The Associates of Bohdan Khmelnytsky

Abstract

This article presents the first scholarly investigation into the biographies of two lesser-known associates of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky: General Oboznyi (Wagoner) Fedir Korobka and the Chyhyryn Colonel Herasym Kaplonsky. Drawing upon dispersed published and archival sources, the study traces their life trajectories and political stances, addressing key questions regarding their birth dates, family backgrounds, education, and roles in the events of the Ukrainian National Liberation War (1648–1658) and the subsequent Ruin in the latter half of the seventeenth century. Genealogical research serves as a crucial tool for deepening our understanding of historical realities and reinterpreting previously established facts. Clarifying the roles of these historical figures in the mid- to late seventeenth century provides insight into the interplay of objective and subjective factors that shaped the key developments of the period. The findings support the argument that both Korobka and Kaplonsky were loyal associates of Bohdan Khmelnytsky and later supported Ivan Vyhovsky. However, Korobka eventually sided with Yurii Khmelnytsky, while Kaplonsky appears to have perished. The analysis of their biographical trajectories sheds light on the factors influencing the military and political careers of Khmelnytsky’s and Vyhovskyi’s associates. Additionally, the conclusions regarding the family history of Herasym Kaplonsky are supplemented by the publication of a historical document — an excerpt from the Kyiv municipal records — containing a deed of land sale by one of his descendants.