The article provides a comprehensive historical-legal analysis of the form of government of the Hetmanate in the mid-17th to 18th centuries through the prism of the formation, evolution, and eventual abolition of the institution of hetmanship as one of the key elements of Ukrainian Cossack statehood. It is argued that the form of government of the Hetmanate cannot be reduced to the classical models of republic or monarchy, as it combined elements of electivity, collegiality, and a significant concentration of supreme power in the hands of the hetman. The preconditions for the emergence of hetman authority are analysed in the context of the National Liberation War of 1648–1657. Particular attention is paid to the legal status of the hetman as head of state, his position within the system of public authorities, and the combination of military, administrative, legislative, judicial, financial, and foreign-policy powers. The role of the Military (Council of the Cossack senior officers, General) Council as estate-representative bodies that to a certain extent limited the hetman’s authority is examined. The author traces the evolution of the form of government: from the republican foundations of the initial period of Hetmanate (Khmelnytskyi period) to the strengthening of authoritarian and monocratic tendencies in the second half of the 17th and the early 18th centuries, in particular through the aspirations of certain hetmans to establish hereditary power. A separate section of the study is devoted to the impact of foreign-policy factors on the transformation of the form of government of the Hetmanate. The legal consequences of the Pereiaslav Agreement of 1654 and the March Articles are analysed, which established some restrictions on the sovereign status of the Ukrainian Hetman State under the protectorate of the Tsardom of muscovy, as well as the gradual narrowing of hetman powers during the 18th century. The significance of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk of 1710 are examined as an attempt to normatively limit hetman authority and to introduce the principles of the separation of powers. The role of the First Malorossiіа Collegium (1722–1727) and the Board of the Hetman Government (1734–1750) in the gradual abolition of the hetmanship institution is revealed. The significance of the liquidation of the hetmanship in 1764 is established, as a result of which the Hetmanate actually lost the remnants of autonomy.

Authored books

1. Boiko I, Derzhava i pravo Hetmanshchyny: navchalnyi posibnyk (Svit 2000) (in Ukrainian).

2. Budnyk S, Prus V, Shkuratenko O, Dzherela prava Ukrainskoi Hetmanskoi derzhavy (Viiska Zaporozkoho): navchalnyi posibnyk (Natsionalna akademiia vnutrishnikh sprav 2017) (in Ukrainian).

3. Yermolaiev V, Istoriia vyshchykh predstavnytskykh orhaniv vlady v Ukraini: navchalnyi posibnyk (Pravo 2007) (in Ukrainian). Edited and translated books

4. Smolii V (ed), Istoriia ukrainskoho kozatstva: narysy: u 2 t, t 1 (Kyievo-Mohylianska akademiia 2006) (in Ukrainian).

5. Yavornytskyi D, Istoriia zaporizkykh kozakiv, t 3 (per. z ros., Svit 1992) (in Ukrainian). Journal articles

6. Butryk I, ‘Monarkhichni idei v suspilno-politychnii dumtsi Ukrainy X–XX stolit’ [2008] 14 Visnyk Kyivskoho natsionalnoho linhvistychnoho universytetu. Seriia: Istoriia. Ekonomika. Filosofiia 159–165 (in Ukrainian).

7. Dobkina K, Savytska S, ‘Stanovlennia i rozvytok derzhavotvorennia v Ukraini za doby Hetmanshchyny: zakonodavchi aspekty’ [2024] 1 DICTUM FACTUM 29–33 https://doi. org/10.32703/2663-6352/2024-1-15-29-33 (in Ukrainian).

8. Khudoiar L, ‘Akty derzhavnoho upravlinnia hetmaniv v systemi dzherel prava Hetmanshchyny XVII–XVIII st’ [2016] 27 Pravova derzhava 44–50 (in Ukrainian).

9. Kresin O, ‘“Pakty y Konstytutsii zakoniv i volnostei Zaporozkoho Viiska” 1710 r.’ [2005] 2 Ukrainskyi istorychnyi zhurnal 192-203 (in Ukrainian).

10. Kryvosheia V, ‘Evoliutsiia vladnykh instytutiv kozatsko-hetmanskoi derzhavy’ [2007] 36 Naukovi zapysky instytutu politychnykh i etnonatsionalnykh doslidzhen im. I. F. Kurasa NAN Ukrainy 365–372 (in Ukrainian).

11. Opanasiuk V, ‘Struktura i funktsii instytutiv derzhavnoi vlady doby Bohdana Khmelnytskoho’ [2009] XXVI Naukovi pratsi istorychnoho fakultetu Zaporizkoho natsionalnoho universytetu 79 (in Ukrainian).

12. Panforova M, ‘Orhanizatsiia derzhavnoi vlady v Ukraini: istoryko-pravovyi analiz’ [2023] 72 Aktualni problemy polityky 27–33 http://doi.org/10.32782/app.v72.2023.4 (in Ukrainian).

13. Prus V, Kuras D, ‘Pravovyi status Viiska Zaporizkoho za Bereznevy my stattiamy 1654 r Bohdana Khmelnytskoho z moskovskym tsarem’ [2023] 1 Analitychno-porivnialne pravoznavstvo 35–40 (in Ukrainian).

14. Shcherbak V, ‘Derzhavni zasady Hetmanshchyny i rosiiskyi absoliutyzn na rubezhi XVII- XVIII st.’ [2017] 194 Naukovi zapysky NaUKMA. Istorychni nauky 27–30 (in Ukrainian).

15. Stenhach N, ‘Evoliutsiia respublikanskoi formy pravlinnia Ukrainy-Hetmanshchyny naprykintsi XVII–XVIII st.’ [2021] 1(79) Universytetski naukovi zapysky 20–29 (in Ukrainian).

16. Terliuk I, ‘Kozatskyi konstytutsionalizm XVIII stolittia: problema podilu vlady mizh providnymy subiektamy polityky’ [2017] 65 Visnyk Lvivskoho universytetu. Seriia yurydychna 48–55 https://doi.org/10.30970/vla.2017.65.7885 (in Ukrainian).

17. Terliuk I, ‘Vytoky konstytutsiinoi ideolohii ukrainskoho derzhavotvorennia yak natsionalnoho’ [2015] 824 Visnyk Natsionalnoho universytetu “Lvivska politekhnika”. Seriia: Yurydychni nauky 412–416 (in Ukrainian).

18. Terliuk, ‘Forma pravlinnia v ideolohii ta praktytsi ukrainskoho natsionalnoho derzhavotvorennia kozatskoi doby’ [2020] 2 Visnyk Natsionalnoho universytetu “Lvivska politekhnika”. Seriia: Yurydychni nauky 19–26 https://doi.org/10.23939/law2020.26.019 (in Ukrainian).

19. Yermolaiev V, ‘Bohdan Khmelnytskyi pro problemy i perspektyvy ukrainskoho derzhavotvorennia (do 365-richchia Natsionalnoi revoliutsii 1648 r)’ [2013] 1 Visnyk Akademii pravovykh nauk Ukrainy 66–79 (in Ukrainian). Theses

20. Bіrkovych O, ‘Sudova systema Ukrainskoi derzhavy (Hetmanshchyny) 1648–1657 rr.’ (dys kand yuryd nauk 2004) (in Ukrainian).

21. Makarenko O, ‘Zlochyny i pokarannia v pravi Ukrainskoi Hetmanskoi derzhavy 1648–1657 rr.’ (dys kand yuryd nauk 2011) (in Ukrainian).

22. Makushyna H, ‘Politychna ta pravova kultura Hetmanshchyny (1709–1780-ti rr.)’ (dys kand ist nauk 2015) (in Ukrainian).

23. Patlachuk V, ‘Orhanizatsiino-pravovi zasady diialnosti Rady starshyny Hetmanshchyny u druhii polovyni XVII–XVIII st.’ (dys kand yuryd nauk 2013) (in Ukrainian).