Black Council (novel)
1857 historical novel by Panteleimon Kulish
Black Council, a Chronicle of the Year 1663 (Ukrainian: Чорна рада, Хроніка 1663 року, romanized: Chorna rada, Khronika 1663 roku) is an 1857 historical novel by Ukrainian writer Panteleimon Kulish. Its plot is based on the Black Council of 1663, which resulted in the election of Ivan Briukhovetsky as Hetman of the Zaporozhian Host.
The book was published in both Ukrainian and Russian, though the two versions differ stylistically. It is recognized to be the first and most important Ukrainian historical novel.
Plot
In summer of 1663 Pavoloch colonel Shram (Ukrainian: Шрам - "Scar"), an old Cossack who had originally served as a priest and fought in the Khmelnytskyi Uprising, arrives with his son and war companion Petro to the khutir of Khmaryshche (Ukrainian: Хмарище) in the vicinity of Kyiv. Shram's visit is kept secret from his formal superior, the Right-bank hetman Pavlo Teteria, who is despised by Eastern Orthodox Cossacks for his sympathy to Catholic Poland. In Khmaryshche Shram and his son meet the homestead's owner - Cherevan (Ukrainian: Черевань - "Big Belly"), a fellow Cossack who had become rich from war booty during the years following the uprising.
A kobzar staying in Cherevan's residence informs the host and his guests about the rise of Ivan Briukhovetsky, a former squire of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who gained the trust of the late hetman's successor to establish control over the Hetmanate's treasury and fled to Zaporozhia with the stolen money. After using lavish gifts and populist promises in order to get elected kish otaman of Zaporozhian Sich, Briukhovetsky is now campaigning to become the Hetman of Zaporozhian Host. Upon hearing about the political turmoil, Shram opens up about the reason of his journey: he wants to meet Yakym Somko, the hetman of Left-Bank Ukraine, in order to persuade him to depose Teteria and reunite all Ukraine under one rule.
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Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 3, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q12170490. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1663 and 1857.
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