FOCUS ON PHILATELY
by Ingert Kuzych
Millennium musings: outstanding Ukrainians
This being a special millennium year, I thought it might be fun to make an exclusive list featuring the most outstanding Ukrainian from each of the past 11 centuries (beginning in the 10th century when the Kyivan-Rus' state was formed). Once a compilation was made, I would check to see if these individuals had been honored philatelically. If not, perhaps some related stamp issue was available? Or maybe, a numismatic representation could be found?
My method for judging and ranking worthy individuals was to try and weigh the overall impact that the actions of each of these persons had upon Ukrainian history or culture, both during their lifetimes and since. One question I frequently asked myself was how much has our Ukrainian heritage been enriched by the contributions of this individual?
For the 10th century my choice was obvious, it had to be St. Volodymyr the Great (whose reign was in 980-1015), who made Christianity the official religion of the Rus' state in 988. To date, no Ukrainian stamp showing Volodymyr has been prepared. However, the St. Volodymyr Monument in Kyiv appears on the 100 hryvni stamp of 1920, part of the famous Vienna Issue (Figure 1). In addition, a St. Volodymyr stamp was prepared in 1988 by Vatican City as part of a three-stamp issue honoring Ukraine's Millennium of Christianity (Figure 2).
Volodymyr's son Yaroslav Mudry, or Yaroslav the Wise, (r. 1019-1054) was easily the outstanding ruler in Rus' in the following century. During his reign the Kyivan state reached the height of its cultural development. Foreign royalty tripped over themselves trying to marry into the Rus' royal house; eventually Yaroslav would earn the sobriquet "father-in-law of Europe." He also authored the Ruska Pravda, the first law code in the Slavic realm. He was honored last year on a colorful souvenir sheet that showed the ruler in front of a reconstructed view of medieval Kyiv along with Metropolitan Ilarion (Figure 3).
Yaroslav's grandson Volodymyr Monomakh (r. 1113-1125) was the most distinguished ruler in Rus' during the 12th century. He was able to curtail the internecine conflicts between the various princes of Rus', and during his reign Rus' flourished culturally once again. Unfortunately, no philatelic issue showing Volodymyr Monomakh has yet been released by Ukraine Post. A Soviet stamp from 1964 shows the cap of Monomakh, (Figure 4). Reputed to be Volodymyr's crown, it actually dates to a later time.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Galician-Volynian State assumed the leading role among the various Rus' principalities, largely taking on the mantle and prestige formerly held by Kyiv. This new state's greatest ruler was the energetic Danylo (r. 1238-1264), who for many years was able to successfully defend his kingdom from a variety of outside forces, before finally being forced to become a vassal of the Mongols. Although Danylo felt this move to be personally humiliating, it saved his kingdom from being devastated, and his successor Lev was able to use Mongol aid to secure his holdings.
Last year Ukraine Post released a stamp honoring the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Galician-Volynian State. The issue shows a medieval knight riding the heraldic lion of Lviv. The first day cover of this release depicts a proud Danylo, with his son Lev on his shoulder, standing in front of the walls of Lviv - according to tradition, the city was founded in 1256 by Danylo and named after Lev (Figure 5).
Lev's son Yuriy, who ruled early in the 14th century (r. 1301-1315), was the ablest of the remaining rulers of Galicia-Volynia. According to the chroniclers, during his peaceful reign his lands "blossomed with riches." Yuriy's sons perished in battle and the dynasty died out in 1323; the territories of Volyn and Galicia were taken over by Lithuania (1344) and Poland (1349), respectively. Unfortunately, Yuriy has never appeared on any type of philatelic release. His likeness is known from a seal impression (Figure 6).
During the latter part of the 14th century most Ukrainian territories came under Lithuanian control. One should not, however, view this takeover of Ukrainian lands in terms of violent invasion. Actually, co-option and annexation are more appropriate descriptions of the manner in which the Lithuanians took hold of Slavic lands. Frequently, the "invaders" were welcomed as they advanced, because their rule promised peace and stability. When fighting did occur, it was usually directed at the Mongols.
Under Lithuanian rule during the 15th century, Rus' princes were allowed to retain their holdings as vassal rulers. Olelko Volodymyrovych (ca. 1443-1455) strove to develop the Kyivan principality into an autonomous entity within Lithuania. He patronized the Ukrainian Church and culture, and strengthened the southern frontiers of his holdings against Tatar attacks. Although he is certainly deserving of philatelic recognition, no stamp of Olelko has ever been printed.
Much of Ukraine passed over to Polish suzerainity during the next century. Over time the Polish government, and particularly the Polish nobles, began to persecute the Ukrainian population, causing many bold adventurers to flee to freedom on the wild steppes. Although threatened by Tatars, the men (by now called Kozaks, from the Turkish term for free man) quickly adapted to steppe fighting and grouped together for self defense. They became the Tatar's most feared foe and took upon themselves the defense of the Orthodox Church.
A non-military nobleman who stepped forward to champion the rights of Ruthenians (Ukrainians and Belarusians) at this time was Konstiantyn Ostrozky, a powerful magnate from Volynia. A patron of Ukrainian culture and an ardent defender of the Orthodox faith, he was a towering figure in the 16th century Ukrainian national rebirth. He established a number of schools and religious establishments, but is best known for founding the Ostrih Academy and the Ostrih Press. Although no stamp has yet been issued for Ostrozky, his likeness is known from a number of portraits, as well as from a medallion (Figure 7).
By the middle of the 17th century the Kozaks under Bohdan Khmelnytsky (r. 1648-1657) had attained sufficient power to overthrow their Polish overlords and establish a Hetman State. Unfortunately, this very able strategist was not given the opportunity to consolidate his new political entity. Eventually, the Poles recovered and Khmelnytsky was forced to enter into an alliance with Muscovy to ensure that the Hetmanate could survive. Khmelnytsky has already appeared on several Ukrainian philatelic issues. The first was produced by Ukraine Post in 1995 (Figure 8).
In the decades after Khmelnytsky's death, Muscovy expanded its power over the Hetman State, steadily curtailing its autonomy. It was up to Ivan Mazepa (r. 1687-1709), my choice as the 18th century's outstanding hetman, to try and tear the Hetmanate from Muscovy's grip. Again, fate was unkind to the Ukrainian cause and the loss at the Battle of Poltava in 1709 dashed any hopes for independence for the next two centuries. Mazepa most recently appeared on a stamp in 1995 (Figure 9). He was not only an outstanding statesman, but a great patron of the arts who did much to revive Ukrainian culture during his tenure.
The loss at Poltava might have permanently doomed any hope for Ukraine's existence except for one man, Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861), who almost singlehandedly spearheaded the Ukrainian national reawakening of the 19th century. A previous "Focus on Philately" article highlighted the many ways Shevchenko has been honored philatelically around the world. Figure 10 shows Ukraine's latest Shevchenko stamp was released in 1997. Honoring the centenary of Ukrainian settlement in Argentina, the stamp issue depicts the Shevchenko Monument in Buenos Aires.
As for the outstanding Ukrainian of the entire 20th century, I'm withholding my vote. I believe it is still too early to pass judgement on some of the figures of the last 50 years. The history that will be written in 2050 will have a far different (and likely much more accurate) perspective on this century than we can ever hope to give it now. (For example, 50 years from now, the contributions of Vyacheslav Chornovil or Leonid Kravchuk may be seen as having been absolutely crucial to Ukrainian independence.)
Therefore, I will only make a choice for the greatest Ukrainian of the first half of the 20th century, and in my opinion it is Mykhailo Hrushevsky. This dynamic personality made many contributions as a civic and national leader and in the organization of Ukrainian scholarship, but his greatest work was his 10-volume Istoriia Ukrainy-Rusy (History of Ukraine-Rus') in which he synthesized a revolutionary schema of Ukrainian history, quite at odds with what was then being taught. Arguing that Ukraine had its own unique history totally distinct from Russia, Hrushevsky was able to trace the Ukrainian nation's history back to Kyivan-Rus'. His basic outline is still that accepted in Ukrainian historiography. Hrushevsky was commemorated with a stamp issue in 1995 (Figure 11).
To recapitulate, then here are my selections for the greatest Ukrainians of their respective decades:
10th century-St. Volodymyr the Great; 11th century - Yaroslav Mudry;12th century - Volodymyr Monomakh; 13th century - Danylo Romanovych; 14th century - Yuriy Lvovych; 15th century-Olelko Volodymyrovych; 16th century - Konstiantyn Ostrozky; 17th century - Bohdan Khmelnytsky; 18th century - Ivan Mazepa; 19th century-Taras Shevchenko; 20th century - Mykhailo Hrushevsky.
And who is the greatest Ukrainian of the last millennium? Who else but Taras Shevchenko!
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I wish to thank John-Paul Himka and Andrew O. Martyniuk, both of whom were helpful in the composition of this article.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 6, 2000, No. 6, Vol. LXVIII
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