Loss of Interest of the Lithuanian Nobility in the Solution of the “Ukrainian Problem” in the Commonwealth in the Second Half of 1655

Oleksandr Juga
Candidate of Historical Sciences (Ph.D. in History), Senior Lecturer,
Kamianets-Podіlskyi National Ivan Ohiienko University (Ukraine, Kamianets-Podilskyi),
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orcid.org/0000-0001-9872-8929

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/ul2019.05.078 

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Abstract

The article explains the reasons for the disappearance of the interest of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the solution of the "Ukrainian problem" in the Commonwealth, which was observed during the second half of 1655, and, accordingly, their domestic and foreign policy orientations.

It is determined that after the attack of the Polish Commonwealth on 1655 in the summer of 1655, and in a state of war with the Moscow state, several groups emerged in the midst of the ruling elite of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: the Swedish, the pro-Moscow and the pro-Polish. Instead, there is no evidence that clearly demonstrates the existence of a pro-Ukrainian group. It remains unclear what position the supporters of other vectors of Lithuania’s foreign policy have taken regarding Cossack Ukraine, which included the political elite of the principality – J. Radziwill, P. Sapiga, V. Honsiewski, and other officials.

It was found that in the conditions of attack of Russian and Swedish troops among the Lithuanian nobility there was a sharp loss of interest in solving the "Ukrainian problem". Much more important was the problem of saving the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and asserting certain representatives of power circles or groups of noble families of their own pragmatic interests. Moreover, the search for the best ways and means of their realization was connected mainly with two foreign policy vectors: Swedish and Russian. Some influential in the principality of the families saw the salvation of their position in support of King Jan Casimir and the preservation of the unity of the Commonwealth. Under such conditions, the actual "Ukrainian problem" in the summer – in the autumn of 1655 disappeared from view of the Lithuanian nobility.

 

Keywords

Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Ya. Radziwill, Lithuanian nobility, "Ukrainian problem", Commonwealth, Sweden, Moscow state.

 

References

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