Haydamak

Camp of haidamakas (1899)

The haydamaks, also haidamakas or haidamaky or haidamaks (sg. haidamaka; Ukrainian: Гайдамаки, Haidamaky, Polish: Hajdamacy) were Ukrainian Cossack paramilitary outfits composed of commoners (peasants, craftsmen), and impoverished noblemen in the eastern part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. They were formed in reaction to the Commonwealth's actions that were directed to reconstitute its orders[clarification needed] on territory of right-bank Ukraine,[1] which was secured following ratification of the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with the Tsardom of Russia in 1710.

  1. ^ Haidamaka movement (ГАЙДАМАЦЬКИЙ РУХ). Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine