Were the Cossacks a social estate class? By Alexander Piven Cossack historian.

In the modern day there is much mention of Russian and Ukrainian history, but genuine Cossack history seems to be of limited interest among historians. This lack of interest allows Russian historians such as Ilovaisky, Platonov, and others, to publish conclusions of Cossack history, which is then accepted as genuine Cossack History. Thus, people tend to believe that Cossacks are a social estate class.

It has been well established that the social estate classes in Russia were governed by the definition of Western Europeans, such as Peter I and Catherine the Great. These social estate classes included but not limited to Nobels, slaves, fisherman, clergymen, and etc. The question that arises, is how could the Cossacks be considered part of a social estate class, if they existed for several centuries before the regulations of Peter I?

We all know that the Cossacks participated in the Kulikovskay battle in 1380. Karamzin, the father of Russian history wrote “The Cossacks were even around to participate in the ancient invasion of Batu which took place in 1227”. Russian Historiographer Tatishchev mentioned that “Cossacks existed at the time of the Khazar Empire”. So what social estate class of Russia did Cossacks belong to? What about Cossack terms such as Ataman, and famous Cossack names in history such as Melih, Yermak, Semyon, and etc?

In Russia, a person could only consist in a single social estate class and not more. For example, the Russian peasant, belonged to the peasant estate class, but when he made a fortune, sold his farm, bought a shop, and acquired the right to trade, transferred from one estate class to another. He now became a merchant not a farmer. His son graduated from the seminary and became a priest, transferring from the merchant to the spiritual estate class. The brother, could receive military education and an officer rank, dropping out of both the merchant and spiritual estates.

Was this the case with Cossacks? Cossacks lived in free societies, and they were equal among the citizens of their Cossack lands. Cossacks were farmers, fisherman, enrolled in the military, but this would violate the entire construction of the Russian social estate classes. During the time period when Rusification (motion to convert nations to Russian Nation) was popular, Catherine the Great and Alexander I tried to create new social estates for Cossacks, such as farming Cossacks, fisherman Cossacks, and etc. Still, this violated the construction the estates where a Cossack would belong to two estates at once. This was even recognized by the Soviet Union many years after, that the existence of a merchant Cossacks would make no sense to the ideology of estates in Russia.

Therefor let us observe the following questions:

1) Where in history a social estate class had control over autonomous land?

If we examine 17th century atlases from France, Italy and Germany, we can see territory marked as “Country of the Don Cossacks” “Cossack country”. Some Russian educational atlases which were taught in schools, also mention “land of Don Cossacks”. If the Cossacks are a social estate class, then were is the land of the fisherman, country of the spiritual estate?

2) Where in history has an estate led separate wars?

Battles recorded in Cossack history appears even before the conquest of Russia. Cossacks participated in wars dozens of times at the coast of Crimea, Persia, and turkey, when Moscow did not even has a fleet.

3) When in History has an estate had its own civil and military history?

The Cossack have both!

4) Which Social estate had its own special hair style, special songs, dances, and even a native language?

Cossacks spoke a native Cossack dialect which was completely alien to Russians.

5) When and were has a social estate class formed its own parliament?

Cossacks had an established parliament, Rada and Krug, which governed and established laws for all citizens of the Cossack countries. The Cossacks had a church separate from the Moscow Church, and their government was independent from policies of Moscow.

6) Finally, which estate class had a constitution, coat of arms, flags, and other attributes of Statehood?

Don Cossacks, had all of the above, and in addition, a state bank which produced Don bank notes.

In conclusion, a social estate class of Russia, could not have accomplished any of this. These accomplishments, could have been meet only by a Nation of Cossacks.

"Cossack historical calendar, Cleveland, (United States), 1956 year.

A. e. PIVEN (United States), the Cossack Stanitsa, Pavlovskaya Kuban Cossack Voisko Alexander Efimovich Piven (18. 06.07-1872. 04.1962 Gg.)