Oak of Maxim Zaliznyak, Buda

Maksym Zalizniak is the last hetman that was selected by the Cossacks council according to existed tradition. After his selection, there was a rebellion and the next hetman who was selected by their council, Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, proclaimed the creation of Hetmanate with its own rules.

 

Though the rebellion was rather furious, their leader managed it well. The reason of rebellion was the resistance from the Cossacks’ side to live according to Polish laws. Talking about its consequences, over 1500 cossacks were murdered in horrible ways: polish authorities decided to bury some of them or quarter the bodies. The leader of right-bank Ukraine was convicted to 2 weeks of tortures. Cossacks from Zaporizhzhia got an invitation from Russian forces for joint battle against polish confederates. However, that was the manipulation act and in result most of Ukrainian Cossacks were taken into captivity, though some of them survived. Among the squad of Ukrainian survivors was Maksym Zalizniak - his second try to escape was pretty successful. But his future was unclear and no one knows exactly where he died.

 

His story was well-known among Ukrainians and local authorities tried to make people forget about him. There was even restriction on giving newborns name “Maksym”. But people still remembered about brave Cossack and found the oak he loved to relax under and gave this oak the name of great Cossack.

 

This tree is as unique, as Maksym Zalizniak. Its height is about 30 meters and it is over 1100 years old. The lightning heated the tree 6 times and it affected trunk condition, but did not damaged it completely. Nowadays this oak is under the observation of local scientists, and they keep it in good condition by giving out the water.

 

How to get there?
This oak is located in Hutoliivka village, which is in Cherkassy region. So you can find it on Google maps, somewhere near Matronin Monastery.

 

Translated by: Yelyzaveta Kravchenko