Ivan Dmytrovych Sirko ( – August 11, 1680) was a Zaporozhian Cossack military leader, Koshovyi Otaman of the

Zaporozhian Host The Zaporozhian Host (), or Zaporozhian Sich () is a term for a military force inhabiting or originating from Zaporizhzhia, the territory in what is Southern and Central Ukraine today, beyond the rapids of the Dnieper River, from the 15th to th ...

and putative co-author of the famous semi-legendary Cossack letter to the Ottoman sultan that inspired the major painting '' Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks'' by the 19th-century artist

Ilya Repin Ilya Yefimovich Repin ( – 29 September 1930) was a Russian painter, born in what is today Ukraine. He became one of the most renowned artists in Russian Empire, Russia in the 19th century. His major works include ''Barge Haulers on the Volga' ...

Early life and origin

The first biography of Ivan Sirko, written by Dmytro Yavornytsky in 1890, gave Sirko's place of birth as the

sloboda A sloboda was a type of settlement in the history of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The name is derived from the early Slavic word for 'freedom' and may be loosely translated as 'free settlement'.

of Merefa near the modern-day city of

Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

. Historian Yuriy Mytsyik states that this could not be the case. In his book ''Otaman Ivan Sirko''Otaman Ivan Sirko by Yuriy Mytsyik
(1999) he writes that Merefa was established only in 1658 (more than 40 years after the birth of the future Otaman). The author also notes that Sirko later in his life did actually live in Merefa with his family on his own estate, and according to some earlier local chronicles there even existed a small settlement called Sirkivka. However, Mytsyik also points out that in 1658–1660 Sirko served as a colonel of the Kalnyk Polk (a military and administrative division of the

Cossack Hetmanate The Cossack Hetmanate (; Cossack Hetmanate#Name, see other names), officially the Zaporozhian Host (; ), was a Ukrainian Cossacks, Cossack state. Its territory was located mostly in central Ukraine, as well as in parts of Belarus and southwest ...

) in

Podilia Podolia or Podillia is a historic region in Eastern Europe located in the west-central and southwestern parts of Ukraine and northeastern Moldova (i.e. northern Transnistria). Podolia is bordered by the Dniester River and Southern Bug, Boh River. ...

, a position usually awarded to the representative of a local population. The author also gives a reference to the letter of Ivan Samiylovych to kniaz G. Romodanovsky (the

Tsar Tsar (; also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar''; ; ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, цар, car) is a title historically used by Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word '' caesar'', which was intended to mean ''emperor'' in the Euro ...

's voyevoda) in which the

Hetman ''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...

refers to Sirko as one born in Polish lands instead of in

Sloboda Ukraine Sloboda Ukraine, also known locally as ''Slobozhanshchyna'' or ''Slobozhanshchina'', is a historical region in northeastern Ukraine and southwestern Russia. It developed from Belgorod Razriad and flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries on the ...

(part of

Tsardom of Russia The Tsardom of Russia, also known as the Tsardom of Moscow, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of tsar by Ivan the Terrible, Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter the Great in 1721. ...

). Mytsyik also recalls that another historian, Volodymyr Borysenko, allowed for the possibility that Sirko was born in Murafa near the city of Sharhorod (now in

Vinnytsia Oblast Vinnytsia Oblast (, ), also referred to as Vinnychchyna (), is an oblasts of Ukraine, oblast in central Ukraine. Its capital city, administrative center is Vinnytsia. The oblast has a population of History Vinnytsia Oblast, first established on ...

). The author explains during that time when people were fleeing the war (known as the ''Ruin'', 1659–1686) they may have established a similarly named town in

further east. Further, Mytsyik in his book states that Sirko probably was not of Cossack heritage, but rather of the Ukrainian ( Ruthenian) Orthodox

szlachta The ''szlachta'' (; ; ) were the nobility, noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Depending on the definition, they were either a warrior "caste" or a social ...

. Mytsyik points out that a local Podilian nobleman, Wojciech Sirko, married a certain Olena Kozynska sometime in 1592. Also in official letters the Polish administration referred to Sirko as ''urodzonim'', implying a native-born Polish subject. Mytsyik states that Sirko stood about 174–176 cm tall and had a birthmark on the right side of the lower lip, a detail which

failed to depict in his artwork when he used General Dragomirov as a model of Otaman Sirko. Mytsyik also recalls the letter of the Field

of the Crown

John III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( (); (); () 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility, Sobieski was educated at the Jagiellonian University and toured Eur ...

(later king of Poland) which referred to Sirko as: According to Ivan Sobchenko, Sirko's father was Dmitry Sirko, which correlates with Ivan Sirko's

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...

name (Dmytrovych). Sobchenko states that Dmitry Sirko was a Ukrainian Cossack from Murafa, elected as

ataman Ataman (variants: ''otaman'', ''wataman'', ''vataman''; ; ) was a title of Cossack and haidamak leaders of various kinds. In the Russian Empire, the term was the official title of the supreme military commanders of the Cossack armies. The Ukra ...

of Murafa

sotnia A sotnia ( Ukrainian and , ) was a military unit and administrative division in some Slavic countries. Sotnia, deriving back to 1248, has been used in a variety of contexts in both Ukraine and Russia to this day. It is a helpful word to create ...

of the Bratslav regiment. Ivan Sirko was born in nobility before his family lost its right to

gentry Gentry (from Old French , from ) are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. ''Gentry'', in its widest connotation, refers to people of good social position connected to Landed property, landed es ...

. It's generally accepted that Ivan Sirko was of Ukrainian ethnicity. However, Paul Robert Magocsi states in his book that Ivan Sirko was a Ukrainian Cossack of Romanian origin. Sirko's father is identified as a Ukrainian of either Ruthenian or Cossack Orthodox nobility. Sirko's mother is identified as a native of

Podolia Podolia or Podillia is a historic region in Eastern Europe located in the west-central and southwestern parts of Ukraine and northeastern Moldova (i.e. northern Transnistria). Podolia is bordered by the Dniester River and Boh River. It features ...

, but information about her exact ethnic background is scarce, possibly having Romanian origin.

Sotnik

Raids on Varna & Perekop

In 1620, Sirko held the rank of Sotnik, taking part in his first recorded campaign against the

Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...

. He led his detachment of

Cossacks The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic languages, East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borde ...

in a campaign against Varna, sacking it. Afterwards, he raided Crimean city of Perekop.

Battle of Khotyn 1621

In 1621, Ukrainian Cossack Hetman, Petro Sahaidachny gathered an army of

Zaporozhian Cossacks The Zaporozhian Cossacks (in Latin ''Cossacorum Zaporoviensis''), also known as the Zaporozhian Cossack Army or the Zaporozhian Host (), were Cossacks who lived beyond (that is, downstream from) the Dnieper Rapids. Along with Registered Cossa ...

against the Ottoman army that threatened the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, along with other regions. Sirko with his detachment took part in the Battle of Khotyn, inflicting heavy losses on Ottoman

Janissaries A janissary (, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops. They were the first modern standing army, and perhaps the first infantry force in the world to be equipped with firearms, adopted du ...

Raid on Istanbul 1629

In 1629, Sirko took part in a raid on

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

organized by

Bohdan Khmelnytsky Zynoviy Bohdan Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky of the Abdank coat of arms (Ruthenian language, Ruthenian: Ѕѣнові Богданъ Хмелнiцкiи; modern , Polish language, Polish: ; 15956 August 1657) was a Ruthenian nobility, Ruthenian noble ...

, the future Ukrainian Cossack Hetman.

ravaged Turkish villages in vicinity of

and took large amount of loot during the raid.

Siege of Azov

In 1637, Sirko took part in the capture of

Azov Azov (, ), previously known as Azak ( Turki/ Kypchak: ), is a town in Rostov Oblast, Russia, situated on the Don River just from the Sea of Azov, which derives its name from the town. The population is History Early settlements in the vici ...

fortress by the Zaporozhian and

Don Cossacks Don Cossacks (, ) or Donians (, ), are Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don River (Russia), Don. Historically, they lived within the former Don Cossack Host (, ), which was either an independent or an autonomous democratic rep ...

defeated the Ottoman

and captured the

fortress.

remained in

, while

returned to the Sich with loot and captives. Sirko later joined the

garrison which had 700

among them, which later grew to 1,000 Zaporozhians. Zaporozhian and

defended Azov from Ottoman attacks in 1641.

Colonel

Thirty Years' War

In 1644, Sirko appears in historical sources as Polkovnyk (Colonel) of

Vinnytsia Vinnytsia ( ; , ) is a city in west-central Ukraine, located on the banks of the Southern Bug. It serves as the administrative centre, administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast. It is the largest city in the historic region of Podillia. It also s ...

. Ukrainian and some French historians mention involvement of 2,000–2,500

led by Ivan Sirko during the Siege of Dunkirk in 1646.

Khmelnytsky Uprising

Sirko supported

during the uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and took an active part in it. He distinguished himself at the Battles of Zhovti Vody, Korsun, Pyliavtsi,

Zboriv Zboriv (, ; ; ; ) is a small List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ternopil Raion, Ternopil Oblast, western Ukraine. It is located in the historical region of Galicia (Central Europe), Galicia. The local government is administered by Zboriv City Cou ...

, Batih and Zhvanets.

Chortomlyk Sich

Sirko changed his political orientation several times. In 1654, he initially opposed the alliance with Moscow during the Pereyaslav Rada, departing to Chortomlyk Sich to protect the southern borders of

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

from Crimean-Nogai raids. In 1655, Sirko launched a campaign into

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

to thwart planned Tatar campaign into

. Together with the

, he captured Taman Peninsula, an important strategic point that controlled the

Kerch Strait The Kerch Strait is a strait in Eastern Europe. It connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea in the west from the Taman Peninsula of Russia's Krasnodar Krai in the east. The strait is to wide and up ...

. Cossacks kept the Azov Sea locked for two months and the population in terror.

Kosh Otaman

Russo-Polish War

In 1659, he was elected as Kosh Otaman of the

Zaporizhian Host The Zaporozhian Host (), or Zaporozhian Sich () is a term for a military force inhabiting or originating from Zaporizhzhia, the territory in what is Southern and Central Ukraine today, beyond the rapids of the Dnieper River, from the 15th to the ...

, allying with

. Together with the Russian Prince Trubetski fought against the

Crimean Khanate The Crimean Khanate, self-defined as the Throne of Crimea and Desht-i Kipchak, and in old European historiography and geography known as Little Tartary, was a Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatar state existing from 1441 to 1783, the longest-lived of th ...

. In 1660, he launched a major campaign against the Ottoman fortresses of

Ochakiv Ochakiv (, ), also known as Ochakov (; ; or, archaically, ) and Alektor (), is a small city in Mykolaiv Raion, Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of southern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Ochakiv urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. ...

and Aslam-Kermen. He took large number of captives during both campaigns. Sirko defeated

Tatars Tatars ( )Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary are a group of Turkic peoples across Eas ...

in a major battle on , freeing 15,000 Christian slaves. In 1663, together with

Tsarist Tsarist autocracy (), also called Tsarism, was an autocracy, a form of absolute monarchy in the Grand Duchy of Moscow and its successor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire. In it, the Tsar possessed in principle authority and ...

and Kalmyk troops, he inflicted a heavy defeat on

Tatars Tatars ( )Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary are a group of Turkic peoples across Eas ...

and Ottoman Janissaries during the Siege of Perekop, ravaging many Tatar settlements and taking large number of captives, forcing the

to reduce their support to Poland-Lithuania. In 1664, he was one of the inspirators of an uprising in

Right-bank Ukraine The Right-bank Ukraine is a historical and territorial name for a part of modern Ukraine on the right (west) bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding to the modern-day oblasts of Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, as well as the western parts o ...

against Poland which is known from his letter to the Tsar.

Career

Sirko has been elected by the

as Kosh Otaman 8 times. He was the first Cossack Otaman to ally with

Kalmyks Kalmyks (), archaically anglicised as Calmucks (), are the only Mongolic ethnic group living in Europe, residing in the easternmost part of the European Plain. This dry steppe area, west of the lower Volga River, known among the nomads as ...

against Tatars. Sirko was respected by Kalmyks, stating they only wanted to participate in his campaigns. In October 1667, Sirko launched a campaign against the

, during which he sacked Kaffa. He freed 2,000 Christian slaves, while taking thousands of Tatars as captives. This campaign caused so much panic in

that Khan Adil Giray took refuge in

Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...

. Despite his pro-Moscow orientation, he distrusted and hated pro-Russian Hetman Ivan Briukhovetsky, but at the same time married his son Roman to Briukhovetsky's daughter. In 1668, this rivalry even forced Ivan Sirko to switch sides again and briefly join Petro Doroshenko in his fight against "Muscovite

boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Bulgaria, Kievan Rus' (and later Russia), Moldavia and Wallachia (and later Romania), Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. C ...

s and

Voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...

s" during Left-Bank Uprising, where he notably fought the Russian Tsarist forces during his campaign, but in 1670, once again Sirko pledged loyalty to the Tsar. Sirko besieged Ochakiv and Ismail, capturing these Ottoman strongholds. Sirko played an important role in Cossack campaigns and raids against the

Nogai Horde The Nogai Horde was a confederation founded by the Nogais that occupied the Pontic–Caspian steppe from about 1500 until they were pushed west by the Kalmyks and south by the Russians in the 17th century. The Mongol tribe called the Manghuds con ...

and

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. Sirko put emphasis on taking Turks, Tatars and other

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

peoples as captives during Cossack campaigns and raids.

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

were also recorded to have been targeted by Cossack raids. Captives taken during their campaigns and raids could be used for

ransom Ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release. It also refers to the sum of money paid by the other party to secure a captive's freedom. When ransom means "payment", the word ...

or sold into

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

to various states. Sirko's campaigns and raids were so problematic, that Sultan Mehmed IV issued a

firman A firman (; ), at the constitutional level, was a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in an Islamic state. During various periods such firmans were collected and applied as traditional bodies of law. The English word ''firman'' co ...

to the

mosques A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were simple p ...

to pray for the death of Ivan Sirko. Following the death of Demian Mnohohrishny in 1672, Sirko entered the struggle for the

title, but was exiled by the Russian

Tobolsk Tobolsk (, ) is a town in Tyumen Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tobol and Irtysh rivers. Founded in 1587, Tobolsk is the second-oldest Russian settlement east of the Ural Mountains in Asian Russia, and was the historic capita ...

Siberia Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...

. However, Mehmed IV took advantage of the absence of Ivan Sirko, in spring the 300,000-strong Ottoman army crossed the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

and invaded

threatened to devastate not only

, but also the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and

. Sirko's absence eased the pressure of the Turkish-Tatar aggression to such an extent that they felt permissive.

Russo-Turkish War

In 1673, Russian

returned Sirko back to

, reportedly at the request of

and other European states concerned about the growing Ottoman threat. Sirko once again fought against Tatars and Turks. He captured the Arslan fortress, and for the second time captured

. He sacked Tighina, massacring or enslaving all inhabitants. Same year, he launched a campaign against the

and

. Author of History of Ruthenians described his campaign in

: False son of

Alexi, "Tsarevich" Simeon, came to Sich in 1673, after the defeat of Razin's Revolt. Simeon told Ivan Sirko, that after he escaped from a plot against him in Moscow, he had joined Stenka Razin's Cossacks and secretly supported their rebellion, before coming to Zaporizhian Sich, Sich with Ataman Ivan Miiuska. Thereafter he planned to go in secret to Kyiv, and then to the Polish King. However, Sirko later sent the impersonator to Moscow, where he was executed a year later. In 1674, when the rivers froze, Turkish-Tatar forces Battle of Sich (1674), launched a campaign into

. The campaign was unsuccessful, Turkish-Tatar troops were forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses. Sirko wanted revenge for the attack, this inspired his Crimean Campaign (1675), Crimean Campaign in 1675. During the campaign, he sacked the capital of the

, Bakhchysarai. He freed 7,000 Christian slaves, while taking thousands of Tatars and Turks as captives. However, Sirko discovered that 3,000 of the freed Christian slaves wanted to go back to

, a lot of whom actually converted to Islam, so he ordered their execution. After execution, Sirko is quoted to have said: Despite Sirko's brutality during warfare and towards those he viewed as traitors; Tatars respected him for his fairness during the times of peace. Ivan Samoylovych, Hetman Samoylovych complained to Otaman Sirko for allowing Tatar herds to graze on Cossack land. Ivan Sirko replied to Samoylovych: In 1676, the

defeated Ottoman army in a major battle, however, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed IV still demanded that the Cossacks submit to Turkish rule.

led by Ivan Sirko replied in an uncharacteristic manner: they wrote a letter, replete with insults and profanities, which later became the subject of Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, a painting by

. Petro Doroshenko, Doroshenko resigned and offered the

's insignia to Sirko, which he accepted.Kohut, Zenon E (2005). Historical dictionary of Ukraine. p. 538. Sirko launched frequent attacks on Turkish-Tatar forces, which helped to halt Turkish-Tatar advance into Right-Bank Ukraine in 1678. Despite capturing Chyhyryn during Chyhyryn Campaign (1678), the campaign, Turkish-Tatar forces were soon forced to abandon it, after being weakened by the fighting and constant raids of Ivan Sirko. In 1679, he set out to "scare the entire Crimea". The brave men then devastated a number of settlements and reached as far as Bakhchiserai. The Khan apparently escaped to the mountains. Having freed many prisoners, the Cossacks returned with the loot to Zaporozhye. After a series of defeats suffered by the Turkish-Tatar forces against

, Sirko with

sent a reply to Crimean Khanate, Crimean Khan (title), Khan Murad Giray. They wrote: Sirko repelled the Stand on the Sich (1679), second invasion of Sich of Turkish-Tatar army. Later, he fell ill and retired from Sich to the village of Hrushivka.

Burial

Sirko died at his estate Hrushivka (today Dnipro Raion, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast) on August 11 , 1680. Next day he was buried near the Chortomlyk Sich. In 1709 the Moscow Army totally destroyed the Sich and the grave of the Otaman Sirko was not fixed until 1734. The Cossacks replaced the broken cross with a memorial rock that has survived to the present, but they erroneously marked the date of his death as May 4. On November 1967, the Kakhovka Reservoir was threatening the Otaman Sirko's burial site, causing him to be reburied near the village of Kapulivka, Nikopol Raion, but without his skull. Sirko's skull was sent to the Moscow laboratory of the sculptor Mikhail Gerasimov (archaeologist), Mikhail Gerasimov, who aimed to recreate the portrait of the legendary Otaman. It was not until 1987 when writer Yuriy Mushketyk remembered the 'Beheaded Otaman' and wrote a letter to the Association for Preservation of History and Culture of Ukraine. On July 15, 1990 the member of parliament from People's Movement of Ukraine, Rukh, Volodymyr Yavorivsky called for Sirko's skull to be brought back from Moscow.Heorhii Kasianov (2018). Memory Crash: Politics of History in and Around Ukraine, 1980s–2010s. p. 210. The journal ''Pamyatky Ukrainy'' (Attractions of Ukraine) responded to the calls in 1990 and after 23 years with the help of anthropologist Serhiy Seheda the remains of Ivan Sirko were returned to his native land.

Influences

Sirko's military career is legendary. According to Dmytro Yavornytsky, Sirko took part in 55 Cossack raids, Cossack campaigns and never lost a battle. With new information available, Sirko's record could be increased to 65 victories in battles. New sources reveal a larger number of campaigns in which Sirko was involved during his career, but so far, Sirko wasn't proven to have definitely lost any battle. Sirko's exploits gained the attention of Europe, with chroniclers such as Wespazjan Kochowski writing about him. Sirko became infamous among Turks and Tatars, installing fear. They reportedly named Sirko the "Rus' people, Rus' Devil" (Urus Shaitan), signifying his reputation as an invincible Cossack leader. Polish chronicler Wespazjan Kochowski characterised Sirko the following way: Author of History of Ruthenians gave the following impression of Sirko: History of Ruthenians. Part 2 (Chapter 5).

Ukrainian assessment

Ukr Kharkiv Ivan Sirko Monument Opening 23

Monuments were built to Ivan Sirko in

Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

, Merefa, :uk:Покров, Pokrov, and Torhovytsia. His image is displayed on Ukrainian currency and his name is tied with Pokrovske, Synelnykove Raion, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Pokrovske city. Sirko's reputation as undefeated, invincible Cossack leader made him a subject of Ukrainian folk legends. He's one of the most famous of Ukrainian mythology.

and Tatars believed that Ivan Sirko knew in advance against who and where he was going to battle, allowing him to win. They also believed that during the battle he turned into a wolf or hawk, conjuring the enemy army. According to a legend, Sirko’s right hand was cut off at his posthumane request, saying that it will bring Cossacks luck in battle wherever they brought it with them. Sirko is widely remembered in numerous literary works of Ivan Nechuy-Levytsky, Adrian Kashchenko, Volodymyr Malyk, Mykola Zerov, Borys Modzalevsky, and many others. He is the Urus-Shaitan in Malyk's Ambassador of Urus-Shaitan. Adrian Kashchenko wrote about Sirko: Sirko hryvna

Sirko’s legacy was also met with controversy and criticism among some Ukrainian historians. Dmytro Doroshenko blamed Sirko for having "unprincipled politics", "demagogic tendencies" and even "absence of rational reasoning" in his actions. That is, blocking actions of Hetman of Ukrainian Cossacks, Cossack Hetmans to form a Cossack state independent from

and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. History of Ruthenians gives an extreme assessment of Sirko: "Sirko was a remarkable man and of rare qualities as far as courage, discrimination, and military successes were concerned . . . and yet he was also a Zaporozhian, and therefore a species of clown or madman". However, Ivan Sirko remained an advocate of autonomous Cossack Ukraine, despite changing his political views many times. After a popular book, Iak kozaky voiuvaly (How the Cossacks Fought) was published in 1990, Ivan Sirko was began to be viewed in a more positive and idealistic image. According to this book: "the famed Cossack leader was a deeply religious man, an altruistic ascetic who almost never consumed alcohol and was known for his strength, valour, and high moral standards". During the Ukrainian War of Independence in 1917–1921, the 4th Cavalry Regiment (Ukraine), 4th Cavalry Regiment of the Ukrainian People's Army was named after Ivan Sirko. In 1979, Soviet dissident Valentyn Moroz made his first public appearance in New York City, New York, in a rally for defense of Soviet political prisoners and Ukrainian national rights. During the rally, he told his Ukrainian audience the tale of Otaman Sirko, who executed 3,000 freed captives who wanted to go back to

after Sirko's Crimean Campaign (1675), Crimean Campaign. Valentyn Moroz, Moroz believed the execution was justified, saying: "A true Ukrainian would not remain in the Crimea if given the chance to return to Ukraine." In August 2019, the 92nd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine), 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was renamed after Ivan Sirko by a decree of President of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russian and Soviet assessment

Ilja Jefimowitsch Repin - Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks - Yorck

Sirko is credited as the co-author of Correspondence between the Ottoman sultan and the Cossacks#In popular culture, the mocking reply to Ottoman Sultan, which created a basis for Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, the painting that was important in shaping both Ukrainian nationalism, Ukrainian and Russian nationalism. Sirko's Correspondence between the Ottoman sultan and the Cossacks#In popular culture, reply to Ottoman Sultan became extremely popular at the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878).

made one his most famous pieces of artwork, '' Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks'', inspired by the reply. In 1952, Communist Party of Ukraine (Soviet Union), KPU's Central Committee's inspector V. Stetsenko informed First Secretary Melnikov that the construction of hydroelectric dam in Nikopol, Ukraine, Nikopol will get Sirko's grave underwater. Stetsenko claimed that Sirko supported Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Khmelnytsky's policy on "reunion with Great Russia, Great Russian people". Stetsenko also mentioned Sirko's Correspondence between the Ottoman sultan and the Cossacks#In popular culture, mocking reply to Ottoman Sultan which created a basis for the most popular painting in Ukrainian-Russian history,

's '' Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks''. As a result, Soviet authorities moved Sirko's grave to another location in Nikopol. In 1955, they built a small monument to Sirko.

Other assessments

In 1966, when the President of France, Charles de Gaulle was visiting the Soviet Union, he personally requested to bring him to the burial location of Ivan Sirko. Charles de Gaulle, Gaulle laid flowers to Sirko's monument in Kyiv and reportedly called him the "National Hero of France". On June 17, 2017, a commemorative plaque dedicated to Cossacks led by Ivan Sirko during the Siege of Dunkirk (1646), capture of Dunkirk was unveiled in presence of the Mayor of Dunkirk, Patrice Vergriete. In 2011, David Bolgiano and James Patterson used Ivan Sirko’s reply to Ottoman Sultan in their book as an example of how

dealt with "Islamists of the

" in their clashes and underlined the strong use of language in the letter. This was used as an example to criticise the appeasement and soft approach of U.S. policy in Muslim countries.

Notes

References

Bibliography

*Mytsyik, Yuriy. ''Otaman Ivan Sirko''. Zaporizka Spadschyna (Zaporizhian Heritage), Ed.11. Zaporizhia: RA "Tandem-U", 1999.
Evarnitsky, D. ''Ivan Dmitrievich Sirko, glavnyi koshevoi ataman zaporozhskikh nizovykh kazakov'' (Ivan Sirko, The Chief Kosh Otaman of Zaporizhian Cossacks). Saint-Petersburg, 1894.
*

External links

at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine * Mysyk, Yu.
Legendary Kosh Otaman Ivan Sirko
'. Krymska Svitlytsia (from "Ukrayina Kozatska"). 17 August 2007 * Seheda, S.
The skull of the Kosh Otaman Ivan Sirko two years was laying in my apartment
Gazette in Ukrainian. 29 January 2010.
Ivan Sirko
- in Russian. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sirko, Ivan 1600s births 1680 deaths Undefeated military leaders Military personnel from Vinnytsia Oblast People from Bracław Voivodeship Ruthenian nobility Zaporozhian Cossack nobility Kosh Otamans Colonels of the Cossack Hetmanate Cossack rebels Ukrainian exiles Military personnel of the Thirty Years' War Zaporozhian Cossack military personnel of the Khmelnytsky Uprising Ukrainian people of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) 17th-century military officers 17th-century Ukrainian people Eastern Orthodox Christians from Ukraine Ukrainian people of Romanian descent Ukrainian military leaders Ukrainian folklore Ukrainian legends