Ivan Mazepa

The Cossack Hetman who sided with Sweden in the Great Northern War and died in exile after defeat.

Life

Noble

Mazepa came from the Ukrainian nobility, was educated at the Polish court, and was elected Hetman of Left-bank Ukraine in 1687. He long enjoyed the trust of Peter the Great and built many churches and schools.

Hetman

During the Great Northern War, fearing that Peter the Great would abolish Cossack self-government, he secretly went over to Charles XII, King of Sweden, in 1708. Russian troops promptly burned the Hetman's capital, Baturyn.

Poltava

In 1709 the Swedish-Cossack coalition suffered a crushing defeat at Poltava; he fled with Charles XII to the Ottoman Empire and died the same year.

Legacy

In Ukraine, Mazepa is seen as a figure who fought for self-government, while in Russia he was long regarded as a traitor; Byron, Pushkin and Liszt all created works about him.

Did you know? The Russian Orthodox Church once pronounced an anathema against him.

Key dates

• 1687Elected Hetman
• 1708Sides with Sweden
• 1709Defeated at Poltava; dies