Such a phenomenon in history, as the Cossacks, fanned in the consciousness of modern man light veil of mystery, puzzles and even a kind of mysticism.These people are rumors of every persuasion - from absurd inventions to most of these legends.
Needless to say how often the Cossacks appear on the pages of books, films become heroes.One animated series about their adventures worth something!
Finally, a huge amount of historical research aimed at determining how the Cossacks lived, what they believed, like whose side fought.
Who are they
Which only versions of the nature and origin of the representatives of this type of troops there was no time for their existence in its original form and after it.Some said that the first Cossacks were only fugitive serfs and Old Believers, do not wish to take the spirit of the times and gone on the outskirts of the state.
Other analyzing how the Cossacks lived ranked them for a free people to unite in certain communities, and have chosen a very specific, unusual for the time activity.They were called "nagaechnikami", but for the eyes with the time defined only as "dogs of autocracy."
trying to determine how the Cossacks lived, what they do and how it arose, historians turned to the study of the characteristics of their life, according to a certain lexicon trying to determine the origin of these people, he studied the manuscripts in which they are mentioned.All this, however, has not given a clear answer - the views as you would expect, divided.Some researchers point to the origin of the Cossacks of the Tatar ethnic group, appealing to the active use of horses.Others (for example, in Oxford) believed their fugitive Russian peasants and ordinary people persecuted for their religious beliefs.
From a linguistic point of view
more or less closer to deciphering the mysteries of the origin of the Cossacks allowed, oddly enough, linguists.They determined that the words appeared in the Russian language influenced by the Cossacks, etymologically have nothing to do with the Turkic roots.On the contrary, they date back to ancient dialects, characteristic Sarmatians and Scythians.Typical in this respect are the place names included in the Russian language influenced the Cossacks: Don, Danube and other rivers name.
The value of the word "Cossack" was also determined.In its very structure laid semantics: characteristic root "al" can be equated to the modern word "free" and the suffix "ac" says about the origin of the adjective from the noun.Thus, the word can be replaced as a whole for understanding the combination of "free man."
What was their problem
As mentioned earlier, the Cossacks initially settled on the outskirts of the country, occupying vacant land yet.Forming a small and then ever expanding community, they formed their own particular way of life, outlook, relationships with the environment.In order to understand how the Cossacks lived initially have enough to pay attention to this fact.
absolutely no doubt that being "evicted" on the border with another state, they had no other choice but to protect its own territory from external interference.Initially, action of this kind were necessary, and then turned into a kind of service, for which the state was ready to pay.
Why was it beneficial to cooperate with them
As mentioned earlier, this freedom-loving people enough to cope with the defense of their own space.In addition, the Cossacks in the war and in everyday life manifested themselves quite impressive - they mastered the steppe, becoming progressively present a force to be reckoned with.Increasing their power could not help but worry about the board, and the desire for the suppression, elimination and subjugation threatened quite large losses.The only solution, beneficial to both sides, was the adoption of the Cossacks in the public service, that eventually was done, as history shows.
first hiring
fact of cooperation of the militant, freedom-loving and proud people with a lot of members of the board.The first indication of the shift in the public service is considered charter, written by Ivan the Terrible, according to which, the Cossacks of the Don became part of the royal army.
It is from here, from this fact, a new era began in the issue of military cooperation.The Cossacks were officially hired to protect the southern borders of the country.Starting from then, the army has been growing rapidly, to expand their holdings, forming new settlements have full rights of land owners identified.Don Cossacks occupied spaces of the coast of the Seversky Donets, Bear, Buzuluk and other tributaries.
lifestyle
Initially, the representatives of this kind of troops was granted almost absolute freedom, autonomy is expressed in the self-determination of their own religion, peculiarities of life, language and life.Gradually the Russian Cossacks began to lose their privileges, turning from soldiers in civilian servants are obliged to obey the king's decree for life.
Reform 1798 the differences between them and the rest of the military were virtually leveled.Russian Cossacks were actually equated to the soldiers, and military officials meet generally accepted.So, instead of Captain appeared captains and cornet replaced the more familiar country cornets.
Beginning in 1835, the history of the Cossacks received a new, quite a sharp turn.On the one hand, part of this kind of troops was returned to autonomy in terms of the life of the device.Cossack settlement became a kind of closed to foreign territory.On the other hand, compulsory military service lasted from this time from 18 to 43 years, but for her royal decree entrusts possession of not only the ownership of land, but also a noble title, and even their own serfs.
Since then, the history of the Cossacks there was a lot of changes in the positive or negative direction.Their status is constantly changing, gaining new features.One thing remains unchanged - the role played by these warriors in the history of Russia.
