The book is the first study of the historical origins and evolution of the little-known component of the Ukrainian armed forces of the "Cossack era" - the mercenary (hunting) army. Using a wide range of historical sources and literature, the author considers the formation and development of Ukrainian mercenaries in the broad context of European history of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, its impact on the political and military history of the Left Bank Hetmanate. In the center of the book are the basic organizational principles of hunting regiments (structure, staffing, provision and armament), the participation of mercenaries in the military conflicts of the Hetmanate of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, their daily lives. The publication is intended for scholars, historians, teachers, students, as well as all fans of national military history.
