HARVARD UKRAINIAN STUDIES - See also - Harvard University

DOCUMENT ARTICLESSix Unpublished Letters ofBohdan Khmel'nyts'kyi(1656-1657)Α. Β. PERNALOn 26 May 1648 a relatively obscure petty noble, at one time a loyalregistrant of "His Majesty's Zaporozhian Army," spurred his followerson to a victory over the Polish Crown troops near Korsun'. The nameof this Cossack leader, shouted out in jubilation that day by hisfollowers at the edge of the vast Ukrainian steppe, soon resoundedthroughout Europe.It is not an easy task to give a comprehensive analysis of the majoraccomplishments of this man — Bohdan Khmel'nyts'kyi (ca. 1595-1657). The Cossack hetman was a person of great complexity. Thecontroversy which was set in motion during his life developed into astorm of polemic after his death. Hence, historians must exercisecaution in their use of all sources relating to him. Since the primaryand secondary research materials often furnish conflicting information,historians are obliged to reason carefully in making deductions fromthem.The contemporaries of Khmel'nyts'kyi, especially those who wereinfluenced, directly or indirectly, by the policies he pursued, tended toview his actions either very positively or very negatively. To hissupporters he was truly "God-given," the new "Moses" who wouldfree them from the yoke of bondage and lead them to a promised landwithout landlords. 1His opponents, on the other hand, held him1Journal of Wojciech Miaskowski, chamberlain of Lviv, Pereiaslav, 23 February1649: [Jakub Michałowski, сотр.], Jakuba Michałowskiego Wojskiego lubelskiegoa później kasztelana bieckiego księga pamiętnicza z dawnego rękopisma będą-