After the death of Batory, dissensions of a dangerous character began to arise between the Cossack colonists and the Polish nobles. Sigismund III., either from weakness or from ignorance, allowed the seignorial lords to oppress the Cossack settlers, who, it is true, were considered merely in the light of a militia in the pay of the Polish crown, but who were never serfs. They enjoyed, defacto a certain kind of independence; had the privilege of reclaiming the waste lands in particular districts; as also of distilling brandy and brewing beer; privileges highly displeasing to the Polish nobles, and tending to diminish the revenues of the latter, who were in the habit of establishing Jews in their wine-houses or taverns for precisely the same purposes. Hence the extraordinary antipathy manifested by the Polish Cossacks towards the Jews, an antipathy which has never subsided. To this cause of ill-feeling was added another subject of discord still more serious, the Poles were Catholics and the Cossacks schismatics. Sigismund III., a zealous Catholic, and governed entirely by- the Jesuits, insisted on converting the Cossacks at whatever price; an attempt which exasperated the latter more than ever. As some of the attamans appeared favourable tohisprojects, the Cossacks refused to accept an attaman at the hands of the king, but elected their own chiefs, some of whom they even killed occasionally, when they happened to be unsuccessful in their piratical expeditions. They perceived, moreover, that there was no longer a Batory, whom they at the same time loved and dreaded, at the head of state affairs. It may also be remarked that the emperors of Germany, frequently at war with the Turks, powerfully encouraged, underhand, the incursions of the Cossacks against the latter power.
Under this complication of disturbing causes, symptoms of open rebellion began soon to manifest themselves in the Ukraine. After a few abortive attempts, energetically repressed by the skill and promptitude of the Polish generals, the Cossacks, in 1596, revolted en masse. The Grand- Hetman Zolkiewski marched against them; defeated them several times, not without considerable difficulty, and drove them at last into a spot where, surrounded on every side, and exposed to the destructive fire of the Polish artillery, they were forced to surrender at discretion. Their chiefs, Naleygyke and Laboda, were taken, condemned to death, and executed. An amnesty was granted to the rest.
In 1621, in the war declared by Turkey against Poland, and which threatened the very existence of the state, Peter Konassewitch Sahaydatchny was elected by the Cossacks themselves attaman, and his election confirmed by the king. This chief, renowned for his victorious expeditions against the Russians, the Tatars, and the Turks, after having defeated and slain his rival, led 35,000 Cossacks to the Polish camp of the Grand-Hetman Chodkiewicz, near Khotzim; and, having signalized himself by prodigies of valour, greatly contributed to the glorious result of that memorable war. He died shortly afterwards, with the reputation, undoubtedly well deserved, of having been one of the greatest chiefs of the Polish Cossacks, of whom he had several times been elected attaman. He was also prefect of the convent of K'iof (Krivobratzkay), and president of the academy of that celebrated town.