hetmans

Hetman is a historical title used in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, most notably within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ukrainian Cossack state, to designate a military commander who often held political authority as well. The exact origin of the word is uncertain, but scholars connect it to various Turkic and Magyar roots that conveyed leadership or command.

In the Ukrainian Cossack Hetmanate, the hetman was the supreme military leader and, in practice, a political head of state. The office was divided into ranks such as the Great Hetman, who led the whole army, and the Smaller or Little Hetman, who commanded regional forces or served as deputy. Hetmans were elected by Cossack councils (rada) and their tenure depended on the support of the host and the political situation, with their authority exercised within the framework of alliances and rivalries with neighboring powers, including Poland, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Ottoman Empire. Bohdan Khmelnytsky is among the most prominent hetmans in Ukrainian history.

Within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, there were two parallel offices: the Great Hetman of the Crown and the Great Hetman of Lithuania. Hetmans were senior military commanders appointed by the king, often with the Sejm’s approval, and they led royal forces and campaigns. The position remained one of high noble status until the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, after which it gradually disappeared as political structures changed.

Today, the hetman is primarily a historical title, studied as part of the military and political history of Ukraine and Poland. It remains a symbol of early modern statehood and military leadership in the region.