But Russia was gaining in ascendency while Poland, from whom she had narrowly escaped, was fast declining.
The European rulers began to see advantages for themselves from Russian alliances.

Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden and champion of Protestantism, made an eloquent appeal to the Tsar to join him against Catholic Poland--"Was not the Romish Church their common enemy ?--and were they not neighbors ?--and when your neighbor's house is afire, is it not the part of wisdom and prudence to help to put it out ?" Poland suffered a serious blow when a large body of Cossacks, who were her vassals, and her chief arm of defense in the Southeast, in 1681 transferred themselves bodily to Russia.
The Cossacks were a Slavonic people, with no doubt a plentiful infusion of Asiatic blood, and their name in the Tatar language meant Freebooters.

They had long dwelt about the Don and the Dnieper, in what is known as Little Russia, a free and rugged community which was recruited by Russians after the Tatar invasion and Polish conquest, by oppressed peasants after the creation of serfdom, and by adventurers and fugitives from justice at all times.

It was a military organization, and its Constitution was a pure democracy.

Freedom and independence were their first necessity.