Historic Manuscript Found in Istanbul Confirms Early Recognition of Ukrainian Statehood
A unique mid-18th century document confirming the vision of Ukraine as an independent state has been found in the Turkish archive in Istanbul.
The Gaze reports on this, referring to Ukrinform.
The document was discovered among recently processed holdings of the Ottoman archive, and its translation by Ukrainian scholars has revealed new chapters in the history of Pylyp Orlyk and the international recognition of Cossack Ukraine. In particular, a letter from the Hetman to the Ottoman Sultan in 1728 records the position of the Swedish king on the necessity of Ukraine existing as an independent state under the governance of the Cossack community.
According to Ottomanist historian Oleksandr Sereda, the Ottoman side supported this idea, indicating diplomatic recognition of Ukrainian statehood as early as the 18th century.
“I quote: ‘Ukraine must be an independent state, remaining in the hands of the Cossack community.’ And the Ottoman side agreed with this position, considering further actions regarding the hetman,” he noted.
The scholar noted that working with the Ottoman archive in Istanbul, as well as documents from Sofia, Stockholm, Vilnius, Warsaw, and Krakow, gives Ukrainian researchers a unique opportunity to study original documents without translations through other languages, which helps avoid errors and inaccuracies present in previous translations.
Newly acquired materials and the archive’s electronic catalog provide access to previously unknown documents related to Orlyk’s activities and the establishment of Ukrainian statehood.
A significant role in this process is played by the cooperation protocol between the State Archival Service of Ukraine and the Turkish archives, signed in 2021 when the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, was Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey.
This protocol has greatly stimulated the work of Ukrainian historians with the Ottoman archives and laid the foundation for a future publication of a collection of translated documents, which hold important historical significance for Ukraine and the world.
Pylyp Orlyk was a prominent Ukrainian statesman, diplomat, and military leader, serving as the Hetman of the Zaporizhian Host (the Ukrainian Cossack army) in exile from 1710 until his death. In the Ukrainian historical context, a hetman was the highest military and political leader of the Cossack state, responsible for both governance and defense.
In April 1710, following Hetman Ivan Mazepa death, Orlyk was elected Hetman of the Zaporizhian Host. Soon after, he concluded a political agreement with the Cossack elite, known as the “Pacts and Constitutions of Rights and Freedoms of the Zaporizhian Host”, widely regarded as one of the first written constitutions in Europe.
Orlyk sought to liberate Ukraine from Russian domination by securing support from Sweden, the Ottoman Empire, and the Crimean Khanate. In 1712, he issued a manifesto to European monarchs declaring that “the Cossack nation, groaning under the tyrannical yoke of Moscow, seeks only to achieve its own will.”
He later relocated to Sweden in 1714, and after the death of Charles XII in 1718, he continued diplomatic efforts to form an anti-Russian coalition with support from Turkey, Stanisław Leszczyński, and the French court.
Pylyp Orlyk’s historical significance lies in his vision for Ukrainian sovereignty, his role in creating the first European-style constitution, and his diplomatic efforts to secure international support for Ukraine.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukrainian historians have found unique and previously unknown historical documents: the first dossier of Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk, his letters, letters of his family, and letters from Swedish kings.
Read more on The Gaze: Five Ukrainians Who Altered the Course of History