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Anton Andreyevich Golovaty (Template:Lang-ru, Template:Lang-ua Antin Andriyovvch Holovaty; 1744 – January 28 [O.S. February 19] 1797) was the founder of the Black Sea Cossack Host which later would become the Kuban Cossack Host.

Early years

Golovaty was born in Kiev and studied at the Kiev-Mohyla Academy, which he left in 1756, and joined the Kushchivsky kuren of the Pidpelnensky Sich. It is thought that the reason for this was to complete his studies as an officer as this was the only manner to become successful, and in the 1760s was elected to be the Ataman of that Kuren, which helped him raise his social standing.

By 1764, because of his education and being literate he received the rank of colonel and was given the position of Military secretary. In that year as part of the Zaporozhian delegation headed by kosh ataman Fedorov, Golovaty was a delegate at the coronation of Catherine II of Russia and recieved and was awarded with silver medal by her.

Knowing that the end of the Crimean Khanate would result in the eventual dissolution of the Zaporozhian Host, and put forward a plan to re-organize the Sich and lands it owned in a manner similar to how the Don Cossack Host was organised. This project was given for consideration to Russian authorities, but was not accepted. Instead in 1775 the Zaporozhian Sich was dissolved and his plans were exposed to other Zaporozhians who ceased to trust him.

post-Zaporozhian life

With the destruction of the Zaporozhian Sich in 1775 only a few of the higher level Cossacks were repressed, and Golovaty owning to his Captain in the Russian Cavalry which he had obtained form the Empress, was granted an official nobility (dvoryanstvo) title and recieved lands which he began to build a farming enterprise on.

However, despite the dissolution Zaporozhian Host, a threat arose from the Ottoman Empire, and was strengthened by the several runaway Zaporozhians who formed the Danubian Sich. He served as chancellor of the Zaporozhian Host and colonel of the Boh Cossack Army.

With the Russo-Turkish War imminnent Grigory Potemkin in 1787 put Golovaty as the Ataman of the new Host of the loyal Zaporozhians made from ex-Zaporozhian volunteers and Golovaty is placed as his Host judge.

Settlement in the Kuban

The new host, renamed the Black Sea Cossacks in 1788 played a crucial role in the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792), and for that the Russian Empress rewarded them with the Kuban territory in the North Caucasus, an uninhabited steppe region that was gained by the Russian Empire in 1784, which was nonetheless crucial as a foothold for the Russian expansion into the Caucasus. A total of 25,000 men made the migration in 1792-93, settling on the regions north of the Kuban River.

Golovaty was the new head of the Host, he set his priorities in forming the new defense line against Circassian raids. (see Caucasus War). The first 40 kurens on the Kuban, (later stanitsas) and the host city of Yekaterinodar are built under his supervision. After the death of Ataman Zakhary Chepega, the Host elects Golovaty as the new Ataman, but he never finds out of his title, as during that time his men were taken part in the ill-fated Persian Expedition of 1796 where commanded two corps of Black Sea Cossacks. Two weeks after his election, on 28 January 1797, Golovaty dies on the Kamyshevan peninusla. His title of Ataman is passed onto General Feodor Bursak, also an ex-Zaporozhian. --Kuban Cossack 15:22, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

Cultural figure

Golovaty was a renowned poet in his day. To his pen are dedicated a number of poems some of which became songs in the Ukrainian language. It is known that Taras Shevchenko noted some down and included them in his kobzar. Shevchenko originally mentioned Golovaty in a number of his poems, however reflecting on Golovaty's later actions removed his name. He also drew a portrait of him.

Because of his noble education he was also well versed in music and was an accomplished bandura player.

Notes

1. V.Golubtsky Black Sea Cossack Host from the Large Soviet Encyclopedia Retrieved on 22nd April 2007.

Sources

Encyclopedia of the Ukrainian Cossacks - Published by the Zaporizhia State University

• 1732 births
• 1797 deaths
• Bandurists
• Cossacks