Bagro S. The concept of “fatherland” in the Cossack political rhetoric (the second half of the 17th – the beginning of the 18th century)

The general scope of the dissertation paper is inspired by the recent historiographical turn in Ukrainian studies in the values of pre-modern societies. One of such value guides for Cossacks was the concept of “fatherland”. Despite the fact that some scholars have already explored the usage of this notion in specific cases, there was not any broad studies from the aforementioned point of view. In attempt to understand the semantic field of the concept “fatherland”, the author relied on various textual material: political propaganda, epistolae of Cossack leaders, agreements with different sides of the conflict. Moreover, a particular source is contemporary dictionaries which represent a general linguistic use of the concept in the Cossack society. During the Bohdan Khmelnitsky uprisal the concept of “fatherland” still pertained to the one mutual with political discourse of Rzecz Pospolita, though it labeled Cossack society in contrast to the corporation of nobility. Diversely, seeking military aid from Muscovite czar against forces of Rzecz Pospolita, Khmelnitsky began to exploit the term “Little Russia” as a hereditary land (otchina) of the Muscovite monarch. Despite being on confronting sides during the period of troubles after Khmelnitsky’s death, Cossack leaders endeavoured to preserve the unity of their common “fatherland”. All the hetmans using ad hoc military aid of the nearby great powers, be it Rzecz Pospolita, Muscovite Czardom or Ottoman empire, strived to gain the support of their subjects by continuously referring to the inextricable importance of preserving the unity and control over the lands which were gain under the rule of Bohdan Khmelnitsky.