Representations were, however, made to induce the Zaporogians "to conform to the laws of civilization." In vain they objected that their organization had always existed as it stood. Their peculiar discipline (or rather the lack of military rules) they justified by the successes of their tactics against the enemies of Russia. Forgetting their frequent disloyalties they invoked the ukases of former Tsars confirming them perpetually in their privileges. Their favourite threat when pressed by Catherine's oflScers was to pretend that they were about to return to their Turkish allegiance. Thus, while the war with the Sultan lasted, Catherine feared to punish their insolence.
But with the signing of the treaty of Kainardji the Empress turned her attention to reorganizing the Russian border provinces against a possible renewal of Turkish aggression. It was now decreed that the Zaporogian sitch, the focus of all disorders in the Ukraine, should disappear. Even the privilege of a spirited or heroic climax to their long career of disorder was to be denied them! A force of troops so overwhelming that to resist would have appeared madness, surrounded the stronghold on every side. Completely surprised and cowed by such a determined campaign the Zaporogians "without even bloodshed" surrendered their arms to the representatives of Catherine's authority. The sitch was declared "forever destroyed and the name of Zaporogian wiped out." In order the more effectually to ensure that no reorganization of their band might take place, the territory of the Zaporogians was divided among the neighbouring provinces of Little Russia and colonized with "foreigners." The lands once under the immediate control of the sitch now form part of the Russian "government," of Ekaterinaslav, Kherson and Tauride.* The conditions of the Cossacks living in the
* An ukase issued by Catherine in August, 1775, contains a careful analysis of her political reasons for the annihilation of the Zaporogians. It embodies, moreover, an interesting review of the history of the sitch which has generally formed the basis for the rare studies dealing with this subject. The following edifying passage would seem to indicate that the empress laid much of the blame for the disorderly conduct of the Zaporogians upon their repugnance for family life: "... Historians tell us that the Zaporogian Cossacks once formed part of the Cossacks of Little Russia, but that they afterwards separated themselves from these and adopted manners and customs of their own. While the former remained faithfully attached to their sovereign, the latter established themselves beyond the cataracts of the Dnieper, where, having little by little augmented their nmnber, they finally formed a warlike and political association, as singular in its customs as it was contrary to the views of the Creator. The ordinances which tend to facilitate the propagation of the human species were not considered by the Zaporogians. One of the principal rules of the establishment forbade the Cossacks to bring with them from the Ukraine their wives or children.... This Cossack custom, which arose from a desire not to expose their families to the fury of the enemy, and in order to improve their discipline by freeing them from domestic ties, was finally raised to the place of a cardinal principle by the Zaporogians. Through the workings of their law, which enjoined celibacy, they forgot their native land and lived on the shores of the Dnieper in a state of absolute irresponsibility."
settlements or stanitzi of Little Russia differed but little at the end of the eighteenth century from that of the Onodvortzi, or peasant-proprietors of Greater Russia. From the account of contemporary writers, it would appear that the warlike qualities which formerly distinguished the Ukraine — fostered by a life of continual campaigning against their numerous enemies — had largely disappeared under the conditions brought about by the longenforced peace following the firm establishment of Russian rule.
The old system of land tenure was fast disappearing and great estates had already been formed from Cossack land and granted to Russian and Polish nobles. Moreover at this time the ancient territory of the Free Ukraine was invaded on all sides by the advance of Russian colonists. An entire new province, known as New Servia, was thus settled on the Tiurkish frontiers with a population drawn from the Christian provinces of Turkey and peasants of Northern Russia. In order to establish these newcomers as quickly as possible, Catherine sent regiments of dragoons to plough and sow these fertile territories long uncultivated owing to fear of the Mussulman.