Accession of Western Siberia to the Russian state. Annexation of Siberia to Russia What do you know about the conquest of Siberia

Accession of Siberia to Russia

“And when a completely ready, populated and enlightened land, once dark, unknown, appears before the astonished humanity, demanding a name and rights for itself, then let the story of those who erected this building be interrogated, and they will also not try, just as they did not try, who set up pyramids in the desert... And creating Siberia is not as easy as creating something under the blessed sky...» Goncharov I.A.

History assigned the role of a pioneer to the Russian people. For many hundreds of years, the Russians discovered new lands, settled them and transformed them with their labor, defended with weapons in their hands in the fight against numerous enemies. As a result, vast areas were settled and developed by Russian people, and the once empty and wild lands became not only an integral part of our country, but also its most important industrial and agricultural regions.

Adygea, Crimea. Mountains, waterfalls, herbs of alpine meadows, healing mountain air, absolute silence, snowfields in the middle of summer, the murmur of mountain streams and rivers, stunning landscapes, songs around the fires, the spirit of romance and adventure, the wind of freedom are waiting for you! And at the end of the route, the gentle waves of the Black Sea.

The conquest of Siberia is one of the most important processes in the formation of Russian statehood. The development of the eastern lands took more than 400 years. Throughout this period, there were many battles, foreign expansions, conspiracies, intrigues.

The annexation of Siberia is still the focus of attention of historians and causes a lot of controversy, including among members of the public.

Conquest of Siberia by Yermak

The history of the conquest of Siberia begins with the famous This is one of the atamans of the Cossacks. There is no exact data on his birth and ancestors. However, the memory of his exploits has come down to us through the centuries. In 1580, the wealthy merchants Stroganovs invited the Cossacks to help protect their possessions from constant raids from the Ugric peoples. The Cossacks settled down in a small town and lived relatively peacefully. The bulk of the total amounted to a little more than eight hundred. In 1581, a campaign was organized with the money of merchants. Despite the historical significance (in fact, the campaign marked the beginning of the era of the conquest of Siberia), this campaign did not attract the attention of Moscow. In the Kremlin, the detachment was called simple "bandits".

In the autumn of 1581, Yermak's group embarked on small ships and began to sail up to the very mountains. Upon landing, the Cossacks had to clear their way by cutting down trees. The beach was completely uninhabited. The constant rise and mountainous terrain created extremely difficult conditions for the transition. Ships (plows) were literally carried by hand, because due to continuous vegetation it was not possible to install rollers. With the approach of cold weather, the Cossacks set up camp on the pass, where they spent the whole winter. After that, the rafting began

Siberian Khanate

The conquest of Siberia by Yermak met the first resistance from the local Tatars. There, almost across the Ob River, the Siberian Khanate began. This small state was formed in the 15th century, after the defeat of the Golden Horde. It did not have significant power and consisted of several possessions of petty princes.

The Tatars, accustomed to a nomadic way of life, could not equip cities or even villages well. The main occupations were still hunting and raids. The warriors were mostly mounted. Scimitars or sabers were used as weapons. Most often they were locally made and quickly broke down. There were also captured Russian swords and other equipment. High Quality. The tactics of swift horse raids were used, during which the riders literally trampled the enemy, after which they retreated. Foot soldiers were mostly archers.

Equipment of the Cossacks

Yermak's Cossacks received modern weapons at that time. These were gunpowder guns and cannons. Most of the Tatars had not even seen this before, and this was the main advantage of the Russians.

The first battle took place near modern Turinsk. Here the Tatars from the ambush began to shower the Cossacks with arrows. Then the local prince Yepanchi sent his cavalry to Yermak. The Cossacks opened fire on them with long guns and cannons, after which the Tatars fled. This local victory made it possible to take Chingi-tura without a fight.

The first victory brought the Cossacks many different benefits. In addition to gold and silver, these lands were very rich in Siberian fur, which was highly valued in Russia. After other servicemen learned about the booty, the conquest of Siberia by the Cossacks attracted many new people.

Conquest of Western Siberia

After a series of quick and successful victories, Yermak began to move further east. In the spring, several Tatar princes united to repulse the Cossacks, but were quickly defeated and recognized Russian power. In the middle of summer in the modern Yarkovsky district, the first major battle. Mametkul's cavalry launched an attack on the positions of the Cossacks. They sought to quickly get close and crush the enemy, taking advantage of the horseman in close combat. Yermak personally stood in the trench, where the guns were located, and began to fire on the Tatars. Already after several volleys, Mametkul fled with the whole army, which opened the way for the Cossacks to Karachi.

Arrangement of occupied lands

The conquest of Siberia was characterized by significant non-combat losses. Complex weather and the harsh climate caused many diseases in the camp of forwarders. In addition to the Russians, there were also Germans and Lithuanians in Yermak's detachment (as people from the Baltic were called).

They were the most susceptible to disease and had the hardest time acclimatizing. However, there were no such difficulties in the hot Siberian summer, so the Cossacks advanced without problems, occupying more and more territories. The settlements taken were not plundered or burned. Usually jewels were taken from the local prince if he dared to put up an army. Otherwise, he simply presented gifts. In addition to the Cossacks, settlers participated in the campaign. They walked behind the soldiers along with the clergy and representatives of the future administration. In the conquered cities, prisons were immediately built - wooden fortified forts. They were both civil administration and a stronghold in the event of a siege.

The conquered tribes were subject to tribute. The Russian governors in prisons were supposed to follow its payment. If someone refused to pay tribute, he was visited by the local squad. In times of great uprisings, the Cossacks came to the rescue.

The final defeat of the Siberian Khanate

The conquest of Siberia was facilitated by the fact that the local Tatars practically did not interact with each other. Different tribes were at war with each other. Even within the Siberian Khanate, not all princes were in a hurry to help others. Tatar had the greatest resistance. To stop the Cossacks, he began to gather an army in advance. In addition to his squad, he invited mercenaries. They were Ostyaks and Voguls. Among them met and know. In early November, the khan led the Tatars to the mouth of the Tobol, intending to stop the Russians here. It is noteworthy that the majority of local residents did not provide Kuchum with any significant assistance.

Decisive battle

When the battle began, almost all the mercenaries fled from the battlefield. Poorly organized and trained Tatars could not resist the battle-hardened Cossacks for a long time and also retreated.

After this crushing and decisive victory, the road to Kishlyk opened before Yermak. After the capture of the capital, the detachment stopped in the city. A few days later, representatives of the Khanty began to arrive there with gifts. The ataman received them cordially and communicated kindly. After that, the Tatars began to voluntarily offer gifts in exchange for protection. Also, everyone who knelt down was obliged to pay tribute.

Death at the peak of fame

The conquest of Siberia was initially not supported from Moscow. However, rumors about the success of the Cossacks quickly spread throughout the country. In 1582, Yermak sent a delegation to the tsar. At the head of the embassy was the ataman's companion Ivan Koltso. Tsar Ivan IV gave a welcome to the Cossacks. They were presented with expensive gifts, among which - equipment from the royal forge. Ivan also ordered to assemble a squad of 500 people and send them to Siberia. The very next year, Yermak subjugated almost all the lands on the coast of the Irtysh.

The famous chieftain continued to conquer uncharted territories and subjugate more and more nationalities. There were uprisings that were quickly suppressed. But near the Vagay River, Yermak's detachment was attacked. Taking the Cossacks by surprise at night, the Tatars managed to kill almost everyone. The great leader and Cossack chieftain Yermak died.

Further conquest of Siberia: briefly

The exact burial place of the ataman is unknown. After the death of Yermak, the conquest of Siberia continued with renewed vigor. Year after year, more and more new territories were subordinated. If the initial campaign was not coordinated with the Kremlin and was chaotic, then subsequent actions became more centralized. The king personally took control of this issue. Well-equipped expeditions were regularly sent out. The city of Tyumen was built, which became the first Russian settlement in these parts. Since then, the systematic conquest continued with the use of the Cossacks. Year after year they conquered more and more new territories. In the cities taken, the Russian administration was set up. sent from the capital educated people to do business.

In the middle of the 17th century there was a wave of active colonization. Many cities and settlements are founded. Peasants arrive from other parts of Russia. Settlement is gaining momentum. In 1733 the famous Northern Expedition was organized. In addition to conquest, the task of exploring and discovering new lands was also set. The data obtained after were used by geographers from around the world. The end of the annexation of Siberia can be considered the entry of the Uryakhansk region into the Russian Empire.

One of the most important stages in the formation of Russian statehood was the conquest of Siberia. The development of these lands took almost 400 years and many events took place during this time. Ermak became the first Russian conqueror of Siberia.

Ermak Timofeevich

The exact surname of this person has not been established, it is likely that she did not exist at all - Yermak was of an humble family. Ermak Timofeevich was born in 1532, in those days for naming common man a patronymic or nickname was often used. The exact origin of Yermak has not been clarified, but there is an assumption that he was a runaway peasant, who stood out for his enormous physical strength. At first, Yermak was a chur among the Volga Cossacks - a laborer and a squire.

In battle, a smart and brave young man quickly got himself weapons, participated in battles, and thanks to his strength and organizational skills, he became an ataman in a few years. In 1581 he commanded a flotilla of Cossacks from the Volga, there are suggestions that he fought near Pskov and Novgorod. He is rightly considered the founder of the first marines, which was then called the "plow army". There are other historical versions about the origin of Yermak, but this one is the most popular among historians.

Some are of the opinion that Yermak was of a noble family of Turkic blood, but there are many contradictory points in this version. One thing is clear - Yermak Timofeevich was popular in the military environment until his death, because the post of ataman was selective. Today, Yermak is a historical hero of Russia, whose main merit is the annexation of the Siberian lands to the Russian state.

The idea and goals of the trip

Back in 1579, the Stroganov merchants invited Perm region Cossacks Yermak to protect the land from the raids of the Siberian Khan Kuchum. In the second half of 1581, Yermak formed a detachment of 540 soldiers. For a long time, the opinion prevailed that the Stroganovs were the ideologists of the campaign, but now they are more inclined to believe that this was the idea of ​​Yermak himself, and the merchants only financed this campaign. The goal was to find out what lands lie in the East, make friends with the local population and, if possible, defeat the khan and annex the lands under the hand of Tsar Ivan IV.

The great historian Karamzin called this detachment "a small gang of vagabonds." Historians doubt that the campaign was organized with the approval of the central authorities. Most likely, such a decision became a consensus between the authorities, who wanted to get new lands, the merchants, who were concerned about safety from Tatar raids, and the Cossacks, who dreamed of getting rich and showing their prowess in the campaign, only after the khan's capital fell. At first, the tsar was against this campaign, about which he wrote an angry letter to the Stroganovs demanding that Yermak be returned to protect the Perm lands.

Trek Mysteries: It is widely known that the Russians first penetrated into Siberia in quite ancient times. Quite definitely, Novgorodians sailed along the White Sea to the Yugorsky Shar Strait and further beyond it, to the Kara Sea, as early as the 9th century. The first chronicle evidence of such voyages dates back to 1032, which in Russian historiography is considered the beginning of the history of Siberia.

The basis of the detachment was the Cossacks from the Don, led by the glorious chieftains: Koltso Ivan, Mikhailov Yakov, Pan Nikita, Meshcheryak Matvey. In addition to the Russians, a certain number of Lithuanians, Germans and even Tatar soldiers entered the detachment. Cossacks are internationalists in modern terminology, nationality did not play a role for them. They accepted into their ranks all those who were baptized into the Orthodox faith.

But the discipline in the army was strict - the ataman demanded the observance of all Orthodox holidays, fasts, did not tolerate laxity and revelry. The army was accompanied by three priests and one monk. The future conquerors of Siberia embarked on eighty plow boats and set sail towards dangers and adventures.

Crossing the "Stone"

According to some reports, the detachment set out on 09/01/1581, but other historians insist that it was later. The Cossacks moved along the Chusovaya River to Ural mountains. On the Tagil Pass, the fighters themselves cut the road with an ax. It was the Cossack custom to drag ships along the ground in the passes, but here it was impossible because of the large number of boulders that could not be removed from the path. Therefore, people had to carry the plows up the slope. At the top of the pass, the Cossacks built Kokuy-gorod and spent the winter there. In the spring they rafted down the Tagil River.

The defeat of the Siberian Khanate

The "acquaintance" of the Cossacks and local Tatars happened on the territory of the present Sverdlovsk region. The Cossacks were fired upon with bows by their opponents, but repulsed the impending attack of the Tatar cavalry with cannons, occupied the city of Chingi-tura in the current Tyumen region. In these places, the conquerors obtained jewelry and furs, participating in many battles along the way.

• On May 5, 1582, at the mouth of the Tura, the Cossacks fought with the troops of six Tatar princes.
• 07.1585 - the battle on the Tobol.
• July 21 - the battle at the Babasan yurts, where Yermak, with volleys of his cannon, stopped a cavalry army of several thousand horsemen galloping at him.
• At the Long Yar, the Tatars fired again at the Cossacks.
• August 14 - the battle near Karachin-gorodok, where the Cossacks captured the rich treasury of Murza Karachi.
• On November 4, Kuchum, with a fifteen thousandth army, organized an ambush near the Chuvash Cape, with him were hired squads of Voguls and Ostyaks. At the most crucial moment, it turned out that the best detachments of Kuchum went on a raid on the city of Perm. The mercenaries fled during the battle, and Kuchum was forced to retreat to the steppe.
• 11.1582 Yermak occupied the capital of the Khanate - the city of Kashlyk.

Historians suggest that Kuchum was of Uzbek origin. It is known for sure that he established power in Siberia by extremely cruel methods. It is not surprising that after his defeat, the local peoples (Khanty) brought gifts and fish to Yermak. As the documents say, Yermak Timofeevich met them with "kindness and greetings" and saw them off "with honor." Having heard about the kindness of the Russian ataman, Tatars and other nationalities began to come to him with gifts.

Trek Mysteries: Yermak's campaign was not the first military campaign in Siberia. The very first information about the military campaign of the Russians in Siberia dates back to 1384, when the Novgorod detachment went to the Pechora, and then, on a northern campaign through the Urals, to the Ob.

Yermak promised to protect everyone from Kuchum and other enemies, overlaying them with yasak - an obligatory tribute. From the leaders, the ataman took an oath of tribute from their peoples - this was then called "wool". After the oath, these peoples were automatically considered subjects of the tsar and were not subjected to any persecution. At the end of 1582, part of Yermak's soldiers were ambushed on the lake, they were completely exterminated. On February 23, 1583, the Cossacks responded to the Khan by capturing his chief commander.

Embassy in Moscow

Yermak in 1582 sent envoys to the tsar, headed by a confidant (I. Koltso). The purpose of the ambassador was to tell the sovereign about the complete defeat of the khan. Ivan the Terrible graciously endowed the messengers, among the gifts were two expensive chain mail for the ataman. Following the Cossacks, Prince Bolkhovsky was sent with a squad of three hundred soldiers. The Stroganovs were ordered to choose forty the best people and join them to the squad - this procedure was delayed. The detachment reached Kashlyk in November 1584, the Cossacks did not know in advance about such replenishment, so the necessary provisions were not prepared for the winter.

Conquest of the Voguls

In 1583, Yermak conquered the Tatar villages in the basins of the Ob and Irtysh. The Tatars put up fierce resistance. Along the river Tavda, the Cossacks went to the land of the Vogulichi, extending the power of the king to the river Sosva. In the conquered town of Nazim already in 1584 there was a rebellion in which all the Cossacks of ataman N. Pan were slaughtered. In addition to the unconditional talent of a commander and strategist, Yermak acts as a subtle psychologist who was well versed in people. Despite all the difficulties and difficulties of the campaign, not one of the atamans faltered, did not change his oath, until his last breath he was a faithful companion and friend of Yermak.

Chronicles have not preserved the details of this battle. But, given the conditions and method of war used by the Siberian peoples, apparently, the Voguls built a fortification, which the Cossacks were forced to storm. From the Remezov Chronicle it is known that after this battle, Yermak had 1060 people left. It turns out that the losses of the Cossacks amounted to about 600 people.

Takmak and Yermak in winter

Hungry winter

The winter period 1584-1585 turned out to be extremely cold, the frost was about minus 47 ° C, winds were constantly blowing from the north. It was impossible to hunt in the forest because of the deepest snow, wolves circled in huge flocks near human dwellings. All the archers of Bolkhovsky, the first governor of Siberia from the famous princely family, died of starvation along with him. They did not have time to participate in battles with the Khan. The number of Cossacks of Ataman Ermak also greatly decreased. During this period, Yermak tried not to meet with the Tatars - he took care of the weakened fighters.

Trek Mysteries: Who needs land? Until now, none of the Russian historians has given a clear answer to a simple question: why Yermak began this campaign to the east, to the Siberian Khanate.

The uprising of Murza Karach

In the spring of 1585, one of the leaders who submitted to Yermak on the Tura River suddenly attacked the Cossacks I. Koltso and Y. Mikhailov. Almost all the Cossacks died, and the rebels in their former capital blocked Russian army. 06/12/1585 Meshcheryak and his comrades made a bold sortie and threw back the army of the Tatars, but the Russian losses were enormous. At Yermak, at that moment, only 50% of those who went on a campaign with him survived. Of the five atamans, only two were alive - Yermak and Meshcheryak.

The death of Yermak and the end of the campaign

On the night of 08/03/1585, Ataman Ermak died with fifty fighters on the Vagae River. The Tatars attacked the sleeping camp, in this skirmish only a few soldiers survived, who brought terrible news to Qashlyk. Witnesses to Yermak's death claim that he was wounded in the neck, but continued to fight.

During the battle, the ataman had to jump from one boat to another, but he was bleeding, and the royal chain mail was heavy - Yermak did not jump. It was impossible even for such a strong man to swim out in heavy armor - the wounded drowned. The legend says that a local fisherman found the corpse and delivered it to the khan. For a month, the Tatars shot arrows into the body of the defeated enemy, during which time no signs of decomposition were noticed. The surprised Tatars buried Yermak in a place of honor (in modern times it is the village of Baishevo), but outside the cemetery fence, he was not a Muslim.

After receiving the news of the death of the leader, the Cossacks gathered for a meeting, where it was decided to return to their native lands - wintering again in these places was like death. On August 15, 1585, under the leadership of Ataman M. Meshcheryak, the remnants of the detachment moved in an organized manner along the Ob to the west, home. The Tatars were celebrating the victory, they did not yet know that the Russians would return in a year.

Campaign results

The expedition of Ermak Timofeevich established Russian power for two years. As often happened with the pioneers, they paid with their lives for the conquest of new lands. The forces were unequal - several hundred pioneers against tens of thousands of opponents. But everything did not end with the death of Yermak and his soldiers - other conquerors followed, and soon all of Siberia was a vassal of Moscow.

The conquest of Siberia often took place with "little bloodshed", and the personality of Ataman Yermak was overgrown with numerous legends. The people composed songs about the brave hero, historians and writers wrote books, artists drew pictures, and directors made films. Yermak's military strategies and tactics were adopted by other commanders. The formation of the army, invented by the brave ataman, was used by another hundreds of years later. great commander- Alexander Suvorov.

His perseverance in advancing through the territory of the Siberian Khanate is very, very reminiscent of the perseverance of the doomed. Yermak simply walked along the rivers of an unfamiliar land, counting on chance and military luck. Logically, the Cossacks had to lay down their heads in the campaign. But Ermak was lucky, he captured the capital of the Khanate and went down in history as a winner.

The conquest of Siberia by Yermak, painting by Surikov

Three hundred years after the events described, the Russian artist Vasily Surikov painted a painting. This is truly a monumental picture of the battle genre. The talented artist managed to convey how great the feat of the Cossacks and their chieftain was. Surikov's painting depicts one of the battles of a small detachment of Cossacks with a huge army of the Khan.

The artist managed to describe everything in such a way that the viewer understands the outcome of the battle, although the battle has just begun. Christian banners with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands fly over the heads of the Russians. The battle is headed by Yermak himself - he is at the head of his army and at first glance it catches the eye that the Russian commander is of remarkable strength and great courage. Enemies are presented as an almost faceless mass, whose strength is undermined by fear of the alien Cossacks. Ermak Timofeevich is calm and confident, with the eternal gesture of the commander, he directs his soldiers forward.

The air is filled with gunpowder, it seems that shots are heard, flying arrows whistle. In the background there is a hand-to-hand fight, and in the central part of the troops raised the icon, asking for help from higher powers. In the distance, the Khan's fortress-stronghold is visible - a little more and the resistance of the Tatars will be broken. The atmosphere of the picture is imbued with a sense of imminent victory - this became possible thanks to the great skill of the artist.

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One of the most remarkable pages in the history of Russia is the development of Siberia. Today, the Siberian expanses make up most of the Russian territory. And at the beginning of the 15th century, Siberia was a real “blank spot”. For our country, the feat of Yermak, who conquered Siberia for Russia, became one of the most epoch-making events in the formation of the Russian state.

In the 15th century, between the lands of the Golden Horde (meaning the Astrakhan, Crimean and Kazan khanates) and the Moscow state, there were huge expanses of "no man's" land. Despite the fact that the territories were very attractive for development, the Russians looked with longing and pity at the fertile, fatty steppe lands that they did not dare to develop.

Only the brave Cossacks were not afraid to set up their settlements in the zone of "no man's" steppe. The most desperate people flocked to these villages, looking for a free life, ready to fight and not afraid of military campaigns.

In response to the raids of the steppes, the Cossacks made trips to the Nogai, Crimean and Kazan lands. Often the Cossacks took booty from the Tatar hordes returning from the robbery of Russian lands and freed the captives. Thus the Cossacks accepted the most Active participation in the war with the enemies of Rus'.

The most famous Cossack who fought for Rus' was Ermak Timofeevich (Ermak is his nickname, and his real name was Yerema). Even before the famous Siberian campaign, he honed his skills and gained experience, being the chieftain of the Cossack detachment on the border of the steppes. Little information has been preserved about Yermak's personality: it is known that he was strong, eloquent and "black with hair."

According to one of the legends, Yermak's grandfather, Afanasy Alenin, helped the Murom robbers. Yermak himself worked for some time on plows that traveled along the Volga and Kama. But soon he took up robbery.

There were many rumors about Yermak's robbery past. For example, the English traveler John Perry in his notes claimed that Yermak was a noble robber: he did not kill anyone, robbed only the rich and shared the proceeds with the poor. However, historians doubt the reliability of this information. Thus, they reject the widespread legend that Yermak, together with the Volga Cossacks, robbed the Persian ambassadors. However, based on information from the Land Book embassy order”, it follows that the ambassadors were robbed a few years after the death of Yermak. Thus, we can conclude that information about Yermak's robbery past may be incorrect - and this is the first mystery.

The second historical mystery is that it is not known in what year Yermak Timofeevich went with his comrades on a Siberian campaign. According to various sources, this could have happened in the period 1579-1582. And it happened like this.

Having beaten off another attack by the soldiers of the Horde prince Ali, the Cossacks began to gather in long hike. The rich merchant clan of the Stroganovs provided them with everything they needed, including ammunition and a large supply of bread. All stocks should have been enough for two years. About a thousand Cossacks went on a campaign.

Why did Yermak and his army move precisely towards Siberia?

At that time, the Siberian Khanate was part of the previously disintegrated Golden Horde. For a long time it lived peacefully with neighboring Russia. However, when Khan Kuchum took power in the khanate, numerous detachments of Tatars began to attack the Russian lands located in the Western Urals. In one of these raids, the horde of Tsarevich Ali, who lost the battle to the Cossacks near Nizhny Chusovsky, did not return to their Siberian estates, but retreated to Cherdyn. The Yermakovites did not catch up with him, they decided to take advantage of the unique moment when the Siberian expanses were left without the protection of the horde in order to conquer Siberia and, at the same time, end this endless war. The Cossacks understood that the defeat of Ali's hordes was not enough for a complete victory, and the whole force of the numerous khan's detachments settled in the Siberian region would come out against them.

Before the campaign, the priests in the churches of Chusovskie Gorodoki served a prayer service and blessed the soldiers on their hard journey, the bells rang, the Cossacks marched under the banner with the face of Jesus Christ. The chronicles say that during all Siberian campaign Cossacks observed all Orthodox fasts and participated in prayers before battles. In the meantime, the Cossacks on three dozen plows set off along the river. At that time, the safest way to travel across the southern Russian steppes was to move along the river on plows, since in this way it was easiest to get away from the fast Tatar horses. Each plow was about ten meters long, 18 rowers were placed at the sides. The Cossacks rowed alternately, and when the enemy appeared, they took up arms. Plows had to be dragged by hand in case of crossing the watershed.

It is not known exactly who became the instigator of the Siberian campaign of the Cossacks. But it has been established for certain that the performances were financed by the merchants Stroganovs. The merchants hoped that the military campaign would stop the Tatar raids and serve to protect their property. It is possible that Ivan the Terrible instructed the Stroganovs to organize and pay for a trip to the unexplored Siberian lands. There is a version that the tsar, having learned about the impending campaign of the Cossacks in Siberia, wrote a letter to the Stroganovs, demanding that the Cossacks be sent to defend the towns that were attacked by the detachments of Khan Kuchum and his eldest son Alei.

Yermak's campaign developed successfully, in several battles the army of the Cossack chieftain defeated the Tatar detachments. With fighting, the Cossacks led by Yermak reached the Irtysh River and captured the capital of the Siberian Khanate - now the city of Kashlyk. Yermak received numerous delegations of the indigenous peoples of Siberia, took an oath on behalf of Ivan the Terrible and forced them to pay tribute in favor of the Russian state.

On the capture of the main city Siberian Khanate Yermak did not stop: his detachment went further along the Irtysh and the Ob. The Cossacks captured one ulus after another and took the oath to the Russian Tsar. For several years, until 1585, Yermak's squad fought with the soldiers of Khan Kuchum in the expanses of Siberia.

After Yermak considered his duty to annex Siberia under the hand of the Russian Tsar fulfilled, he sent an ambassador to Ivan the Terrible with a victorious report. Ivan IV was very pleased and hastened to thank not only the ambassador for the good news, but also all the Cossacks participating in the campaign. For Yermak himself, the ambassador took two chain mail pieces of excellent workmanship. According to the chronicles, one of them, earlier, belonged to the famous voivode Shuisky. The chain mail weighed about 12 kg, it was made in the form of a shirt, it consisted of 16 thousand rings, on the right side a copper plate with the image of a double-headed eagle was attached to the chain mail.

On August 6, 1585, a detachment of Cossacks numbering up to 50 people, together with ataman Ermak Timofeevich, stopped for the night on the Irtysh, not far from the mouth of the Vagai River. Several detachments of Khan Kuchum unexpectedly attacked the Cossacks, killing all the fighters of Yermak. The ataman himself tried to swim to the plows. He was wearing two, donated by the king, chain mail. They became the cause of the death of Yermak, he drowned in the water of the Irtysh.

However, there is circumstantial evidence that this story had a sequel. Popular rumor says that a day later (according to some sources, after eight days), Yermak's body fell into the fishing nets of a Tatar fisherman, who hastened to report his find to Khan Kuchum himself. In order to ascertain the death of the famous Russian ataman, the entire Tatar nobility gathered. The joy was so great that the Tatars continued to celebrate the death of Yermak for several days. Having fun, the Tatars, for a week, shot Yermak's body with bows. They took his chain mail with them. The remote ataman was buried secretly and the exact place of his grave is still unknown.

The further fate of Khan Kuchum also did not work out. After the annexation of the Siberian lands to Russia, he wandered for a long time near Tobolsk, but did not enter into battle with the Russians, ruining only the settlements of his former subjects. All his sons were gradually taken prisoner and taken to Moscow. He was repeatedly offered to go to the service of the Russian Tsar, but the aged Kuchum answered that he was a free man and wanted to die free too. He failed to regain the throne of Siberia.

It so happened that the death of two opponents - Kuchum and Yermak remained secrets. Both of them have unknown graves, legends live about them among the Tatar people.

In history, Ermak looks like a hero, and Khan Kuchum got the fate of a villain, although, in fairness, he should be recognized for his desire for independence and love of freedom, which means it is worth looking at his personality from the other side.

It so happened that Ermak Timofeevich became not only historical figure, but also a key figure in Russian national folklore. There are many tales, legends and songs about him. In them, the dashing ataman Ermak Timofeevich is described as a person of exceptional courage and courage. Although it must be admitted that there is very little real data on the conqueror of Siberia, and the available information is rather contradictory. It is this circumstance that makes many researchers look again and again for new information about the national hero of Rus', and now Russia.