Hetman

The term hetman was a Polish borrowing, most likely stemming via Czech from the Turkic title ataman (literally 'father of horsemen'),[1][2][unreliable source?]

[3] Since hetman as a title first appeared in Czechia in the 15th century, assuming it stems from a Turkic language, it is possible it was introduced to Czechs by the Cumans.

This system worked well when a hetman had great ability and the monarch was weak, but sometimes produced disastrous results in the opposite case.

The security of the position notably contrasted with that of military leaders in states bordering the commonwealth, where sovereigns could dismiss their army commanders at any time.

In 1648 the Zaporizhian Host (a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth subject) elected a hetman of its own, Bohdan Khmelnytsky,[5] igniting the Ukrainian struggle for independence.

This regime lasted until late 1918, when it was overthrown by a new Directorate of Ukraine, of a re-established Ukrainian People's Republic.

[7] For much of the history of Romania and the Principality of Moldavia, hetmans were second in rank in the army, after the ruling prince, who held the position of voivode.