on among monastery people and among church people, and
in the monasteries themselves, neither the prince nor his lieutenant [is to]
interfere in that, and the Metropolitan's lieutenants have jurisdiction over
these [matters], and their escheated estates go to the Metropolitan's
lieutenant.

58. If someone violates my statute and transgresses my regulation, whether
my sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, someone from among my kinsmen,
or boyars from among the boyar kinsmen of my boyars; if they transgress my
ordinances and interfere in the Metropolitan's court, and in the church
courts which I have given to the Metropolitan and the bishops according to
the canons of the Holy Fathers, having judged [them], punish them severely
according to the law.

59. If someone shall judge [these cases that are in church jurisdiction], he
shall stand with me at Judgment before God, and may the curse of the three
hundred and eighteen holy fathers who were in Nicea [A.D. 325, First Council
of Nicea] [and the curse] of all the saints be upon him. Amen.

SOURCE: The Laws of Rus'--Tenth to Fifteenth Centuries, tr., ed. Daniel H.
Kaiser (Salt Lake City: Charles Schlacks Publisher, 1992), 45-50.

[Jason Yuschenko]

Found a copy, but the translations of types of people are wrong.

Yaroslav is just social/religious sanctions.

If you dishonored a woman back then, you were fucked. Punishment by the
Prince was usually years of labor.
Women were accountable tho, too.

Jason Y