The Harsh Landscapes of "Mother Sarmatia": Steppe Ukraine through the Eyes of a Sixteenth-Century Polish Diplomat

Andrzej Taranowski's description of the Ukrainian steppes is interesting for several reasons. His report, whose editions and publication history are discussed below, is the account of his journey in 1569 as envoy of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to Selim II (1566-1574), the Ottoman sultan, and to Devlet Giray (1551-1578), the Crimean khan. For historians and archaeologists, this travelogue is a rare description of the Ukrainian steppes prior to their early modern and modern disturbance. In order fully to engage with the details of his text, people must first consider Taranowski's perceptions and his depiction of the steppe landscape. Authorial perceptions of landscape and authorial self-expression have been extensively discussed in literary studies. When it comes to the problem of representing landscapes, one should bear in mind that Taranowski's narrative can be located within the so-called Sarmatian period of Polish literature and history. It is not a given, however, that the steppes were always a location that enchanted Polish spheres.