Ukraine in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 1440-1648

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EuroDocs > History of Ukraine: Primary Documents > Ukraine in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 1440-1648

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• Documents from Ukrainian history

(15th-18th century; Ukrainian facsimiles and transcriptions)

• Memorandum of Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigizmund Keistutovich about confirmation of the rights and privileges to the Lithuanian and Russian dukes and boyars of Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Document includes rights of Lithuanian and Russian dukes to manage their properties on their own choice, equal rights of judicial procedures for Lithuanian and Russian dukes and boyars, and obligation for the renovation of the roads and castles.

Document gives recognition to the Russian dukes and boyars and confirms all Polish privileges for them.

(May 6, 1434; Russian translation)

• Lublinska Uniya

Document about decision of Lublen Seym to unite Poland and Lithuania into one country: Rech’ Pospolita.

Document determines laws about king, Seym, money, and trade taxes.

(1569; Ukrainian translation)

• Union of Brest

Document contains articles regarding conditions of coexistence of Catholic and Orthodox churches.

(1595; English translation)

• Kurukivskyi Treaty

Document includes order of Polish King to create registration of Cossacks. The document gives permission for certain amount of Cossacks to be placed for settlement, and lists their obligations while appointing a hetman over Cossacks.

Oath of allegiance of hetman Doroshenko and Cossacks.

(October 27, 1625; Ukrainian translation)

• Ordination of Zaporozhskyi Army

Document includes the order of Polish King to appoint a Polish representative over registered Cossacks and limits Cossack military activity.

(1638; Ukrainian translation)

• Manifesto of Hetman Ostrynytsya

Document discusses physical, religious, and economic domination of Polish nobilities over Ukrainians. Hetman appeals to Ukrainian men who live in Ukrainian cities to join Zporizhskyi Cossacks and prepare to fight against Polish nobilities.

(March 20,1638; commentary, Russian translation, 1857)

• Letter of Bohdan Khmelnytsky to Polish King Vladislav IV

Document contains apology of Khmelnitsky for the captivity of Polish high-ranking military officials.

(May,1648; Russian translation)

• Letter of Bohdan Khmelnytsky to Tzar Oleksiy Mikhailovych

Document describes victories of Cossacks over Polish troops. Khmelnytsky appeals to Moscow Tsar, as true Orthodox Tsar, to take the Polish throne and promises that Cossacks will serve and support the Tsar in taking it.

(June 8,1648; Old Ukrainian transcription)

• Complaints of Cossack’s ambassadors who were sent by Bohdan Khmelnytsky to the Seym in Warsaw

Document lists complaints about economic oppression, high taxes, and robbery of Cossacks and other Ukrainian people by Polish nobilities and high military officials.

(July,1648; Ukrainian transcription)

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EuroDocs > History of Ukraine: Primary Documents > Ukraine in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 1440-1648

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EuroDocs Creator: Richard Hacken, European Studies Librarian,
Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
Feel free to get in touch: Hacken @ byu.edu