Welcome to Russian history retold.

Episode 315, The History of the Cossacks, part two.

Last time, we discussed the early history of the Cossacks, and in particular, that of the

Zaporosian host. Today, we continue the story, concentrating on the other Cossacks, like those

from the Don. Like the Zaporosian Cossacks, the Don's inhabitants had similar origins.

However, they differed significantly in the relationship with Muscovy and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth over the early centuries.

The Don region was in what is now southern Russia, as well as parts of eastern Ukraine.

The land was quite fertile, but it was a dangerous place to live due, for the most part, to the constant rating of the remnants of the Mongols,

the Khanates of Astrahan, Kazan, Crimea, and, to a lesser extent, Siberia.

This danger was also why Muscovy was hesitant to expand into the region, making it a rather

lawless area that was ideally suited to those seeking to free themselves of the repressive

government in Russia at the time.

We first hear about the Don Cossacks in 1549 when they looted a Tatar caravan.

They had already settled down in the region and had built a number of secured villages known as Stanitsi.

While these villages were quite well constructed and defended,

they would be overrun at times by the local Tatar raiders.

This would create a need to make the Stanitsi's mobile to avoid repeated attacks.

Many of them were built right on the Don River, making escape

easier as well as having ports to welcome back Cossack raiders. Since farming was way too

dangerous, the Cossacks of the Don became brigands as well as hired soldiers.

Their first use in the latter role was in 1570 when Ivan IV decided to ask for their help against the Crimean Tatars and the Khazan Tatars.

Nikita Mamin was the first Cossack leader to work with the Russians. It would also

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