Ermak (? – 1585)

Ermak Timofeevich was a Cossack ottoman, the conqueror of Siberia. Regrettably, no precise data had survived about his origin. The majority of researchers consider him to have originated from Don Cossacks, though some other believe him to have sprang out of the Central or Southern parts of Russia. The first notions about Ermak can be dated 1560-1570, and tell some episodes of his participation in the Livon war, his defence of Moscow against the Crimea Khan Davlet-Gyrei, and some of his other deeds.

Ermak went to the Ural where he was engaged in guarding the estates of the merchants Stroganovs against raids and robberies of local tribes. Initially Ermak undertook some defensive campaigns far inland and gained victories. In 1582 Ermak defeated the detachments of khan Kutchum and occupied Iskher, the capital of the Siberian khanate.

In summer 1585 Ermak’s troops, though scanty in number, would pursue khan Kuchum to the south of the Siberian khanate. That was the last campaign for Ermak. In August he was trapped in a surprise attack. The tartars attacked his army. Ermak accepted the battle, broke through the rows of enemies, but failed to reach his boat and got drowned in the river Vagai.

According to the chronicles, the body of Ermak was discovered by the tartars some days after his death. The ‘feast of revenge’ held by the tartars over Ermak’s body lasted for six weeks: arrows were stuck into it. As to the legend written by S. Remezov, the body of Ermak preserved imperishable, and various wonders occurred around it. With this in view, Ermak was burried at the sacred tartars’ cemetry alongside with Moslem saints.