Despite a serene sunset on the Dnipro river, the mood is tense for the Zaporozhian Cossacks. The year is 1676, and the Treaty of Żurawno has officially ended hostilities between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire. But as Stepan and his men ride towards their stronghold, peace is far from their minds.
Uprkos spokojnom zalasku sunca na reci Dnjepar, raspoloženje je napeto među zaporoškim kozacima. Godina je 1676. i žuravenjski sporazum je zvanično okončao neprijateljstva između Državne zajednice Poljske i Litvanije i Osmanskog carstva. Ali dok Stepan i njegovi ljudi jašu prema svom uporištu, mir im nije na pameti.
Having made their home in the Wild Fields north of the Black Sea, these cossacks— derived from a Turkic word for "free man"— are renowned as one of Europe’s most formidable military forces. Composed of hunters, fishermen, nomads and outlaws, the Cossacks found freedom in these fertile unclaimed lands. Yet this freedom has proven increasingly difficult to maintain. Their decades-long strategy of shifting alliances between Poland and Moscow has led to the partitioning of their lands. In a desperate bid to reclaim independence and reunite the fractured Cossack state, their most recent leader, hetman Petro Doroshenko allied with the Ottoman Empire. This alliance successfully freed the Zaporozhian Cossacks in the west from Polish dominion, but their victory was a bitter one. Doroshenko’s Ottoman allies ravaged the countryside, carrying off peasants into slavery. And outrage at allying with Muslims against fellow Christians cost him any remaining local support. Now, with Doroshenko deposed and exiled, the Cossacks are at odds, disagreeing on what their next move should be.
Nakon što su se nastanili u Divljim poljima severno od Crnog mora, ovi kozaci - što je izvedeno od turske reči za „slobodnog čoveka“ - bili su poznati kao jedna od najstrašnijih vojnih sila u Evropi. Sačinjeni od lovaca, ribara, nomada i odmetnika, kozaci su pronašli slobodu u ovim plodnim neistraženim zemljama. Međutim, pokazalo se da je tu slobodu sve teže održati. Višedecenijska strategija prelaženja u savez čas sa Poljskom, čas sa Moskvom, dovela je do parčanja njihove zemlje. U očajničkoj nameri da povrate nezavisnost i opet ujedine slomljenu kozačku državu, njihov najnoviji vođa, hetman Petro Dorošenko, ušao je u savez sa Osmanskim carstvom. Ovaj savez je uspešno oslobodio zaporoške kozake na zapadu od poljske dominacije, ali njihova pobeda je bila gorka. Dorošenkovi osmanski saveznici opustošili su sela i odveli seljake u ropstvo. A ogorčenost zbog savezništva sa muslimanima protiv braće hrišćana koštali su ga preostale lokalne podrške. Sad kad je Dorošenko svrgnut i prognan, kozaci su u sukobu i ne slažu se oko toga šta treba da bude njihov sledeći potez.
Until then, Stepan must keep order. With his musket and curved saber, he cuts an imposing figure. He surveys his battalion of 180 men. Most are Orthodox Christians and speak a Slavic language that will become modern Ukrainian. But there are also Greeks, Tatars, and even some Mongolian Kalmyks, many with different opinions on recent events. Officially, all of Stepan’s men have sworn to uphold the Cossack code by undergoing seven years of military training and remaining unmarried. In practice, some are part-timers, holding more closely to their own traditions, and maintaining families in nearby villages, outside Cossack lands.
Do tada, Stepan mora da održava red. Sa svojom musketom i zakrivljenom sabljom, izdvaja se kao impozantna ličnost. Nadgleda bataljon od 180 ljudi. Većina su pravoslavni hrišćani i govore slovenskim jezikom koji će postati savremeni ukrajinski. Ali tu su i Grci, Tatari, pa čak i neki mongolski Kalmici, od kojih mnogi imaju različita mišljenja o nedavnim događajima. Zvanično, svi Stepanovi ljudi su se zakleli da će podržati kozački kod tako što će proći sedam godina vojne obuke i ostati neoženjeni. U praksi, neki su honorarci, više se drže svojih tradicija, i imaju porodice u obližnjim selima, izvan kozačkih poseda.
Thankfully, the tenuous peace is not broken before they reach the Sich— the center of Cossack military life. Currently located at Chortomlyk, the Sich’s location shifts with the tide of military action. The settlement is remarkably well- organized, with administrative buildings, officers’ quarters, and even schools, as Cossacks prize literacy. Stepan and his men make their way to the barracks where they live and train alongside several other battalions or kurins, all of which make up a several hundred man regiment.
Srećom, slab mir nije narušen pre nego što su stigli u Sič - središte vojničkog života kozaka. Trenutno je u Čortomliku, ali lokacija Siča se menja u skladu sa tokom vojne akcije. Naselje je izuzetno dobro organizovano, sa administrativnim zgradama, oficirskim četvrtima, pa čak i školama, jer kozaci cene pismenost. Stepan i njegovi ljudi kreću u kasarnu u kojoj žive i obučavaju se, pored nekoliko drugih bataljona ili kurina, a koji zajedno čine puk od nekoliko stotina ljudi.
Inside, the men dine on dried fish, sheep’s cheese, and salted pork fat— along with plenty of wine. Stepan instructs his friend Yuri to lighten the mood with his bandura. But before long, an argument has broken out. One of his men has raised a toast to Doroshenko. Stepan cuts him off. The room is silent until he raises his own toast to Ivan Sirko, the new hetman who favors an alliance with Moscow against the Turks. Stepan plans to support him, and he expects his men to do the same.
Unutra ljudi večeraju sušenu ribu, ovčji sir i usoljenu svinjsku mast - uz mnogo vina. Stepan nalaže svom prijatelju Juriju da podigne raspoloženje svojom bandurom. Ali ubrzo je izbila svađa. Jedan od njegovih ljudi nazdravio je za Dorošenka. Stepan ga prekida. U prostoriji je tiho sve dok on ne krene da nazdravlja Ivanu Sirku, novom hetmanu koji se zalaže za savez sa Moskvom protiv Turaka. Stepan planira da ga podrži i očekuje da će i njegovi ljudi učiniti isto.
Suddenly, one of Sirko’s men rushes in, calling an emergency Rada, or general council meeting. Stepan and the others make their way towards the church square— the center of Sich life. Ivan Sirko welcomes the confused crowd with exciting news— scouts have located a large Ottoman camp completely vulnerable on one side. Sirko vows that tomorrow, they will ride against their common enemy, defend the Cossacks’ autonomy, and bring unity to the Wild Fields. As the men cheer in unison, Stepan is relieved at their renewed sense of brotherhood.
Odjednom upada jedan od Sirkovih ljudi i poziva na hitnu „radu“, ili opšti sastanak saveta. Stepan i ostali idu ka crkvenom trgu - središtu sičkog života. Ivan Sirko pozdravlja zbunjenu gomilu uzbudljivim vestima - izviđači su otkrili veliki osmanski logor koji je podložan napadu sa jedne strane. Sirko obećava da će sutra jurišati protiv svog zajedničkog neprijatelja, odbraniti autonomiju kozaka i doneti jedinstvo na Divlja polja. Dok ljudi kliču uglas, Stepanu je laknulo zbog obnovljenog osećaja bratstva.
Over the next 200 years, these freedom fighters would take on many foes. And tragically, they would eventually become the oppressive hand of the Russian government they once opposed. But today, these 17th century Cossacks are remembered for their spirit of independence and defiance. As the Russian painter Ilya Repin once said: “No people in the world held freedom, equality, and fraternity so deeply.”
Tokom narednih 200 godina, ovi borci za slobodu steći će brojne neprijatelje. I tragično, na kraju će postati represivna ruka ruske vlade kojoj su se nekad protivili. Ali danas se ovi kozaci iz 17. veka pamte po svom duhu nezavisnosti i prkosa. Kao što je jednom rekao ruski slikar Ilija Repin: „Nijedan narod na svetu nije doživljavao slobodu,