1. Ivan Mazepa
Ivan Mazepa was one of the few people who enjoyed Peter the Great's unconditional trust. As hetman (ruler) of Left-bank Ukraine, which was then part of Russia, he faithfully served the Russian monarch for many years, and for which he received the highest state award - the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle – from the hands of the tsar himself.
That all changed with the Northern War (1700-1721), which at first was not going well for Russia. The dire situation induced Mazepa to consider leaving Moscow's orbit and creating an independent Ukraine where he would be ruler. After secret negotiations with King Charles XII of Sweden, the hetman openly sided with the Swedes in October 1708.
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