conquest of Siberia by Yermak - it is an act which on the scale can be compared only with the conquest of America by Hernan Cortes.However, if the famous Spanish conquistador, you can find a lot of biographical information about the life of the Russian chieftain do know a few facts, and that is quite controversial.
Where born Ermak
As is known, the conquest of Siberia was in the 16th century.Unfortunately, at the time an event such as a baby in a peasant family, usually do not find any documentary reflection.It is not surprising that today it is impossible to give a precise answer to the question: "where the family lived at the time of Ermak's birth?"Some information on this matter is in the Cherepanovsky Chronicle, which tells how the future chieftain grandfather helped Murom "valiant people", for which he was put in jail, and his family settled in the Stroganov estates.However, many researchers do not tend to trust this manuscript, the more that it appears the authors of the driver of a competent Tobolsk Ilya Cherepanov.Another document - "The Tale of the Siberian land" - as a place where the family lived Ermak long before his birth, indicating Suzdal.Further, in the annals tells that his grandfather and his sons, one of whom was named Timothy, he moved to Yuryevets-Povolsky, where he had five grandchildren, including Basil.As stated in the "Legend", the boy was later to become the conqueror of Siberia.
Pomeranian version of the origin of Ataman
Some researchers believe that the question of where the family lived Ermak should answer: "In the village of Borok of the Arkhangelsk region."For this version of the real name of chieftain was Ermolai or Yermil, and he got to the Volga, seeking to escape the famine that engulfed the Russian North.There's a young man entered the "chury" (servant squire) to the elderly Cossack, and from 1563 began to go camping.
Life Ermak Siberian trips to
only credible information regarding the biography chieftain before his appearance at the Stroganov lands - are memories fellow Cossacks.In particular, the two veterans argued that spent his youth serving in the Volga villages under the conqueror of Siberia.Thus, the question about where he lived Ermak about 1565, can be answered, that he was in the Volga region and has been leader.This means that if he was not less than 20 years.More information about the feats of arms preserved Ermak.For example, a letter from the Commandant of the Lithuanian city of Mogilev King Stefan Batory you can see that he participated in the Livonian War as a Cossack lieutenant and distinguished himself during the siege of the fortress of Mogilev.Later, his party Khvorostinin helped stop the advance of the Swedes.As to whether there were the wife and children of Ermak, no mention of them is not in any source.
Ermak Stroganoff and
In 1582, the famous merchants Stroganovs was invited to serve Cossack brigade, consisting of 540 Cossacks.Their leader was a chieftain Ermak, which already was the glory as fearless warriors and superb commander.The aim of the Stroganoff was to protect their land from frequent attacks of the Siberian Khan Kuchum units.The army arrived in towns Chusovskye summer 1582 and remained there until September, and then went to fight for the stone belt as in those days was called Ural Mountains.There are records that Stroganoff "opened the door for his fighting men barns" and provided them with everything necessary for a hike.
conquest of Siberia
as vehicles army Ermak used Struga.Total Cossacks were 80 ships that went for a hike of 840 people of different nationalities.Climbing up the water to pass Tagil, Ermak was forced to drag on the ground Struga dragged to the river Zheravlya and then get to the Tobol, which took place on the banks of the battle with wax Kuchum Siberian Khan.Having won the battle, the Cossacks captured the city Kashlyk.Then bow to Yermak began to come representatives of indigenous peoples, which Ataman "met affectionately" and forced to swear allegiance to the Russian tsar.In 1582 he sent to Ivan the Terrible one of their colleagues with the good news of the conquest of Siberia.The king was pleased to get news and Ermak sent rich gifts and 300 military men to the rescue.The detachment arrived in Siberia in the autumn of 1583.However, this time fortune turned away from Ataman, many of his commanders were killed in battles with the Tatars.
Where Yermak drowned: that tell the Cossacks
At the time of his death, the famous chieftain was already fairly well-known person, so a few years after the final battle with the army of Cossacks Kuchum on the orders of the Archbishop of Tobolsk Kipriyano was investigated and interrogated survivors colleagues Ermak.In addition, given the testimony and Tatars fought in the army of the khan.
If you combine all the facts presented by eyewitnesses, the following picture emerges: the last battle took place on the pommel Vagayskoy where Cossacks camped.They put palatki- "curtains" on the bank of the Irtysh River, not far from their plows, for whom each man had his own particular place and a helmsman.That night the storm was played, so Kuchum squad managed to catch them by surprise.Despite this, most of the Cossacks managed to be on their ships and set sail.Further, in the written sources begin contradictions.In particular, in an earlier document written from the words of survivors of veterans troops Ermak, indicated that they reproach themselves as chieftain and threw a handful of comrades, and themselves left the scene of the fight to Strugi.Most other information contained in the records sinodialnoy that deacons were late, and there you can read about that all the Cossacks took with Ermak's death, and only one of them escaped and spoke about the defeat of the detachment.
Death Ermak Tatars with the words
most interesting thing is that the information about the death of Ataman in the waves at the Irtysh Vagayskoy bows found only in a recording made from the words of the Tatars.In particular, many former soldiers Kuchum Khan claimed that Ermak still overpowered hitters and try to get to the Cossacks sailed ships sank.At the same time there are no records to indicate whether at the time in the Ataman armor.
Legends of the conqueror of Siberia
both life and death of the great chieftain of the past century, has acquired many myths.For example, one of the legends mentioned Cancelled wife Ermak.As stated in the Cossack tradition, once the Tatar Murza Sargachskoy parish, wanting to enlist the friendship Ermak led him into the camp, his beautiful daughter and offered to marry her.However, Ataman rejected the proposal and sent her home.Besides, everyone knows the story of chain mail, supposedly donated Ermaku Ivan the Terrible and became the cause of death of the hero.According to some historians, even if Ataman appeared at the bottom of the Irtysh River due to heavy armor, they could not be a gift to the king.
History - a book that will never be written to the end.Moreover, it has a lot of white pages that can fill a meticulous researcher.They may someday be able to find out where the family lived Ermak, or whether they will be able to tell us any more interesting facts regarding the identity of the national hero of Russia, who won for his motherland vast expanses of Siberia.
