Cossack

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Cossack (Russ. Kazak; plural, Kazaki, Polish Kozak; plural, Kozacy, from the Turkish quzzaq, "adventurer, free-booter"), was the name given to a portion of the population of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and of the Russian Empire. Traditionally endowed with certain special privileges, they had in return to give military service, all at a certain age, under special conditions.

Table of contents

1 Cossack terminology
2 Russian Cossacks
3 Ukrainian Cossacks

Cossack terminology

See: Cossacks in Imperial Russia for details.

Voisko - a major cossack military and administrative unit.
Ataman - a cossack military leader.
Sotnia ("hundred") - a military unit.
Stanitsa - cossack settlement, a village.
Cossack, Prikazny, Uryadnik (minor and major), Podkhorunzhiy , Khorunzhiy, Sotnik, Podyesaul, Yesaul, Voiskovoy starshina, -- cossack military ranks (from lowest up)

Russian Cossacks

Main article: History of Cossacks

Valuing the relative freedom they enjoyed in Imperial Russia, the Cossacks mainly fought against Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War of 1919, both within the White Army and as partisans.

At the same time, many poor Cossacks also joined the Red Army. This notwithstanding, after the victory of the Soviet Communists, the new regime repressed the Cossack culture and way of life. During the Nazi invasion of the USSR the Cossacks once again joined the opposing sides of the conflict. Since the Collapse of the Soviet Union, efforts to revive the Cossack traditions have begun.

The Cossacks had a reputation as professional warriors, but the development of modern warfare made their horse-backed fighting techniques obsolete.

Ukrainian Cossacks

External article: Ukrainian Cossacks (in Encyclopedia of Ukraine)