Editing Cossacks (section)

====Emergence====
Prior to the formation of the Zaporozhian [[Sich]], Cossacks had usually been organized by [[Ruthenians|Ruthenian]] [[boyar]]s, or princes of the nobility, especially various [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|Lithuanian]] [[starosta]]s. Merchants, peasants, and runaways from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, [[Grand Duchy of Moscow|Muscovy]], and Moldavia also joined the Cossacks.

The first recorded ''sich'' prototype was formed by the starosta of [[Cherkasy]] and [[Kaniv]], [[Dmytro Vyshnevetsky]], who built a fortress on the island of Little [[Khortytsia]] on the banks of the Lower [[Dnieper]] in 1552.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CV%5CY%5CVyshnevetskyDmytro.htm|title=Vyshnevetsky, Dmytro|website=www.encyclopediaofukraine.com|access-date=2020-02-11|archive-date=2020-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201135227/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CV%5CY%5CVyshnevetskyDmytro.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The Zaporozhian Host adopted a lifestyle that combined the ancient Cossack order and habits with those of the [[Knights Hospitaller]].

The Cossack structure arose, in part, in response to the struggle against Tatar raids. Socio-economic developments in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were another important factor in the growth of the Ukrainian Cossacks. During the 16th century, serfdom was imposed because of the favorable conditions for grain sales in Western Europe. This subsequently decreased the locals' land allotments and freedom of movement. In addition, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth government attempted to impose Catholicism, and to [[Polonization|Polonize]] the local Ukrainian population. The basic form of resistance and opposition by the locals and burghers was flight and settlement in the sparsely populated steppe.<ref name="Cossacks">{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CC%5CO%5CCossacks.htm|title=Cossacks|website=www.encyclopediaofukraine.com|access-date=2020-02-11|archive-date=2015-07-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720181731/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CC%5CO%5CCossacks.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>