Hetman of Ukraine - Brief History

Brief History

As a head of state the position was established at first by Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the Cossack Hetmanate in the mid 17th century. During that period the office was electoral. Later in the late 18th century it was successfully liquidated by the Russian government during the expansion of the Russian territory towards the Black Sea coast.

The position and title was reestablished in 1918 by the Russian General Pavlo Skoropadsky, a descendant of the former Hetman of Ukraine Ivan Skoropadsky. The Law on the Provisional State System of Ukraine was announced at the session of the Central Council of Ukraine on April 29, 1918 which laid a legal groundwork for the new position. Pavlo Skoropadsky transformed Ukraine into the autocratic Ukrainian State under the protectorate of the Central powers, while expelling the Bolshevik forces of the Russian SFSR. During his term the Communist Party was prohibited on the territory of Ukraine for the first time. After the uprising led by the Directorate of Ukraine, Pavlo Skoropadsky surrendered the title, transferring the state power to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and going into exile to Germany.

After the establishment of the Soviet regime in Ukraine, members of Skoropadsky family established the Hetmanate movement that sought the recreation of office as a royal house of Skoropadsky.