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Revision as of 14:35, 6 March 2002 by 128.100.141.23 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Bohdan Zenovii Khmelnytsky (c. 1595 - August 6, 1657) also Chmielnicki (Polish) or Khmelnitsky (Russian)
Born in Chyhyryn, Ukraine, he was a Zaporozhian Cossack leader (hetman), noted for leading a Ukrainian Cossack and peasant popular rebellion and war against the Polish magnates in Ukraine, which began in 1648. It was the start of a series of campaigns that temporarily freed Ukraine from Polish domination. Military successes at at Zhovti Vody, Korsun and Pyliavtsi led to Khmelnytsky being paid-off by the Polish king and gained numerous privileges for the Cossacks at the Treaty of Zboriv. However, when hostilities resumed Khmelnytsky's forces suffered a massive defeat in 1651 at the Battle of Berestechko and were forced at Bila Tserkva to accept a loser's treaty. A year later the Cossacks had their revenge at the Battle of Batih, after which Khmelnytsky had all the high-ranking captives murdered. Ukraine was still perilously weak, and in 1654 Khmelnytsky persuaded the Cossacks to ally with the Muscovite tsar through the so-called Pereyaslav Agreement, which had poor results for Ukraine after Khmelnytsky's death (the Polish-Muscovite Treaty of Andrusovo in 1667).