Hryhoriy Hulyanytsky

Who was Hryhoriy Hulyanytsky?

Hryhoriy Hulyanytsky was a Ukrainian Cossack, polkovnyk, a skilled warrior and a shrewd politician.

Hryhoriy Hulyanytsky was born to a family of small Ukrainian gentry in the town of Korsun,. His date of birth and earlier period of life is unknown.

During the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648-54, Hulyanytsky was sent by hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky's as envoy to Muscovy. He went to Moscow on two occasions in 1649 and in 1654 to help negotiate the terms of the Treaty of Pereyaslav.

Hryhoriy Hulyanytsky was appointed polkovnyk of Nizhyn in, and polkovnyk of Korsun regiments in.

With the onset of the period of Ukrainian history known as the Ruin and during the civil war that followed, Hryhory Hulyanytsky was an ardent supporter of hetman Ivan Vyhovsky and his pro-Polish policies. In particular, his participation was instrumental in defeat of pro-Moscow adversaries of Vyhovsky Martyn Pushkar and Iakiv Barabash in 1657–1658.

During the civil war and the Muscovite invasion in 1658–1659 he made several daring attacks against invading forces and Moscow's supporters. Hylyanytsky was also among several prominent Cossacks, who wrote a famous letter to Ivan Bezpalyi – the then appointed hetman by Moscow – not to betray his country and Vyhovsky.