Article

2005-02-25 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by Dan Darling 2005-02-25 3:21:58 AM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I thought the Cossacks were generally orthodox christian?

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-02-25 8:35:06 AM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-02-25 8:35:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 May be a translation error and meant to be Kazakh. The Cossacks and muslims have a lot of bad blood. In the 1300's-1800's, much of the Cossack's function was to fight the muslims on Russia's periphery. After the revolution, Stalin liqudated them (~4 million?) as class enemies.

Posted by ed 2005-02-25 9:03:48 AM|| 2005-02-25 9:03:48 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 ed's educated guess is probably right. The root of the word "Cossack," according to Webster, is "kazak", Turkish for adventurer. Ivan the Terrible put a band of adventurers, called Cossacks, led by Yermak Timofayev and others, to explore Siberia and conquer it for the Czar. Ivan probably figured Columbus went west, he could send people east.

According to my friend who pastored in Khazakhstan for four years, the Christians in Khazakhstan don't use the word "baptize" because the Cossacks forced the Czar's religion on the native Khazaks, and forced mass baptisms.

Posted by mom 2005-02-25 9:23:37 AM|| 2005-02-25 9:23:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 If I remember right,the original Cossacks were a loose association of people who fled thier oppresive homelands in search of adventure and Freedom.

Posted by raptor 2005-02-25 9:59:06 AM|| 2005-02-25 9:59:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 It varied a lot. Some of the Cossacks were enforcers for the Tsars. Others had a more benign role.

My father's grandfather was the last of generations of the family to raise and train cavalry horses and to form mounted patrols. They were responsible for guarding the borders of the vast grasslands in exchange for land and title.

And yes, Stalin hated them. Family members who came to the US and Canada survived. Those, like my great-grandfather, who stayed to protect the villages and do their sworn duty, did not.

And yes, the family was and is Orthodox christian.

Posted by Robin Burk 2005-02-25 12:14:07 PM|| 2005-02-25 12:14:07 PM|| Front Page Top

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