Foreign policy documentation of the Ukrainian Cossaks during the National-Liberation war (1648-1658)
The National-Liberation war the Ukrainian people fougt in against domination by Rech Pospolyta (1648-1658) played an important role in shaping the nationalstatehood. Setting up of Het'manshina i.e. the Ukrainian Autonomy within Rech Pospolyta was its historic heritage. It was legally confirmed by provisions of the treaties with Polish-Lithuanian kingdom initited by Bohdan Khmelnyts'ky and Ivan Vygovs'ky, namely Zboriivs'ky'i (August, 1649), Bilotserkovsky'i (September, 1651), Hadyats'ky'i (September, 1658). Het'manshchina government introduced an effective system of foreign activities which brought its official recognition in relations withEuropeanand Asian (Br.) countries. This fact affirmed by documentary evidence of Het'manshchina foreigt relations 91649-1658) with Rech Pospolyta, the kingdom of Moscow, the Ottoman Empire, the Crimeat Khanate, Sweeden, Prussia,volokhiya and transilvania (modern - day Romania), Semigraddya (modern - day Hungary), Moldovian principality, Persia, Holy Roman Empire (modern - day Austria). Het'manshchina internacional activities produced correspond-dingly the systemof documentation formed by Ceneral Army Chancellery. Documentacion system under review is a unigue complex documentation. The complex includes the following types of documents: - diplomatic acts sources: inter-statetreaties, charters; - diplomatic sources: diplomatic corres-pondence, messages of the states'leaders, talks records, ambassadorial regulations, diplomatic accounts and records; - diplomatic reports sources: memoirs, journals of Cossack diplomats. The authors df the article appliel methods of classifying documents suggested by Ukrainian scholars N.M. Kushnarenko and H.M. Shvetsova-Vodka. The study and classification of diplomatic documentation (1649-1658) reveals full accord with the reguirement of the state foreign policy. The documents include the following types: inter-state treaties and agreements, diplomatic orrespondence, diplomatic regulations, diplomatic talks records, ambassadorial accounts and reports. Thus we mayclaim fhat the study of foreign relations documents of the Ukrainian Cossaks during the National-Libertation war period (1648-1658) shows the result of socio-political changes that had taken place since declaration independence of Ukraine. This detailed study provides specialists in varionsdomains of activities (politics, historians, law, economics, studies of culture,) with useful information which may offer a solution to problems in the context of dramatic challenges independent modern-day Ukraine has encountered.