Ottomans referred to Ukrainians as “Cossack nation” even before French Revolution, historian says
Ukrinform was told about this by Ukrainian scholar, Ottoman historian and Associate Professor of the Department of Ukrainian History at the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky, Oleksandr Sereda.
“In Ottoman documentation, the term millet means ‘people’ or ‘nation,’ not merely a social group. It is possible that such references existed earlier, but this is currently the earliest known example. When Ukrainians are described in the 16th to early 18th centuries, the phrase kazak tâifesi is more commonly used; it refers to the ‘Cossack community’ as a social stratum within the Ukrainian people. This distinction is crucial, because kazak tâifesi can only very loosely be interpreted as meaning a ‘Cossack people,’” Sereda said.
![Fragment of an Ottoman document / Translation by Oleksandr Sereda: [Kazak milleti yüz sene mukaddem Devlet-i aliyye'ye tâbi idiler] The Cossack nation was subject to the Sublime State one hundred years ago.](https://static.ukrinform.com/photos/2025_12/1765984508-990.jpg "Fragment of an Ottoman document / Translation by Oleksandr Sereda: [Kazak milleti yüz sene mukaddem Devlet-i aliyye'ye tâbi idiler] The Cossack nation was subject to the Sublime State one hundred years ago.")
Fragment of an Ottoman document / Translation by Oleksandr Sereda: [Ukranya memleketi ber-vech-i istiklâl Kazak ve tâifesinde kalmak üzere ele girmez] Ukraine must be an independent state, remaining in the hands of the Cossack community.
The scholar also explained that the Arabic-derived term “tâife” is primarily translated as “a group of people, a community, a faction, a team, a congregation,” and sometimes as “a tribe” or “a people.” In this context, however, it refers to the Cossack group (community) of the Ukrainian people, which also included townspeople, peasants, and other representatives of Ukrainian society.
![Fragment of an Ottoman document / Translation by Oleksandr Sereda: [Kazak milleti yüz sene mukaddem Devlet-i aliyye'ye tâbi idiler] The Cossack nation was subject to the Sublime State one hundred years ago.](https://static.ukrinform.com/photos/2025_12/1765984508-326.jpg "Fragment of an Ottoman document / Translation by Oleksandr Sereda: [Kazak milleti yüz sene mukaddem Devlet-i aliyye'ye tâbi idiler] The Cossack nation was subject to the Sublime State one hundred years ago.")
“Therefore, it is precisely the phrase ‘kazak milleti’ that defines the Cossacks as a ‘nation,’ effectively meaning affiliation with the entire people, the majority of whom were Cossacks. There can be no double interpretation here,” Sereda emphasized.
This information became available during research conducted in Ottoman archives in Türkiye and Bulgaria.
“We are grateful for this opportunity. We receive maximum cooperation from the management of these archives and support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine,” Sereda stressed.
According to the historian, Ottoman archives still contain a vast number of previously unknown testimonies about the history of Ukraine, serving as a major source base. Unlike archives destroyed by the Soviet regime, those in Türkiye were carefully preserved.
“The full opening of Ottoman archives, cataloguing of documents, and their study and translation could completely transform our understanding of historical events, especially regarding the formation of Ukrainian statehood within the triangle of Ottoman, Polish, and Muscovite relations. However, this is a very lengthy process: cataloguing alone is work for several future generations,” Sereda explained.
As reported by Ukrinform, documents found in Ottoman archives in Istanbul and Sofia testify to international recognition of Ukraine as early as the 18th century and to support for its independence.
The first photo was provided by Oleksandr Sereda
