Ivan Stepanovych Mazepa (March 20, 1639 – October 2, 1709), Cossack Hetman of the Hetmanate in Left-bank Ukraine, from 1687–1708.

He is famous as a patron of the arts, and also plays an important role in the Battle of Poltava where after learning of Peter I's intent to relieve him as acting Hetman of Ukraine and replace him with Alexander Menshikov, he deserts his army and sides with Charles of Sweden.

The politicization of this desertion has held a lasting legacy in both Russian and Ukrainian national history.

Because of this, the Russian Orthodox Church has laid an anathema on his name since the beginning of the 18th century and refuses to renounce it to this day.

Everyone who opposes the Russian government in eighteenth-century Ukraine are derogatorily referred to as Mazepintsy (Mazepists).

A similar pattern can be traced later into history with other Russian-given nicknames such as "Petlyurovtsy" and "Banderovtsy" (Banderites) that are associated with Ukrainian national heroes.

The alienation of Mazepa from Ukrainian history continues during the Soviet period as well as in the present day, an example of which is the refusal in 2008 of the Poltava city council to erect a monument of Mazepa in Poltava, choosing instead a monument glorifying the defeat of Mazepa in the Battle of Poltava.