Balyka

Balyka. Surname of an influential Kyiv family of the late 16th and early 17th century. Yakiv Balyka (d 1613) was mayor of Kyiv from 1592 and led the Orthodox citizens' opposition to the seizure of their churches by the Uniate Catholics. He had three sons: Denys succeeded his father as mayor, but the Polish voivode Stanisław Żółkiewski did not confirm his election; Sozon was burgomaster and supervised the restoration of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyivan Cave Monastery; Bozhko (Bohdan), who also became mayor, wrote a memoir of his participation in the campaign against Moscow in 1612.