In view of current unending events in Ukraine’s eastern regions, I thought it would be fun to tell about one of the Ukrainian leaders, who happened to be the author of the first modern European Constitution. Pylyp Orlyk was a Hetman-in-exhile who devoted his life to establishing an independent Ukrainian-Zaporozhian state. He sided with the Swedish king Karl XII in order to free Ukraine from the constant attacks of its Eastern neighbor, Muscovy.
The Agreements and Constitutions of Laws and Freedoms of the Zaporizian Host was the first of its kind as it clearly separated the legislative, executive and judicial branches of power in a state. In addition to delineating the clear limits on the executive powers of a Hetman (Head of state) this Constitution also established a democratically elected Cossack parliament called the General Council.
File:Pylyp-orlyk-constitution-1710.jpg
Peace and equal right to all!