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New page: thumb|right| ''Bohdan Khmelnytsky'' '''Bohdan Zynovi Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky''' (Ukrainian: Богдан Зиновій Михайлович Хмел...
[[image:166px-BChmielnicki.jpg|thumb|right| ''Bohdan Khmelnytsky'']]
'''Bohdan Zynovi Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky''' ([[Ukrainian]]: Богдан Зиновій Михайлович Хмельницький, [[Polish]]: ''Bohdan Zenobi Chmielnicki'')(1595-August 6, 1657) was the [[hetman]] of the [[Ukrainian Kozak]]s. He led the famous revolt against the [[Polish Commonwealth]] in 1648-1654.

==Background==
Khmelnytsky was born into a family of [[Ukrainian]] lesser nobility. His father, [[Mykhailo Khmelnytsky]], served in the [[Polish]] [[military]], and his mother was a [[Ukrainian Kozak|kozak]]. His birth place is unknown. He was schooled in [[Ukrainian]] and later in [[Polish]] by the [[Jesuit]]s. Khmelnytsky was an [[Orthodox Christian]]. He was married to Hanna Somko and they settled on his estate near [[Chyhyryn]].

There is little known of his earliest military activities. His first action was at the [[Battle of Cecora]] in 1620. He was captured and held in [[Turkey]] for two years until his mother ransomed him. He rose through the [[military]] ranks, becoming a military chancellor in 1637. Khmelnytsky's reputation gradually rose, and in 1638 he visited [[Warsaw]] as part of a [[Ukrainian Kozak|Kozak]] emissary delegation petition the [[Polish]] King [[Władysław IV Vasa]] to grant the [[Ukrainian Kozak|Kozaks]] their ancient rights. In 1645, he took part in the siege of [[Dunkirk]], [[France]].

Khmelnytsky began to come in conflict with the other [[Polish]] landowners in [[Ukraine]]. In 1651, while Khmelnytsky was on campaign, [[Daniel Czapliński]], who had a personal grudge against him, raided his estate causing property damage, killing his wife, and severely beating his young son. [[Aleksander Koniecpolski]] put out a warrant for his arrest and execution. Khmelnytsky hid out with other Kozaks, then fled to the [[Zaporozhian Sich]] were he was elected [[hetman]] in 1647.

==Uprising==
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==Legacy==
[[Image:Banknote.gif|thumb|right|Khmelnytsky on a 5 Hryvnia Banknote]]
In [[Ukraine]], Khmelnytsky is viewed as a national hero. He appears on the five [[Hryvnia]] banknote, and a city is named after him. Some Ukrainians are critical of his decision to allie himself with [[Russia]], knowing the disastrous effects that this had on Ukraine. Others say that he did what he thought was best for Ukraine at the time. In [[Poland]], Khmelnytsky is viewed as a villain. Many blame him for Poland's weakness following his rebellion and the countries subsequent disappearance via the partitions. Khmelnytsky is also viewed as a villain by the [[Jew]]s. Khmelnytsky and his [[Ukrainian Kozak|Kozaks]] needlessly slaughtered thousands of Jews during their rebellion. The reason for this was [[anti-Semitism]] and the belief that the Jews "exploited" them.

===In Literature===
Khmelnytsky is one of the main characters in the [[Polish]] novel ''[[With Fire and Sword]]'' (Polish: ''Ogniem i mieczem'') by [[Henryk Sienkiewicz]]. The book is about his uprising and was written from the Polish perspective, thus it portrays him and the [[Ukrainian Kozak|kozaks]] in a bad light. The book was also made into a movie, that was more balanced and fair that the book.

==References==
Orest Subtelny. ''Ukraine. A history.'' University of Toronto press. 1993.

Lukowski, Jerzy. ''A Concise History of Poland''. Cambridge: University Press, 2001.

Ivan Krypyakevych. ''History of Ukraine.'' New York: Shkilnoyi Rady, 1961.

Dimont, Maz I. ''Jews, God, and History''. New York: Signet, 1962.
==Links==
[http://www.lvivbest.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-144-page-1.html Biography]

[http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages\K\H\KhmelnytskyBohdan.htm Encyclopedia of Ukraine Entry]



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[[category:Ukraine]]
[[category:Hetmans of Ukrainian Kozaks]]
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