Ivan Samoylovych

Ivan Samoylovych (Ukrainian: Іван Самойлович, Russian: Ива́н Самойло́вич, Polish: Iwan Samojłowicz; died 1690) was the Hetman of Left-bank Ukraine from 1672 to 1687.

His term in office was marked by further incorporation of the Cossack Hetmanate into the Tsardom of Russia and by attempts to win Right-bank Ukraine from Poland–Lithuania.

Therefore, in 1681 Hetman Samoilovich became one of the initiators of the Treaty of Bakhchisarai between the Turkish sultan and the Crimean Khanate on the one hand and the Moscow State on the other.

Ivan Samoilovich actively maintained close relations with the leaders of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, received assistance from them in resolving various state issues.

Furthermore, during the second half of the seventeenth century, Hetman Ivan Samoilovich initiated active church building in the Ukrainian lands.

Samoylovych attempted to persuade Russian boyars in the Polish treachery but, failing in his design, sent an angry letter to the king of Poland.

Golitsyn, meanwhile, was exasperated at Samoylovych's friendship with Prince Romodanovsky, his old political rival, and finally resolved to replace him with a more tractable Cossack.

In June 1687, Ivan Mazepa used the popular discontent with Samoylovych's haughty manners and high taxes to accuse him of separatism.

A 17th-century con of the Virgin of Mercy from Stara Sil, featuring Samoylovych
Statue of Samoylovych in Khodorkiv