BIRIOVA O. Yu. Settlement the territory of Slobidska Ukraine

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     Sloboda region is situated between the borders of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tsardom of Moscow and the Crimean Khanate. At first, the land belonged to Kyivan Rus. After the Mongol-Tatar incursion the region was called "Wild Field". The lands of Slobozhanshchina were joined by Lithuanian princes. After the formation of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth this territory was called "Polish Ukraine". The new settlement began in the middle of XVII-th century. Residents from the Right-Bank Ukraine began to move to Slobozhanshchina. The causes of migration were oppression by the Polish government. About the difficult living conditions writing Ukrainian chronicles. Historians call different times of colonization of the region. S. Kovanko call such date as 1617 and 1638 years. In the 1617 y. was the first migration to Slobozhanshchina. In the 1638 y., when the Cossacks Hetman J. Ostryanytsia settled Chuhuiv. M. Gerbel called 1640 when were settled Zmiyivschyna and Izyumschyna. It is known that mass resettlement occur also in 1651 year. This year Treaty of Bila Tserkva was signed, after which the B. Khmelnitsky allowed to move into the territory to Slobozhanshchina. Residents of this area originally called cherkasy. This is reflected in the names of modern settlements Cherkaskaia Lozova, Cherkaskii Bishkin. Later the name changed to slobozhans.

     The Cossacks could free to occupy the empty lands. The first settlements were the small villages. The territory is administratively divided into regiments and hundreds. In the 1650s Ostrohozk regiment, Sumy regiment, Okhtyrka regiment, and Kharkiv regiment were established, and in 1685 Izium regiment was partitioned from the Kharkiv structure. In 1734 those regiments were divided into 98 companies. The regiments and their colonels were granted official recognition in a tsar's charter. In contrast to the Hetman state, Slobidska Ukraine possessed no territorial autonomy. It was subject directly to Muscovite state authority. Initially it was under the voivode of Belgorod (who in turn was responsible to the War Office [Razriadnyi prikaz]). In 1688 it was placed under Muscovy's Foreign Office (Posolskii prikaz), and in 1708 under the military governor of Azov gubernia. In 1711 the administration of Sumy regiment and Okhtyrka regiment was placed in the jurisdiction of the Kyiv governor, and Kharkiv regiment followed suit in 1718. That same year the administration of Izium regiment and Ostrohozk regiment was transferred to the Voronezh governor. From 1726 the regiments came under the authority of the War College.

       Tatar attacks have suspended development of the lands. To protect from attacks built Zasechni line, first of which was Belgorodska line. One of the earliest settlements Kotel'va was inhabited at the end of the XVI century. The first settlement also were Valky, the mention of which relates to 1571 y. According to others, town was founded in 1645 y. During this period was based Kharkiv. Future city was inhabited one of the first settlements Slobozhanshchina. There are several versions about the date of inception of the city. "Topographic description of Kharkiv province" calls starting date - 1653 y. The similar date have pointed historian P. Golovinskiy. According to D. Bahalii Kharkiv founded in 1654 is located near the city of Donetsk and Khorosheva settlements. All cities Slobozhanshchina were the fortified castles, because they had to constantly resist the Tartar attacks.

Key words: settlement, Slobidska Ukraine, inhabitant, city, sloboda.