Right-Bank Uprising (1664–1665)

Right-Bank Uprising
Part of Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) and The Ruin
Date January 1664–1665 Location Right-Bank Ukraine Result Suppressed uprising (See § Aftermath)
Belligerents
Right-Bank rebels Left-Bank Hetmanate Zaporozhian Sich Don Cossacks Tsardom of Russia	Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Crimean Khanate Right-Bank Hetmanate
Commanders and leaders
Local leaders Ivan Briukhovetsky Ivan Bohun  Andrei Bogomaz Ivan Sirko Grigory Romodanovsky Grigory Kosagov Pyotr Skuratov	Stefan Czarniecki (DOW) John III Sobieski Mehmed IV Giray Pavlo Teteria Ivan Vyhovsky
Strength
20,000	22,000–25,000 10,000–15,000 Unknown
Casualties and losses
Heavy combat losses; 1,500 executed	6,000+ killed
116,000 civilians killed Unknown, but heavy

The Right-Bank Uprising was initiated by Right-Bank peasantry, supported by Cossack-Russian troops against Right-Bank Hetman Pavlo Teteria and Poland-Lithuania in January 1664–1665.

Prelude

Right-Bank peasantry was dissatisfied by the attempts of Pavlo Teteria and Jan II Casimir to restore the privileges of szlachta, which would bring back the situation in Right-Bank Ukraine to when before Khmelnytsky Uprising occurred. After Poland-Lithuania suffered a major defeat during Siege of Hlukhiv, Right-Bank peasants were inspired by this and intensified an uprising in the Right-Bank. Ivan Sirko was an external instigator of this uprising.

Uprising

First Phase

The Uprising began in January 1664. Cossack-Russian troops entered Right-Bank to assist the rebels in their uprising on February, but they had a decentralized leadership structure, their leaders were operating independently. Ivan Sirko captured Bratslav and Uman. The uprising spread to all of Right-Bank.

Despite the difficulty of situation, Pavlo Teteria and Ivan Vyhovsky remained loyal to the Polish King, trying to hold Chyhyryn and Bila Tserkva. On March 27, Vyhovsky was accused of collaborating with rebels and was executed by the Polish authorities. 1,500 captured rebels were executed, but this only further provoked the rebels and intensified the uprising even further.

On April, as the rebels were capturing more cities, Pavlo Teteria and Polish troops retreated to Poland, surrendering Right-Bank to the rebels.

Second Phase

Stefan Czarniecki arrived with his 22,000–25,000 troops and 10,000–15,000 Tatars. On April 7, Czarniecki with his 2,000 troops attacked Ivan Sirko and Grigory Kosagov who led 390 troops, but his attack was repelled. During April 7-13, Czerniecki besieged Buzhin, but his attacks were repelled by the Cossack-Russian garrison of Buzhin and he was forced to lift the siege.

Throughout May, Polish-led forces launched several assaults near Kaniv. On May 21, Polish forces attacked the convoys of the Cossack-Russian army led by Ivan Bryukhovetsky and Pyotr Skuratov, but were repelled. On May 22, the Polish-Cossack-Crimean army led by Stefan Czarnecki, John III Sobieski and Pavlo Teteria attacked the Cossack-Russian forces of Skuratov and Bryukhovetsky, but were again repelled. On May 29, Czarnecki's army unsuccessfully attacked Russian forces. In these failed assaults, Polish-led forces suffered 6,000 killed. On June 1, temporary ceasefire was signed.

After suffering several defeats to Cossack-Russian forces, Stefan Czarniecki decided to avoid direct military engagements and changed his strategy, taking advantage of the lack of coordination among Cossack-Russian forces, which allowed him to challenge Cossack and Russian leaders. He ravaged many villages and towns, depriving Cossack-Russian forces of local support. This was a major blow to Hetman Briukhovetsky and Otaman Sirko, which undermined their ability to efficiently fight Polish forces. Sirko later withdrew from Right-Bank Ukraine to take part in campaigns against the Crimean Khanate. On July 7, Czarniecki besieged Stavishche, defeating Right-Bank rebels and Briukhovetsky's Cossacks.

On October 21, Stefan Czarnecki and Pavlo Teteria besieged the Kosagov's forces in Medvedovka and assaulted it for 4 weeks. In November, the siege of Medvedovka was lifted and the Cossack-Russian forces retreated. On December 12, near Starobor, Kosagov's forces defeated Polish-Cossack forces. At the end of December, Andrei Bogomaz's Cossacks recaptured Uman and freed Russian prisoners. Afterwards, Cossack-Russian forces fully withdrew from Right-Bank Ukraine.

In January 1665, Right-Bank rebels made their last attempt to resist Polish rule, revolting in Stavyshche and taking it over. Despite their effort, Stefan Czarniecki eventually suppressed the uprising.

Massacres and repressions

Stefan Czarniecki massacred 116,000 civilians during his pacifications of Stavishche. Crimean Tatars took civilians into slavery.

Right-Bank rebels massacred Poles and Jews during the uprising.

Aftermath

Stefan Czarniecki suppressed the uprising in Right-Bank Ukraine after withdrawal of Cossack-Russian forces, but Czarniecki himself was wounded and didn't manage to recover from his wounds. Despite the failure to seize Right-Bank by Cossack-Russian troops, the uprising weakened Polish influence over the region and forced Poland-Lithuania to begin negotiations process with Tsardom of Russia. The instability caused by uprising undermined Pavlo Teteria's position as Hetman and he was replaced by Petro Doroshenko, which created the basis for rapture of Right-Bank in the coming years.