Major Campaigns
By the end of the 16th century, Sahaidachny traveled to Zaporizhia, where in 1605, he was named the Kosh Otaman of the Zaporozhian Host. Under his control, the host participated in campaigns against the Crimean Tatars and the Turks. The Zaporozhian Host captured a Turkish fortress, Varnu, burned and destroyed a 10,000 strong Turkish navy. He is famous for his sea raids on Crimea and Turkey and in 1616 captured Caffa (Theodosia) on the Crimean peninsula, the largest centre for the human slave trade where many Christian men, women and children were freed from a life of slavery.
In 1618, Sahaidachny joined the Anti-Turkish Holy League. While he was battling the Turks, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth requested his assistance in war with Moscovy; they wanted him to provide Władysław IV Vasa, the King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, with 20,000 Cossacks near Moscow. Sahaidachny did, and seized the forts in the cities of Putivl, Kursk, Livny, Yelets and many others. Near Serpukhov Sahaidachny forced the army of Dmitri Pozharski to flee. The Muscovite forces of the voivode H.Volkonsky made the Otaman take a detour, but were unable to stop him. In September 1618 he destroyed the army of another Muscovite nobleman Vasilii Buturlin. Later uniting with Jan Karol Chodkiewicz he laid a siege to Moscow and was ready to storm the Arbat Gates. Luckily for the Muscovites the assault was unsuccessful. The whole campaign finally culminated in December 1618 when there was signed the Truce of Deulino.
Sahaidachny returned to Zaporizhia, and did not only become a Kosh Otaman, but was also the Hetman of Ukraine for 8 years. In order to avoid conflict with the Poles, Sahaidachny agreed to lower the Cossack register to 3,000 men, the remainder were regarded as the Zaporozhian Host. He also forbade unauthorized sea raids on Turkey and accepted the Polish king's right to confirm Sahaidachny's choice for Cossack officers.
Read more about this topic: Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny
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