#284 Ukraine...Thanks Sulyma!

This FDC was issued in May,2010 commemorating the 300th Anniversary of Pylyp Orlyk’s Constitution.

Pylyp Orlyk (Ukrainian: Пилип Орлик) (1672-1742) was a Zaporozhian Cossack starshyna, Hetman in exile, diplomat, secretary and close associate of Hetman Ivan Mazepa.

Orlyk first studied at the Jesuit college in Vilnius and until 1694 at Kyiv Mohyla Academy. In 1698 he was appointed secretary of the consistory of Kiev metropolia. In 1699 he became a senior member of Hetman Ivan Mazepa's General Military Chancellery and 1706 was appointed general chancellor and at that position he was Mazepa's closest aide, facilitated Mazepa's secret correspondence with the Poles and Swedes, and assisted Mazepa in his efforts to form an anti-Russian coalition.

After the Battle of Poltava in 1709, he escaped together with Hetman Ivan Mazepa and king Charles XII of Sweden to Bender in the Principality of Moldavia, where Mazepa soon died. Pylyp Orlyk was then chosen as a Hetman in exile by the cossacks and the Swedish king Charles XII. While in Bender Orlyk wrote one of the first state constitutions in Europe. This Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk was confirmed by Charles XII and it also names him as the protector of Ukraine.

The 3.33k stamp on the upper left corner is from 2008 joint issue with Azerbyan showing Gold jewelry.

The 1.5k and 2k stamp are from 2010 issue of the 90th Anniversary of Postage Stamps of Ukrainian People’s Republic.