# Maksym Kryvonis

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Ukrainian cossack

Maksym Kryvonis Statue of Kryvonis in the monument “Heroes of the Liberation War of the Ukrainian People 1648–1654” in Zhovti Vody Nickname Perebyinis Born Around 1600 Died November 1648 Zamość, Belz Voivodeship, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Allegiance Zaporozhian Host Service years 1648 Rank Colonel Commands Lysianka Regiment Cherkasy Regiment Korsun Regiment Bila Tserkva Regiment Uman Regiment Conflicts See list Khmelnytsky Uprising Khmelnytsky's campaign Battle of Zhovti Vody Battle of Korsun Battle of Makhnivka Battle of Kostiantyniv Battle of Pyliavtsi Siege of Lwów (1648) Siege of Vysokyi Zamok Siege of Bar (1648) Siege of Kamianets (1648) Siege of Kremenets Siege of Zamość (1648) # Children Oleksandr Kryvonosenko [uk]

**Maksym Kryvonis** ([Ukrainian](/source/Ukrainian_language): Максим Кривоніс, [Polish](/source/Polish_language): *Maksym Krzywonos*; literally means "crooked-nose") was one of the [Cossack](/source/Zaporozhian_Cossacks) leaders and a commander of the [Ukrainian](/source/Ukrainians) peasants against the [Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth). For the first time in the [history of Lviv](/source/History_of_Lviv), during the siege of the city his regiment captured the [Vysokyi Zamok Castle](/source/Lviv_High_Castle), which was defended by the strong [Polish–Lithuanian](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth) garrison. Kryvonis was one of the most important figures during the [Khmelnytskyi Uprising](/source/Khmelnytsky_Uprising) in 1648.

## Origins

Contemporary woodcut of Kryvonis's likeness (probably a Polish caricature)[1]

The question about his origins remains unresolved. A Polish pamphlet published in 1648 claimed that he was a serf of the [Nemyrych](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nemyrych&action=edit&redlink=1) family[2] (a hypothesis favoured by Soviet historiography). However, a German source about a meeting with Kryvonis in 1648 says that he is of [Scottish](/source/Scotland) origin ("ein gebohrenen Schott").[3] In this case his real name may well have been not a nickname based on his crooked or broken nose, but a translation of his Scottish family name [Cameron](/source/Cameron_(surname)).

## Khmelnytsky Uprising

Kryvonis (right on a horse) fighting against [Jeremi Wiśniowiecki](/source/Jeremi_Wi%C5%9Bniowiecki) as depicted on a 1934 painting by [Mykola Samokysh](/source/Mykola_Samokysh)

Kryvonis was one of the most effective generals of the uprising. He was awarded the rank of [colonel](/source/Colonel) of [Cherkasy Regiment](/source/Cherkasy_Regiment). His actions in [Korsun](/source/Battle_of_Korsu%C5%84) and [Pylyavtsi](/source/Battle_of_Pyliavtsi) battles in 1648 led to crushing Cossack victories over the Polish armies. His actions against prince [Jeremi Wiśniowiecki](/source/Jeremi_Wi%C5%9Bniowiecki) at [Makhnivka](/source/Battle_of_Makhnivka) and [Kostiantyniv](/source/Battle_of_Kostiantyniv) were also successful.[4]

Kryvonis perished of plague during the [siege of Zamość](/source/Zamo%C5%9B%C4%87_Fortress#First_siege) in November 1648.[5]

## Atrocities

Main article: [Khmelnytsky Uprising § Cossack massacres](/source/Khmelnytsky_Uprising#Cossack_massacres)

Cossacks took part in massacres and devastation of the Jewish communities during the uprising. Kryvonis led the capture of [Tulchyn](/source/Tulchyn), killing 1,500 [Jews](/source/Jews) in process, but sparing [Poles](/source/Polish_people) in exchange for handing over Jews and their property.[6] Jewish chronicles of that time portray Kryvonis as being responsible for the most brutal attacks on Jews and Poles in 1648.[7] [Leonid Plyushch](/source/Leonid_Plyushch) states that Kryvonis's [pogroms](/source/Pogroms) are often attributed to [Bohdan Khmelnytsky](/source/Bohdan_Khmelnytsky).[8]

## Literature

Kryvonis (Polish: *Maksym Krzywonos*) was also a character in [With Fire and Sword](/source/With_Fire_and_Sword), a novel by [Nobel](/source/Nobel_Prize)-winning 19th-century Polish author [Henryk Sienkiewicz](/source/Henryk_Sienkiewicz). In [the 1999 movie](/source/With_Fire_and_Sword_(film)) based on the novel he was played by [Maciej Kozłowski](/source/Maciej_Koz%C5%82owski).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["ПОВСТАННЯ БОГДАНА ХМЕЛЬНИЦЬКОГО"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220602071130/http://exlibris.org.ua/wijsko/r206.html) [BOHDAN KHMELNYTSKY REBELLION] (in Ukrainian). Archived from [the original](http://exlibris.org.ua/wijsko/r206.html) on 2 June 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Документы об освободительной войне украинского народа 1648-1654 г.г., Киев, Наукова Думка, 1965, p.70: "Nie gniewajac na siebie wlasnego dziedzica... cnego Niemierzyca" "Do not make your master, honorable Nemyrych, angry".

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Дмитро НАЛИВАЙКО "ОЧИМА ЗАХОДУ: Рецепція України в Західній Європі XI-XVIII ст.", КИЇВ — «Основи» — 1998, [http://litopys.org.ua/ochyma/ochrus4.htm](http://litopys.org.ua/ochyma/ochrus4.htm). German anonymous pamphlet "On the new rebellion of Cossacks against Poland", 1649, possibly by polish general of German origin Christopher Houvaldt. D. Nalyvayko, however, is skeptical on the matter of Scottish origins of Kryvonis.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Палій, Олександр (2017). *Історія України* (in Ukrainian). Vol. 3. [Kyiv](/source/Kyiv): К.І.С. p. 321. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-617-684-166-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-617-684-166-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:0_5-0)** Arkadii Zhukovsky (1988). [*Kryvonis, Maksym*](https://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CK%5CR%5CKryvonisMaksym.htm). Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Retrieved 22 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Amelia M. Glaser (2015). *Stories of Khmelnytsky*. Stanford University Press. p. 128. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0804793827](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0804793827).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Amelia M. Glaser (2015). *Stories of Khmelnytsky*. Stanford University Press. p. 12. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0804793827](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0804793827).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Leonid Plyushch (1980). *History's carnival*. Stanford University Press. p. 291. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0002621169](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0002621169).

- Крипякевич, Іван (1936). *[Ukrainian](/source/Ukrainian_language): ІСТОРІЯ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ВІЙСЬКА, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Ukrainian): *Istoriya Ukrainskoho Viyska**. Kviv: Видання Івана Тиктора.

## External links

- [Article on the Ukrainian Government Portal](http://www.kmu.gov.ua/control/uk/publish/printable_article?art_id=65705996)

Authority control databases International VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States Poland

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maksym Kryvonis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksym_Kryvonis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maksym_Kryvonis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.