![zaporozhian cossacks zaporozhian cossacks](https://i.etsystatic.com/22096148/r/il/36901e/2731752070/il_794xN.2731752070_2hf5.jpg)
Brave warriors who cherished their freedom They caused a lot of havoc, even rampaging through the official palace of the Sultan himself. However in a show of the ultimate “f*%k you,” the Cossacks who were returning from their successful raid decided to turn around and once again attacked Constantinople.
![zaporozhian cossacks zaporozhian cossacks](http://www.leadarmy.com/content/images/products/2427/46-600w_1.jpg)
The Ottoman Sultan sent a fleet to the mouth of the Dnieper River in order to try to destroy their fleet. The year following that raid on Constantinople, they raided the port of Trebizond. The Zaporozhians were not afraid to take risks, even doing things that seemed impossible. The bigger the challenge, the more likely they were to attempt it. They were fearless and in subsequent years conducted a few more raids on Ottoman ports. This was the culmination of a hundred years of naval raids that the Cossacks were conducting against various ports of the Ottoman Empire.Īt that time, the Ottoman Empire was the most powerful state in Europe and was on the offensive on all fronts. Repin was a Jew, and as such, many of his fellow artists and contemporaries did but take this news too well.In 1615, a fleet of 80 Zaporozhian Cossack boats, called chaiky, slipped into the harbor of Constantinople and razed the entire area around the harbor to the ground. After the completion of the Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, Repin became one of the most famous painters in Russia. When he called at the general's home to show him he coins, while the general was bent down inspecting them, Repin quickly drew the general's head. Repin found out that the general liked to collect ancient coins, and so quickly acquired some. When he asked the general if he would pose for him, he was told no. An old man, who's son was a friend of Repin's happily obliged to pose for the role of scribe.Īnother ancient story tells that Repin spotted a general and wanted to paint his bald head. Many of the men featured in the painting were known to Repin, and agreed to model for him. This is why many historians believe that the letter of defiance was written during this period. It was during 1675 that Poland was forced to surrender such areas as Zaporogian, something that the Cossacks were vehemently opposed to doing. The most notorious settlement was that of Zaporogian situated along the Dniepr River. During the time of this painting, the Cossacks were of Ukranian nationality, and were also of the Calvary, issued to protect the borders of Turkey by the orders of Poland.
![zaporozhian cossacks zaporozhian cossacks](https://laststandonzombieisland.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/soviet-partisans-following-zaporozhian-cossacks-example-by-nikolay-solomin-1980.jpg)
The air seems to be infused with that of mocking the sultan with defiance about any notion of surrender. It does appear that the Cossacks are in good spirits and enjoying each other's company. The painting is extremely busy with lots of action and people to observe. He wanted this second version to be more historically correct. It was during the latter years of painting the Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, that Repin began to paint a second version, this was in 1889. This piqued the painter's curiosity and so began the painting in 1880. It was while he was entertaining guests that he decided to read the letter to them, with one such guest being that of Ilya Repin. This letter was then passed onto Dmytro Yavornytsky, who was a historian. Novitsky, who was an amateur ethnographer, was believed to have found a copy of the letter. Historians do not know if the reply existed, nor what was written in the letter.ĭuring the 1870s Ya. The legend is that of the Cossacks writing a letter of reply to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed IV, who had issued an ultimatum that they should all surrender to him.
![zaporozhian cossacks zaporozhian cossacks](https://previews.agefotostock.com/previewimage/medibigoff/86da8b4d85c0627cefb2124fc2fbb0b2/a68-374442.jpg)
This oil on canvas creation took eleven years to complete and is widely believed to be a historically based tableau of the Cossack legend from 1676. Then during 1935 it transferred to Saint Petersburg at the State Russian Museum, where it is still housed today. In 1932 the painting was given to the Kharkiv Historical Museum. This was to be the largest amount paid for any painting by a Russian artist at that time. The painting was originally bought by Alexander III at the cost of 35,000 rubles. The canvas measures a staggering 3 metres by 2.5 metres.
Zaporozhian cossacks full#
The full name is that of, Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire.