Yermak Cossacks losses during the conquest of the Siberian Khanate

Abstract

The author ascertains the death toll among Yermak Cossacks during their acquisition of Siberia. The Synodik to Yermak Cossacks and the early Tobolsk chronicles make it possible to determine that out of 540 associates of the famous ataman, about 200–225 returned to Russia. Apart from Ivan Koltso’s detachment that perished completely, the heaviest losses were inflicted to Yermak’s troops in the battles near Basaban and Chuvashev Cape, during the expedition to the Ob-Irtysh area and from the famine in Isker in the winter of 1584/85.

Keywords

• ermak’s siberian expedition
• the size of the cossack “retinue”
• siberian chronicles
• synodic “ermakov cossacks”
• battle near chuvashev cape
• losses of the “russian regiment”
• matvey meshcheryak