THE TSAR S MANHUNT FOR THE MAZEPISTS
On his way to the east, Orlyk stopped in Hannover where an audience was arranged for him with George I. However, at the last moment, the meeting was cancelled because of the King’s premature departure to England.
The Hetman had to content himself with discussing his plans with the King’s chief minister, Baron A. von Bernsdorf.13 From Hannover the emigres crossed Germany and, in late January, arrived in Breslau, in Habsburg territory. There a pleasant surprise awaited them. Almost by accident they made the acquaintance of Baron Orlik who, as it happened, belonged to the same ancestral line as did the Hetman.14 Fortunately for them, this highly placed Czech aristocrat—he was one of Emperor Charles VΓs courtiers—took the Orlyks under his wing.While in Breslau, the emigres would need all the help they could find for it became evident that the Tsar had not forgotten them. In 1716, two years before the famous pursuit of Peter Γs runaway son, Aleksei, one of the Ukrainians fell into a Russian trap. Usinga well- known beauty, Aurora von Konigsmarck as bait, tsarist agents in Hamburg enticed the unsuspecting Voinarovskyi into a snare.15 Before local authorities could intervene, Mazepa’s nephew was spirited off to St. Petersburg. After detailed questioning and a prolonged stay in the jails of the capital, the self-indulgent Voina- rovskyi was sentenced to end his days in the wilds of Yakutia. In 1720, the Tsar’s agents struck closer to home. While on his way to the Crimea, Hertsyk stopped in Warsaw where Nakhymovskyi and Myrovych were lodged at the home of Poniatowski. Upon learning that hopes for a war against Russia were fading, the young Hertsyk began to have his doubts about the usefulness of a mission to the Khan and t⅛ Zaporozhians. Under the pretext of illness, he extended his stay in Warsaw.
Nakhimovskyi was sent to the Crimea in his place. This desire to avoid the hardships of a dangerous and seemingly pointless mission sealed the young Hertsyk’s doom. The Russian resident in Poland, Prince Georgii Dolgorukii, learned of Hertsyk’s presence in Warsaw and arrested him in broad daylight.16 Despite the outraged protests of the Poles, Hertsyk was secretly removed from Poland and brought to St. Petersburg on 15 March 1721. After the usual questioning—the interrogator was especially interested in Orlyk’s activities and concerned about any contacts the Hetman might have in Ukraine—Hertsyk spent several years in the Petro-Pavlovsk fortress and was later exiled to Moscow.17But the main prize which the Tsar’s agents sought was Orlyk. When the Hetman left Sweden, D. Iaguzhinskii, the younger brother of the Russian envoy at the Habsburg court, was sent to Hamburg to intercept him. Arriving too late to do so, the younger Iaguzhinskii followed the emigres to Breslau. There, in March of 1721, preparations were made to abduct the Hetman. Only the recent acquaintanceship with Baron Orlik saved the Hetman from a fate similar to that of Voinarovskyi and Hertsyk. Through his contacts in the Habsburg court, Baron Orlik learned of the Russian plans, and, on 10 March, he transferred his distant “relative” to a hiding place outside of Breslau. Just hours after Orlyk departed, at one o’clock in the morning, the younger Iaguzhinskii attempted, unsuccessfully, to break into his quarters.18
After the failure of the attempted kidnapping, the elder Iagu- zhinskii attempted to persuade and/or bribe key officials at the court in Vienna to detain the Hetman and hand him over to the Russians.19 The matter came to the attention of Emperor Charles VI who refused to allow the hapless emigre to be arrested; he did, however, agree to have him expelled from the empire.20 Orlyk mobilized all his contacts—Count Bielke, the Swedish envoy, Count Szlik, the Bohemian chancellor, even August II—in an effort to convince the Emperor to grant him asylum. But, in view of the improving relations with Russia, Charles VI insisted that Orlyk leave Habsburg territory.
In despair, the Hetman noted in his diary:Thus the efforts and intrigues of my enemies conquered the goodwill not only of Count Bielke but even that of the King of Poland, who ordered his envoy to intercede in my behalf. Hidden in a monastery, my family remains in Breslau... and I, without a place to safely rest my head, have become an object of contempt to the world and its people. For the sake of security I must continually move from place to place, using a false name and playing the role of a foreigner.21
The logical place to go next was Poland. Leaving most of his family in Breslau, Orlyk took along only his eldest son, Hryhor, and, on 21 April, arrived in Cracow. Immediately he sent out a series of letters to such leading statesmen of the Commonwealth as Flemming, Manteuffel, Szaniawski, Mniszek and Rzewuski reminding them again of his potential usefulness to Poland.22 The response was polite but discouraging. Although August II had tried hard to convince the Commonwealth to declare war on Russia, the szlachtaf suspecting—not without reason—that he would use the conflict to limit its treasured “golden freedoms,” refused to go along. Thus when Orlyk arrived with his plans of anti-Russian offensives and hopes of Cossack autonomy on the Right Bank, he was politely informed that the time when such projects could be implemented was already past. The best August II and Flemming could do for the Hetman was to accept his son Hryhor, under a false name, into the king’s own regiment in Dresden. As for Orlyk himself, because the Commonwealth could not guarantee his safety, Flemming and others advised him to seek an understanding with the Tsar.23
At about this time the Hetman learned that, despite the promises of Charles XII, Sweden would not raise the Ukrainian issue in the Nystadt peace talks with Russia.24 Even when OrlykaskedSwedish diplomats to discuss only his personal interests with their Russian counterparts, the latter refused to do so.
Discouraged, the Hetmar decided to apply directly to St. Petersburg for a pardon. Using the services of Colonel Johann Sztenflicht, an old friend from Bender and the current representative of Holstein in St. Petersburg (later he became Orlyk’s son-in-law) the Hetman sent a proposal to the Russian government in which he expressed his willingness to return to Ukraine under certain conditions.25 Unfortunately, the text of this note is unavailable. Judging from comments made later, Orlyk still held out for some sort of recognition of his official title if not with regard to the Hetmanate then at least in regard to the Zaporozhians. It was at this point that he also prepared his lengthy and well known letter to Stefan Iavorskyi, in which he claimed to reveal all he knew about Mazepa’s izmena (treason).26The response from St. Petersburg was negative. The Tsar refused to guarantee Orlyk any special consideration. According to Szten- flicht, the best that could be hoped for was permission for Orlyk and his family, which, in the meantime, had joined him in Cracow, to return home.27 But, in view of the fate which befell Hor- lenko, Maksymovych and Lomykovskyi and the constant remonstrances of his wife “to be careful of Moscow,” the Hetman decided not to return to Ukraine under such uncertain circumstances. Again the same old problem arose—what to do next?