Who are the Cossacks, and what we know about them

The Word “Cossacks" in translation from Turkic language means “free man”. This definition most accurately reflects the meaning of the concept, although different peoples have their own interpretation of its meaning. Heated discussions relative to the origin of the words do not stop until now. Not everyone knows about who are the Cossacks, and when they generally formed as a class.

The First time they are mentioned in the XIII century. The French Ambassador Guillaume de Rubruk in 1253 went to the Mongols and saw the don Cossacks.

Most Russian historians on the question of who the Cossacks, declares that it is an integral part of the Slavic nation, its special branch. Some experts argue that the above class was formed among the nomadic peoples of the Indo-Iranian race, who left the territory of the Eastern part of lake Baikal and went to live on the coast of Angara. Other scholars, responding to a question about who are the Cossacks, suggest that the descendants of the black sea and Azov tribes, which are tied by kinship and formed a unique nation. There is such a point of view that the home of the "Cossacks" always lived in the North Caucasus.

To Argue about who the Cossacks, is endless. One thing is unclear; how tribes such as the Khakas taneity, Alan-aces, kaysaki considered to be the progenitors of the described class, were able to adopt Russian culture, traditions and customs, thereby de facto becoming Slavs. The reason probably lies in the fact that a huge Horde of warlike Russians, who won the southern territory, the population was much more than units of local tribes. In addition, the vast expanses of the South was completely deserted, so the Slavic tribes there was no one here to assimilate-they were never prevented to live according to their centuries-old foundations.

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Based On the above we can conclude that the Cossacks is a unique symbiosis of Slavic peoples, which was formed outside the territory of the Russian state in conditions independent from him. Leaving due to various reasons outside of their homeland, the Russian people reached the southern steppe borders of Russia, where the “settled”, despite the fact that the enemy were near neighbors. It is from “originated” Kuban Cossacks. They were defending their homes from attacks by nomadic tribes, and later they themselves raided. The war had become their profession, she tempered their character and affect their way of life. In the intervals between military battles, the Cossacks raised cattle, hunted and fished.

As already emphasized, the don Cossacks was first mentioned in 1253 by the French Ambassador Guillaume de Rubruk. Don Cossacks officially began after the collapse of the Golden Horde. His “skeleton” were Russian Christians. Some scientists claim that they were warriors, who did not want to serve the Mongol khans, while others believe that it was robbers with Hlynovskom of the earth. Anyway, the army of the don Cossacks were the most numerous and efficient in the Russian Empire.