24 Facts About Don Cossacks

Don Cossacks have had a rich military tradition - they played an important part in the historical development of the Russian Empire and participated in most of its major wars.

In fall 1585, shortly after Yermak's death, Don Cossacks led by voevoda Ivan Mansurov founded the first Russian fortified town in Siberia, Obskoy, at the mouth of the Irtysh river on the right bank of the Ob river.

In 1637 the Don Cossacks, joined by the Zaporozhian Cossacks, captured the strategic Ottoman fortress of Azov, which guarded the Don.

In exchange for protection of the Southern borders of medieval Russia, the Don Cossacks were given the privilege of not paying taxes and the tsar's authority in Cossack lands was not as absolute as in other parts of Russia.

Don Cossacks are credited with playing a significant part in repelling Napoleon's Invasion of Russia.

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Under the command of Count Matvey Ivanovich Platov, the Don Cossacks fought in a number of battles against the Grande Armee.

The Don Cossacks distinguished themselves in subsequent campaigns, and took part in the capture of Paris.

The Don Cossacks were the largest of the ten cossack hosts then in existence, providing over a third of total cossack manpower available for military service.

The central location of the Don Cossacks territories meant that these units were employed extensively on both the German and Austro-Hungarian fronts, though less so against the Ottoman Turks to the south.

Whilst units under the command of General Pavel Belov, the 2nd Cavalry Corps made from Don, Kuban and Stavropol Cossacks spearheaded the counter-attack onto the right flank of the 6th German Army delaying its advance towards Moscow.

Don Cossacks were revived in the early 1990s and were officially recognised by the Russian Government in 1997, its Ataman holding the rank, insignia and uniform of a full Marshal.

Don Cossacks volunteered by hundreds to fight in South Ossetia during the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

In 2009, the Ukrainian Security Service banned a leader of the Don Cossacks from entering Ukraine in order to prevent the creation of an illegal parliamentary formation on Ukrainian territory.

Since 2014, members of Don Cossacks have participated in the war in Eastern Ukraine as independent volunteers for the pro-Russian Donbass militias.

However the blue riding breeches with broad red stripes long characteristic of the Don Cossacks Host, continued to be worn even on active service during both World Wars.

Don Cossacks were tolerant of other religions – with the exception of Jews – and accepted Buddhists, Muslims, Old Believers, and pagans into their communities.

Don Cossacks had a democratic society where the most important decisions were made during a Common Assembly.

Don Cossacks were skilled horsemen and experienced warriors, due to their long conflict with the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire.

Isolated between Russian and Muslim territory, the Don Cossacks developed a distinct culture and language which fused Ukrainian, Russian, Kalmyk, and Tatar elements.

Don Cossacks have a tradition of choral singing and many of their songs, such as Chyorny Voron and Lyubo, Bratsi, Lyubo became popular throughout the rest of Russia.

All departing Don Cossacks would gather in the church, then hang a small bag around their necks containing a pinch of their native soil before setting off singing.

Don Cossacks Cossack Choir Serge Jaroff was a group of former officers of the Russian Imperial Army who were discovered singing in Cilingir, where they had fled after the defeat of their army in the Crimea.

The men, dressed as Don Cossacks, sang a cappella in a repertory of Russian sacred and secular music, army, folk and art songs.

Mikhail Sholokhov's monumental work, "And Quiet Flows the Don", deals sympathetically with the Don Cossacks and depicts the destruction of their way of life as a result of World War I and the Russian Civil War.