Hetman

A Hetman is a political title used by the Rodłowi to designate the chief military commander (or second after the king), comparable to a field marshal. This places the title one step above Voivode, which just designates a military commander. Much like a voivode, the title of Hetman is electoral or appointed, and de facto does not come with any noble rank or title. However, due to the Dchon Host, the title has also come to be used by the Rodłowi and Relvetsians to refer to a military leader holding land independently of a monarch. This is because the Dchon Host, which was composed of several Cossack groups each led by their own voivode, was ruled by an elected hetman who was subordinate to the monarch of the Rodłowi Empire. However, once the Dchon Host achieved independence, their ruler did not simply drop the title of Hetman, and the successive Hetmen never were secure enough to form a monarchial or hereditary dynasty within their domain. In fact, due to the collapse of state authority, voivodes increasingly became field hetmen (still subordinate to the leading hetman, however), and when the host finally dissolved these hetmen all established their own, independent hosts. After the Hosts were all re-subordinated to the Relvetsian Empire, the Pmovsky and Kyvrik Hosts were established as their own indepndent Hetmanates, and since the collapse of the Relevtsian Empire, both have become independent, putting the term of Hetman back on the map.