Ivan Briukhovetsky (died 18 June 1668) was the hetman of left-bank Ukraine from 1663 to 1668. In the early years of rule, he positioned himself on pro-Russian policies, but later joined a rebellion in an attempt to salvage his reputation and authority. Later, he was the leader of an anti-Russian uprising in 1668. He was beaten to death by a mob supported by Petro Doroshenko.

Biography

He was a registered Cossack, belonging to the Chyhyryn Regiment. Early in his career, he served as Bohdan Khmelnytsky's courier and diplomatic emissary. He was elected as kish otaman (1661–1663) of the Zaporizhian Sich. At the Black Council of 1663, he was elected as hetman of the left-tbank with the support of Moscow as an alternative to already elected hetman Pavlo Teteria. Briukhovetsky's election was at the roots of the division of the Cossack State and is known in history as the Ruin. However, Briukhovetsky's reign and cruelty worked against him. Early on, he arrested and executed his opponents, namely polkovniks Somko and Vasili Zolotarenko. To gain support, he signed the Moscow Articles of 1665, which placed left-bank Ukraine under the direct control of the tsar. In return, Briukhovetsky secured for himself the title of boyar, properties, and marriage to Prince Vasily Dolgoruky's daughter, Daria. This treaty went on to be called the "Briukhovetsky treaty", and caused a large rebellion in Ukraine. His popularity among the clergy fell when he suggested that Moscow appoint and send a metropolitan to the Kievan metropolitan. As his domestic policies failed, Briukhovetsky put the blame on the Russian authorities and sided with the Cossacks' rebellion in an attempt to save his reputation, but it was too late. In 1668, in the town of Budyshchi, a Cossack mob, which was led by Petro Doroshenko, killed him by chaining him to a cannon and beating him to death. After the murder of Briukhovetsky, Viisko Zaporozke Nyzove in revenge tried to kill Doroshenko, and Sirko initiated the right-bank rebellions. In Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 1000–1900: A Sourcebook by Christine D. Worobec and Valerie A. Kivelson, the story is told of Hetman Briukhovetsky who burned a number of women at the stake as witches because his pregnant wife became ill which resulted in her miscarriage.