274 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[PEEIOD III. 



i'.a 



revolted oi* free. Afterwards these bunds became more 

 thoroughly organised, and being settled in some par- 

 ticular districts, received the names of the territories ; 

 for example, the Don Cossacks, the Oural Cossacks, the 

 Zaporog Cossacks, Yalek Cossacks, &c.^ 



It is said there were Cossacks in the army of Genghis 

 Khan, in the year 1224, under the command of a Voie- 

 vode named Ploskina. This Cossack leader induced the 

 Great Prince Mstislaff Eomanofvitch of Kief to come 

 out of his fortress, guaranteeing his safety, and kissing 

 the cross as an oath testifying his good faith. On 

 getting the prince in his power he tortured and killed 

 him. This incident proves the lawless and savage charac- 

 ter of these troops at that time. , These same bands served 

 in the Byzantine army under the name of " Alani." ^ 



The Cossacks are mentioned in the reign of Vassili 

 Vassiliavitch, when the Moscow militia fought against 

 the Tartar Sultan Mustapha in 1444.^ We hear of them 

 also in Poland in 1516, and before 1579 the Zaporog 

 Cossacks had fought against the Turks, with the armies 

 of the Emperor Rodolph II. 



The Cossacks paid no taxes ; they received some land 

 in possession, in return for which they were obliged to 

 serve in time of war, as also were the noblemen and the 

 children of the Boyars.* They were allies, so to speak, of 

 the king, but at the same time were under his protection. 

 All the soldiers of a district composed a horse regiment, 

 which was named either after the name of the town, or 

 of its Voievode. They were divided into hundreds, 

 fifties, and tens, under the command of " sotniks " and 

 ** ouradniks." They were armed in the same manner as 

 the other Russian troops, that is to say, with sabres, lances 

 and bows and arrows, and afterwards with pistols and 

 carbines.® Each regiment had its standard (chorigoy), 

 a drum, and musical instruments. The Don Cossacks 

 were the most numerous, and they are said to have had 

 artillery. They always obeyed the summons of the Czar, 

 but no one ever appeared among them to demand taxes. 



' Ivanhoff. 

 covitch, 10. 



2 Zeddler, ii. 235. 

 6 Ibid. 28. 



» Ibid. 



* Oondim LeGf- 



