List of Ukrainian rulers
This list encompasses all rulers and leaders of Ukraine and Ukrainian territory. These rulers contributed to the development of the Ukrainian cultural and political identity. This is not a list of sovereigns; but for Crimean Khans, since Galicia-Volhynia Ukraine have not had a sovereign ruler, Ukrainian Hetmanate was a de facto democracy.
Scythian kings
Scythia was a loose state that originated as early as 8th century BC. Little is known of them and their rulers. Most detailed description came down to us from Herodotus.
- Scylas (ca. 500 BC) – Herodotus describes him as a Scythian whose mother was Greek, he was expelled by his people
- Octamasadas (ca. 450 BC) – was put on the throne after Scylas
- Ateas (ca. 429 BC – 339 BC) – defeated by the Macedonians; his empire fell apart
- Skilurus (ca. 200 BC)
- Palacus (ca. 100 BC) – the last Scythian ruler, defeated by Mithridates VI of Pontus
Kings of Cimmerian Bosporus
The shores of Crimea were settled by greeks since the 7th century BC. The kingdom was established around 480 BC. It was ruled by three consecutive dynasties: Archaeanactidae (480 BC - 438 BC), Spartocids (438 BC - 108 BC), and Pontids (108 BC - 16 BC). After Pontids the territory became a Roman client kingdom.
Pontids
- Mithridates VI of Pontus (108 BC - 64 BC)
- Pharnaces (64 BC - 47 BC)
- Asander (47 BC - 17 BC)
- Scribonius (17 BC - 16 BC)
Rulers of Patria Onoguria
According to Zakarius Rhetor and Priscus Rhetor, Patria Onoguria was a vulgar statelet in alliance with Byzantium established in 463 around Azov having been forced west upon the Akatziroi by the Sabirs who in turn were being attacked. Its 7th century period is commonly referred to as Old Great Bulgaria (~600–~690).
- Ernakh (469-503) raids on Byzantium
- Utigur (503-520)
- Grod (520-528) alliance with Byzantium
- Mugel (528-530) breaks alliance with Byzantium
- Sandilch (mid 6thC) in Southeast supported by Byzantium against Khinialon and Sinnion in Southwest, then Zabergan while Sarosios assists arrangement between Pseudo-Avars in North and Justinian I. Then Kagan Bayan controls the rest of Ukraine for most of the 60s until Sarosios assists Gokturks petition of Justin II to support a "true" Avar candidate in Patria Onoguria against the Pseudo-Avars.
- Houdbaad (c. 581-c. 600)
- Organa (617–630)
- Gostun (2 years)
- Kubrat (632–660) extended dominion of Great Bulgarian Onoguria into Pannonia placing Pseudo-Avars under Kuber in Sirmium.
- Batbayan of Bulgaria ruled two years before being challenged and forced south by his brother Kotrag who ensured Khazar rule over a loose confederation of tribal city-states from Kiev in the West to Bolghar in the Northeast and the Caspian Gates in the Southeast.
Princes of Kyiv
Rulers of Kyiv and Kyivan Rus (~860–1246)
Pagan rulers of the Rurik Dynasty
The Rurik Dynasty were descendants of Rurik, a Varangian chieftain Rørikr, and originally pagans.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Askold and Dir, Haskuldr and Dyri, were rulers of Kiev (Kænugarður, Kanugard), not Kievan Rus' | ?-882 | 860 | 882 | |
Oleh of Novhorod, Varangian konung Helgi of Hólmgarður (Holmgard) | ?-912 | 882 | 912 | |
Ihor of Kyiv, Varangian konung Ingvar | ?-945 | 912 | 945 | |
Olha of Kyiv (regent), Ingvar's wife Helga of Pskov, was baptized by Emperor Constantine VII but failed to bring Christianity to Kiev | ?-969 | 945 | 962 | |
Sviatoslav I of Kyiv, the first true ruler of Rus', he united all of the Rus' principalities under the Kiev throne | 942-972 | 962 | 972 | |
File:Yaropolk svyatoslavich.jpg | Yaropolk I of Kyiv, supposedly was baptised into Catholisism | 958 (960?)-980 | 972 | 980 |
Christian rulers of the Rurik Dynasty
Christianity was officially adopted in 988 by Volodymyr the Great.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Volodymyr the Great (Valdamarr), early rule is characterized by a staunch pagan reaction but in 988 he was baptized into Orthodoxy and successfully converted Kyivan Rus to Christianity | 958-1015 | 980 | 1015 | |
Sviatopolk the Accursed | 980-1019 | 1015 | 1019 | |
Yaroslav the Wise (Jarizleifr), Kyivan Rus reached the pinnacle of its' power during his reign | 978-1054 | 1019 | 1054 | |
Iziaslav I of Kyiv, first time | 1024-1078 | 1054 | 1073 | |
Vseslav of Kyiv, was a brief ruler during Iziaslav's official reign | 1039-1101 | 1068 | 1069 | |
File:Sviatoslav II first left.jpg | Sviatoslav II of Kyiv (on picture, first form right) | 1027-1076 | 1073 | 1076 |
Iziaslav I of Kyiv, second time | 1024-1078 | 1076 | 1078 | |
Vsevolod I of Kyiv | 1030-1093 | 1078 | 1093 | |
Sviatopolk II of Kyiv | 1050-1113 | 1093 | 1113 | |
Volodymyr II Monomakh, was the last ruler of the united Kyivan Rus | 1053-1125 | 1113 | 1125 | |
Mstyslav I of Kyiv, during his reign Kyivan Rus fell into recession starting a rapid decline | 1076–1132 | 1125 | 1132 |
The decline of Kyivan Rus
During this time the territory of Ukraine was conquered by various princes of the desintegrating Kyivan Rus pricipalities and Halychyna-Volhynia.
- Yaropolk II (1132–1139)
- Vyacheslav I (1139) (first time)
- Vsevolod II (1139–1146)
- Ihor II (1146)
- Izyaslav II (1146-1149) (first time)
- Yuriy I (1149–1151) (first time)
- Vyacheslav I (1151–1155) (second time)
- Izyaslav II (1151-1154) (second time)
- Rostislav I (1154) (first time)
- Izyaslav III (1154-1155) (first time)
- Yuriy I (1155–1157) (second time)
- Izyaslav III (1157–1158) (second time)
- Rostyslav I (1159-1167) (second time)
- Izyaslav III (1162) (third time)
- Mstyslav II (1167–1169) (first time)
- Hlib I (1169) (first time)
- Mstislav II (1170) (second time)
- Hlib I (1170–1171) (Second time)
- Volodymyr (1171)
- Mykhail I (1171)
- Roman I (1171–1173) (first time)
- Vsevolod III (1173)
- Ryurik (1173) (first time)
- Svyatoslav III (1174) (first time)
- Yaroslav II (1174–1175) (first time)
- Roman I (1175–1177) (second time)
- Svyatoslav III (1177–1180) (second time)
- Yaroslav II (1180) (second time)
- Ryurik (1180-1182) (second time)
- Svyatoslav III (1182–1194) (third time)
- Ryurik (1194-1202) (third time)
- Ingvar I (1202)
- Ryurik (1203-1205) (fourth time)
- Roman II the Great (1203-1205)
- Rostyslav II (1204–1206)
- Ryurik (1206) (fifth time)
- Vsevolod IV (1206–1207) (first time)
- Ryurik (1207-10) (sixth time)
- Vsevolod IV (1210–1214) (second time)
- Ingvar I (1214)
- Mstyslav III (1214–1223)
- Volodymyr III (1223–1235)
- Izyaslav IV (1235–1236)
- Yaroslav III (1236–1238) (first time)
- Mykhail II (1238–1239) (first time)
- Rostyslav III (1239)
- Danylo I (1239–1240)
- Mykhail II (1241–1246) (second time)
- Yaroslav III (1246) (second time)
Kings of Halychyna-Volhynia
Halychyna-Volhynia (1269–1384) is viewed as one of the successor states of Kyivan Rus.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lev I of Halych, found the city of Lviv, the first sole ruler of Halychyna-Volhynia | 1228-1301 | 1269 | 1301 | |
File:Yuriy I of Galich-Volhynia.jpg | Yuriy I of Halych | 1252 (1257?)—1308 | 1301 | 1308 |
Andriy of Halych and Lev II of Halych, joint rule, they were the last members of the Rurikid dynasty to rule Ukraine | ?-1323 | 1308 | 1323 | |
Yuriy II-Boleslav, member of the Piast of Polish szlachta family | 1308–1340 | 1323 | 1340 | |
Liubartas, member of the Gediminids family, was the last Ruthenian-Lithuanian ruler of Ukraine | 1320?-1384 | 1340 | 1384 |
At the end of the rule of Liubartas, Ukrainian territory was brought under the Polish Crown until the emergence of the Dnieper Cossacks. Also see Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Crimean khans
Crimean Khanate (1441–1783). Crimean Tatars, although not a part of the Ukrainian ethnos, ruled a large part of modern Ukraine.
Name | Date of Reign | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hacı I Giray | c.1427 or 1441 - 1456 | first reign |
Hayder | 1456 | |
Hacı I Giray | 1456-1466 | second reign |
Nur Devlet | 1466-1467 | first reign |
Meñli I Giray | 1467 | first reign |
Nur Devlet | 1467-1469 | second reign |
Meñli I Giray | 1469-1475 | second reign |
Nur Devlet | 1475-1476 | third reign |
vacant | 1476-1478 | Dynasty dismissed from power |
Meñli I Giray | 1478-1515 | third reign |
Mehmed I Giray | 1515-1523 | |
Ğazı I Giray | 1523-1524 | |
Saadet I Giray | 1524-1532 | |
İslâm I Giray | 1532 | |
Sahib I Giray | 1532-1551 | |
Devlet I Giray | 1551-1577 | |
Mehmed II Giray | 1577-1584 | |
Saadet II Giray | 1584 | |
İslâm II Giray | 1584-1588 | |
Ğazı II Giray | 1588-1596 | first reign |
Fetih I Giray | 1596 | |
Ğazı II Giray | 1596-1607 | second reign |
Toqtamış Giray | 1607-1608 | |
Selâmet I Giray | 1608-1610 | |
Canibek Giray | 1610-1623 | first reign |
Mehmed III Giray | 1623-1628 | † |
Canibek Giray | 1628-1635 | second reign |
İnayet Giray | 1635-1637 | |
Bahadır I Giray | 1637-1641 | |
Mehmed IV Giray | 1641-1644 | first reign |
İslâm III Giray | 1644-1654 | |
Mehmed IV Giray | 1654-1666 | second reign |
Adil Giray | 1666-1671 | |
Selim I Giray | 1671-1678 | first reign |
Murad Giray | 1678-1683 | |
Hacı II Giray | 1683-1684 | |
Selim I Giray | 1684-1691 | second reign |
Saadet III Giray | 1691 | |
Safa Giray | 1691-1692 | |
Selim I Giray | 1692-1699 | third reign |
Devlet II Giray | 1699-1702 | first reign |
Selim I Giray | 1702-1704 | fourth reign |
Ğazı III Giray | 1704-1707 | |
Qaplan I Giray | 1707-1708 | first reign |
Devlet II Giray | 1709-1713 | second reign |
Qaplan I Giray | 1713-1715 | second reign |
Devlet III Giray | 1716-1717 | |
Saadet IV Giray | 1717-1724 | |
Meñli II Giray | 1724-1730 | first reign |
Qaplan I Giray | 1730-1736 | third reign |
Fetih II Giray | 1736-1737 | |
Meñli II Giray | 1737-1740 | second reign |
Selamet II Giray | 1740-1743 | |
Selim II Giray | 1743-1748 | |
Arslan Giray | 1748-1756 | first reign |
Halim Giray | 1756-1758 | |
Qırım Giray | 1758-1764 | first reign |
Selim III Giray | 1765-1767 | first reign |
Arslan Giray | 1767 | second reign |
Maqsud Giray | 1767-1768 | |
Qırım Giray | 1768-1769 | second reign |
Devlet IV Giray | 1769-1770 | first reign |
Qaplan II Giray | 1770 | |
Selim III Giray | 1770-1771 | second reign |
Sahib II Giray | 1771-1775 | † |
Devlet IV Giray | 1775-1777 | second reign |
Şahin Giray | 1777-1782 | first reign |
Bahadır II Giray | 1782 | |
Şahin Giray | 1782-1783 | second reign |
† The reigns of Canibek Giray in 1624 and of Maqsud Giray in 1771-1772 are not listed. Though these khans were formally appointed by Ottoman sultans they did not reach the throne and did not rule Crimea. In the years mentioned, the authority in the Crimean Khanate was exercised by Mehmed III Giray and Sahib II Giray correspondingly. | ||
Note: The nominal khans Şahbaz Giray (1787-1789) and Baht Giray (1789-1792) mentioned in some works are not listed in this table as they did not rule the Crimean Khanate annexed by Russia in 1783. |
Hetmans of Ukrainian Cossacks
A Hetman (1506?–1764) was a military and civil leader, democratically elected by the Cossacks.
Hetmans and commanders of Ukrainian Cossacks
Several Cossack regiments were operating in Ukraine at this time that were largely independent of each other, so some of the Hetmans' tenures overlap.
Hetmans of the Cossack state
Following the Khmelnytsky uprising a new Cossack republic, the Hetmanate, was formed.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the first sole ruler of the Ukrainian Cossack state | 1595—1657 | 1648 | 1657 | |
Ivan Bohun, was acting hetman during the Battle of Berestechko | ?-1664 | June 1651 | June 1651 | |
Ivan Vyhovsky, second Hetman of the Cossack Hetmanate, co-author of the Treaty of Hadiach signed in 1658 | ?-1664 | October 21, 1657 | October 17, 1659 | |
Yurii Khmelnytsky, third Hetman of the Cossack Hetmanate | 1641-1685 | October 17, 1659 | 1663 |
Hetmans during the Ruin
The Ruin (1660–1687) was a time in Ukrainian history when the country fell into disarray and chaos. Afterwards, the Cossack state emerged as a vassal of the Russian Empire. During this period a number of hetmans stayed in power for short periods of time and often controlled only parts of the country. Moreover the Treaty of Andrusovo (1667) split the Cossack Hetmanate along the Dnieper River into Left-bank incorporated into Tsardom of Russia, and Right-bank Ukraine remained part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, temporary occupied by the Ottoman Empire (1672-1699).
Hetmans of Right-bank Ukraine
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pavlo Teteria, succeeded Yurii Khmelnytsky as the first ruler of Right-bank Ukraine | ?—1670 | 1663 | 1665 | |
Petro Doroshenko, united Cossack state for a short period of time until accepting Ottoman suzerainty | 1627-November 19, 1698 | October 10, 1665 | September 19, 1676 | |
File:Khanenko.jpg | Mykhailo Khanenko, nominal Hetman | ca. 1620–1680 | 1669 | 1674 |
Yurii Khmelnytsky, nominated by the Ottomans in 1678, and re-instaled by the Poles in 1683 | 1641-1685 | 1678 1683 |
1681 1685 |
Hetmans of Left-bank Ukraine
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yakym Somko, acting hetman of Left-bank Ukraine | ?—September 28, 1664 | 1660 | 1663 | |
Ivan Briukhovetsky, was a pro-Russian hetman of Left-bank Ukraine | ?- 1668 | 1663 | 1668 | |
Petro Doroshenko | 1627-November 19, 1698 | June 9, 1668 | 1669 | |
Demian Mnohohrishny, | 1630-1701 | 1669 | 1672 | |
File:Ivan Samoylovych.png | Ivan Samoylovych | 1630-1690 | 1672 | 1687 |
Hetmans after the Ruin and reunification of Ukraine (1687-1764/75)
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | Ruled From | Ruled Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ivan Mazepa, was the last hetman to actively fight against the Russian domination | 1639-1709 | 1687 | 1709 | |
Pylyp Orlyk, a very brief successor of Mazepa, an author of Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk, and the only hetman in exile | 1672-1742 | 1709 1710 in exile |
1709 1742 in exile | |
File:Ivan Skoropadskij.jpg | Ivan Skoropadsky, pro-Russian Cossack colonel who refused to join Ivan Mazepa in 1708 | 1646-1722 | 11 November 1708 | 14 July 1722 |
Pavlo Polubotok, served as Acting Hetman | 1660?-1724 | 1722 | 1724 | |
File:Danylo Apostol.jpg | Danylo Apostol | 1654-1734 | 1727 | 1734 |
Kirill Razumovsky, after his rule the territory of Ukraine came under the direct governance of the Russian Empire | 1728-1803 | 1750 | 1764 | |
Petro Kalnyshevsky, the last Koshovyi Otaman of the Zaporozhian Cossacks | 1691–1803 | 1765 | 1775 |
In the Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary
After the dissolution of the Cossack Hetmanate, a new Malorossiyan collegium was established in 1764, and the Zaporozhian Host was disbanded in 1775. As a result of the second and third Partitions of Poland in 1793 and 1795, eastern and central parts of Ukraine had annexed into the Russian Empire. However, western parts of Ukraine were annexed into the Habsburg Monarchy earlier, in the following order: Carpathian Ruthenia (1526), Galicia (1772), and Bukovina (1775).
The Russian Empire existed until 1917, and the Dual Monarchy, Austria–Hungary, existed until 1918.
Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR, 1917–1921) was formed after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and lasted until the Peace of Riga between Poland and Soviet Russia in March 1921. The leadership title varied and, despite a rather widespread misconception, none of them had the official title of president.
Chairmen of the Central Rada
The Central Council (Tsentral’na rada) was the representative body governing the UNR.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | In Office From | In Office Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mykhailo Hrushevskyi - never holding a title, he is regarded as Ukraine's first president | 1866-1934 | 27 March 1917 | 29 April 1918 |
- Volodymyr Pavlovych Naumenko and Serhiy Oleksandrovych Yefremov (27 April – 29 April 1917 (acting for Hrushevsky)
Hetman of the Ukrainian State
A very short lived Hetmanate was established by Pavlo Skoropadskyi in 1918.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | In Office From | In Office Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pavlo Skoropadskyi | 1873-1945 | 29 April 1918 | 14 December 1918 |
Chairmen of the Directory
The Directorate of Ukraine was a government of the UNR formed after Skoropadskyi's Hetmanate fell apart.
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | In Office From | In Office Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Volodymyr Vynnychenko | 1880-1951 | 14 December 1918 | 11 February 1919 | |
File:Symon petlura.jpg | Symon Petliura | 1879-1926 | 11 February 1919 | 7 May 1921 |
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918/1921-1991)
Ukraine was incorporated into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on 30 December 1922.
Secretaries of Central Committee the (Ukrainian) Communist Party
- Mykola Oleksiiovych Skrypnyk (20 April - 26 May 1918) (Secretary of the Organizational Bureau)
- Yurii Leonidovych Pyatakov (12 July - 9 September 1918)
- Serafima Ilyinichna Gopner (9 September - 23 October 1918)
- Emmanuil Ionovich Kviring (23 October 1918 - 30 May 1919)
- Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior (30 May - 10 December 1919) (1st time)
- Vacant (10 December 1919 - January 1920)
- Rafail Borisovich Farbman (January - 23 March 1920) (acting)
- Nikolay Ilyich Nikolayev (23 March - 25 March 1920)
- Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior (25 March - 23 November 1920) (2nd time)
First Secretary of the Central Committee
- Vyacheslav Mihailovich Molotov (23 November 1920 - 22 March 1921)
Executive Secretary of the Central Committee
- Feliks Jakovlevich Kon (22 March - 15 December 1921)
First Secretaries of the Communist Party
- Dmitry Zakharovich Manuilsky (15 December 1921 - 10 April 1923)
- Emmanuil Ionovich Kviring (10 December 1923 - 20 March 1925)
General Secretaries of the Central Committee
- Emmanuil Ionovich Kviring (20 March - 7 April 1925)
- Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich (7 April 1925 - 14 July 1928)
- Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior (14 July 1928 - 23 January 1934)
First Secretaries of the Central Committee
- Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior (23 January 1934 - 27 January 1938)
- Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (27 January 1938 - 3 March 1947) (1st time, acting) (in Russian SFSR exile from 1941 until 1944)
- Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich (3 March - 26 December 1947) (2nd time)
- Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (26 December 1947 - 16 December 1949) (2nd time)
- Leonid Georgyevich Melnikov (16 December 1949 - 4 June 1953)
- Aleksey Illarionovich Kirichenko (4 June 1953 - 26 December 1957)
- Nikolay Viktorovich Podgorny (26 December 1957 - 2 July 1963)
- Pyotr Yefimovich Shelest (2 July 1963 -25 May 1972)
- Vladimir Vasilyevich Shcherbitsky (25 May 1972 - 28 September 1989)
- Vladimir Antonovich Ivashko (28 September 1989 - 22 June 1990)
- Stanislav Ivanovich Gurenko (22 June 1990 - 1 September 1991)
Ukraine (1991-present)
On 5 July 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR passed a law establishing the post of the President of the Ukrainian SSR. The title was changed to the President of Ukraine upon the proclamation of independence (24 August 1991). The first election of the President of Ukraine was held on 1 December 1991.
Presidents
Portrait | Name | Born-Died | In Office From | In Office Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leonid Makarovych Kravchuk | 1934- | 5 December 1991 | 19 July 1994 | |
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma | 1938- | 19 July 1994 | 23 January 2005 | |
Viktor Yushchenko | 1954- | 23 January 2005 | Present |