Hetman Krzysztof “the Thunderbolt” Radziwiłł’s actions against Nalyvaiko Uprising in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1595–1596

Abstract

The turn of the 80s and 90s of the 16th century saw intensification of Zaporozhian Cossacks actions, whose bold expeditions to the Black Sea coast gave rise to many controversies in the relations between Turkey and Poland. Due to this situation, the estates gathered in parliament in 1590 acclaimed the constitution „Porządek z strony Nizowcow y Ukrainy” [Order from Zaporozhians and Ukraine], which banned Cossacks from crossing country borders and demanded them to swear allegiance to Poland and to serve crown hetmans. Limitation of freedom resulted in growing discontent in Zaporizhia, what in turn evolved into wave of riots and uprisings. One of the first uprisings was headed by Severyn Nalyvaiko, whose units of insurgents entered the Grand Duchy of Lithuania at the end of 1595. Nalyvaiko’s army swiftly took and plundered Slutsk and Mogilev, exposing weakness of the Grand Duchy army. Lithuanian senators attempted to oppose the uprising by mobilizing private armies and general levy, but they soon realized it was too late. This article attempts to recreate the events of the Nalyvaiko Uprising on Lithuanian soil in 1595–1596. Moreover, Krzysztof “the Thunderbolt” Radziwiłł’s (1547–1603) role in fighting the uprising will be presented. The author focused also on Lithuanian parliaments in Nesvizh and Minsk, convened to discuss methods of defeating Cossacks.