烏克蘭「哥薩克國」領袖馬捷帕在位21年深獲保護國俄羅斯沙皇彼得一世的信任。彼得賜與馬捷帕大片土地與勳章,視馬捷帕為其第二位密友。為了爭取波羅的海港口,彼得與瑞典國王查理十二爆發長達21年的「大北方戰爭」。戰爭初期瑞典佔優勢,至1708年的情勢對烏克蘭不利,瑞典軍隊有可能進入烏克蘭再轉攻莫斯科。馬捷帕請求彼得保護烏克蘭遭拒,於是轉與查理十二結盟,希冀在瑞典的保護之下延續哥薩克國的自治權。彼得獲知後宣判馬捷帕為「背叛者」,並開除其教籍。查理在關鍵性的1709年「波爾塔瓦戰役」中大敗,馬捷帕逃亡在外不久之後過世。從彼得的立場或說從俄羅斯國家的立場視馬捷帕為背叛者;馬捷帕則認為彼得既然不能保護哥薩克國,做為封臣的他有權利另覓保護者,此非為了他個人的利益,而是維護「哥薩克國」的自治傳統。本文從事件的當事人―馬捷帕與彼得的立場探討追求烏克蘭獨立抑背叛的爭論。
The Ukrainian Cossack State was Russian protectorate since 1654. Mazepa was the Hetman of Cossack State in 1687-1708, who became a controversial figure in world history. The controversy resulted from the Battle of Poltava (1709) between Russia and Sweden, Mazepa did not send Cossack Regiments against Sweden, on the contrary, Mazepa and Charles Ⅻ concluded the secret alliance, to be opposed to Peter Ⅰ. Both Mazepa and Charles Ⅻ were failure in the Battle of Poltava, Mazepa was died after some months. It made Russian could direct dominate Ukraine, except 1921-1922 and since 1991. Peter Ⅰ condemned Mazepa as a traitor. Mazepa stubbornly claimed that he had the right to choose the other protector, in case Peter did not protect the Cossack State. The Ukrainian Russian relationship from one which rested essentially on the logic of vassalage to one which was based on the logic of the state. Who was right? Was it or was not treason that Mazepa committed? The focus of this thesis is the struggle for Ukrainian independence from the views Mazepa and Peter Ⅰ.