On August 14 of 1775, by order of Empress Catherine the Great, the Zaporozhian Host was utterly eliminated. After the reunification of a significant part of Little Russia with the Russian State in 1654, the privileges enjoyed by other Russian Cossack troops were extended to the Zaporozhian Host. Zaporozhian Cossacks played an important role defending the southern borders of Russia, participating in wars with the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, the Cossacks retained a certain autonomy from the central government. However, the Cossacks sheltered fugitives hiding from the persecution of the tsarist authorities. In addition, there was a danger of rebellion against the center and an alliance with external enemies of Russia.
The fate of the Zaporozhian Cossacks was entrusted to the Empress's favorite, Prince G. Potemkin-Tavrichesky. On June 5 of 1775, by order of the Prince, troops under the command of General P. Tekeli surrounded the Zaporozhian Host at night. As a result, part of the Cossacks joined the ranks of Hussars and Dragoons, and then, under the leadership of great Russian commander A. Suvorov, as part of the Army of the Faithful Zaporozhian Cossacks, created exactly on his initiative, participated in many battles of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1791.
The postage stamp provides a portrait of Empress Catherine the Great, the text of her decree on the abolition of the Zaporozhian Host, a fragment of the Host map and plunged weapons.
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114 × 162 mm |