History UsefulNotes / Cossacks

Nowadays in popular culture, the Cossack look has been the primary image that pops in foreigner's minds when they think of what Russians look like (The same way {{Americans are Cowboys}}). This is due to the fact that the iconic Cossack hats and [[ThatRussianSquatDance dance]] are closely associated with Russians in movies abroad (these days however, it shares that spot with DirtyCommunists).

* ''Film/TheCossacks'' is a 1928 silent film based on a Creator/LeoTolstoy novel, in which said Cossacks spend their time drinking vodka and fighting Turks.

During the Civil War, the Cossacks divided; the poorer ones fought for the Reds, the richer ones for the Whites, though there were also the idea of independent Don and Kuban Republics. In Soviet Russia, the Cossack hosts were eliminated in 1920. During WWII some old Cossack commanders from the Civil War supported the Nazis (and were recognised as "Ostrogoths" by Hitler's regime to mask the idea of working together with the Slavs), while Soviet Union also "restored" old Russian Cossack Hosts, even though these were mostly formed from new guys, with many Cossacks eliminated under Lenin's purge of counter-revolutionaries or fled outside, as much more Cossacks joined the White Army(as most of them were complacent to the Imperial policy to respect the Cossack's free and autonomous lifestyle, in contrast to ill-treated sailors in which lots of them joined the Reds) and Ukrainian anarchists led by Nestor Makhno.

* The 1991 cartoon adaptation of Ivan Kotlyarevskyi's Eneyida (Aenid) has Aeneas and other Trojans that look an act like Zaporozhian Cossacks ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92J702CxzXU see here]]).

* The classic Ukrainian cartoon characters ''Animation/{{Cossacks}}''.

After WWII ended and horse cavalry were rendered largely obsolete, the Cossack units who fought in the Red Army were dismissed once again and lived as farmers, entertainers, and craftsmen, although their martial traditions makes them a preferred stock for military service and they fought in Afghanistan in contemporary military units. The fate of Nazi Germany-aligned ones were far worse, as after they surrendered to the West they were simply handed back to Soviet forces, facing treason charges, albeit a number of them were White emigrants (anti-Bolshevik Russians who moved abroad after the Reds won the 1917-1922 civil war) which were never citizens of the Soviet Union to begin with. Their main German handler Helmuth von Pannwitz chose to share the fate of his men rather than running away from it.

After the fall of Soviet Union many organisations yearned for the restoration of Cossacks. Today, the "Cossack organizations" exist, but up until recently have had little military or law-enforcement powers, other than the right to bear sabers in Russia, or acting as some honorary mounted policemen functions in Ukraine. In some cities and towns they patrol the streets as voluntary police assistance corps, still relying on cadre policemen for paperwork and with tacit or explicit consent from the official police force. Unsympathetic outside observers have warned that the Cossack ethos, of conservative obedience to authority, Church and heirarchy, together with violence against demonstrators and those protesting against UsefulNotes/VladimirPutin's administration, places them in RightWingMilitiaFanatic territory. The public whipping of "Pussy Riot" female dissenters by uniformed Cossacks, whilst the regular police stood by and did not intervene, was recorded on camera and seen around the world.

Still, the Cossack Hosts, while being mostly a farce movement nowadays, greatly influenced the history and culture of Eastern Europe. Dnieper Cossacks formed the basis for the creation of the modern Ukrainian nation and culture, while Russian Cossacks created a separate ethnographic group in South-Western Russia, with culture and traditions that persist to this day. As of 2014, a lot of Cossacks from the Don host native to the Donbass region and the Kuban host descended from the Zaporozhian Cossacks fought in the Ukrainian civil war on the pro-Russian side.

** The third game features Cossacks again. And this time, the game's {{Mascot}} is one.

* The Ukrainian cartoon characters ''Animation/{{Cossacks}}''.

* The painting ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reply_of_the_Zaporozhian_Cossacks Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire]]'' by Ilya Repin depicts a group of Cossacks writing a reply to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire. Having been defeated in a battle, Mehmed attempted to intimidate the Cossacks into submission, sending them a declaration filled with impressive titles and the many lands he ruled. The Cossacks' reply twisted the many titles and lands into some very creative profanity. When "goat-fucker of Alexandria" is one of the tamer insults, you know you picked a fight with the wrong people.

* Zaporozhian Cossacks, named so because their stronghold (Zaporozhian Sich) was located on an island beyond ("Za") the rapids ("porogi") of the river Dnieper. For a while the Zaporozhians helped (for Sich Cossacks) or served (for Registered Cossacks) the UsefulNotes/PolishLithuanianCommonwealth fighting off Crimean Tatars -- not that the latter had much control over them. They played a big role in the history of Ukraine, at one point liberating it from Poland and creating the Cossack Hetmanate -- a Ukrainian state in 1648-1764, a vassal of Muscovy and later of the Russian Empire during most of its history. The Russian government, while seeing the value of mighty Zaporozhian Cossack troops, barely tolerated the Sich's and Hetmanate's existence, as their regions were free of serfdom and too autonomous for TheEmpire. Considering it to be a separatist element, the Russian Empire under UsefulNotes/CatherineTheGreat annexed the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764, then ordered the destruction of the Sich in 1775. After the fall of Sich, many Zaporozhian cossacks migrated to the Kuban river valley, and these ones became the Black Sea Cossack Host, later known as Kuban Cossacks. Other Cossacks either intermingled with other parts of Ukrainian society, or escaped to the Ottoman Empire where they were organised into the Danube Cossack Host (Zadunays'ka Sich), which later returned to Russian-ruled Ukraine and became the Azov Cossack Host, that existed until 1866.

* The page's image, ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reply_of_the_Zaporozhian_Cossacks Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire]]'', depicts a group of Cossacks writing a reply to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire. Having been defeated in a battle, Mehmed attempted to intimidate the Cossacks into submission, sending them a declaration filled with impressive titles and the many lands he ruled. The Cossacks' reply twisted the many titles and lands into some very creative profanity. When "goat-fucker of Alexandria" is one of the tamer insults, you know you picked a fight with the wrong people.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reply_of_the_Zaporozhian_Cossacks The page image depicts a group of Cossacks writing a reply to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire.]] Having been defeated in a battle, Mehmed attempted to intimidate the Cossacks into submission, sending them a declaration filled with impressive titles and the many lands he ruled. The Cossacks' reply twisted the many titles and lands into some very creative profanity. When "goat-fucker of Alexandria" is one of the tamer insults, you know you picked a fight with the wrong people.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'' opens with the Jewish village of Shostka being subjected to a pogrom by Cossacks, while the equivalent cat versions of the Cossacks terrorize Jewish mice.
* The "Cossacks" (1967-1995) cartoon series [[https://popkult.org/cossacks/]] as well as various animated adaptations of Ukrainian folk tales.
* The 1991 cartoon adaptation of Ivan Kotlyarevskyi's Eneyida (Aenid) has Aeneas and other Trojans that look an act like Zaporozhian Cossacks [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92J702CxzXU]]

Still, the Cossack Hosts, while being mostly a farce movement nowadays, greatly influenced the history and culture of Eastern Europe. Dnieper Cossacks formed the basis for the creation of modern Ukrainian nation and culture, while Russian Cossacks created a separate ethnographic group in South-Western Russia, with culture and traditions that persist to this day. As of 2014, a lot of Cossacks from the Don host native to the Donbass region and the Kuban host descended from the Zaporozhian Cossacks fought in the Ukrainian civil war on the pro-Russian side.

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' has a Cossack as one of the Multiplayer characters, [[DarkActionGirl the]] [[SpyFiction Vanguard]].

* ''ComicBook/{{Cossacks}}'', a French comic book about a young early 17th century Lithuanian Hussar from the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth who deserts the Polish army to join a group of Ukrainian Cossacks and [[GoingNative live among them]].

* Zaporozhian Cossacks, named so because their stronghold (Zaporozhian Sich) was located on an island beyond ("Za") the rapids ("porogi") of the river Dnieper. For a while the Zaporozhians helped (for Sich Cossacks) or served (for Registered Cossacks) UsefulNotes/PolishLithuanianCommonwealth fighting off Crimean Tatars -- not that the latter had much control over them. They played a big role in the history of Ukraine, at one point liberating it from Poland and creating the Cossack Hetmanate -- a Ukrainian state in 1648-1764, a vassal of Muscovy and later of the Russian Empire during most of its history. The Russian government, while seeing the value of mighty Zaporozhian Cossack troops, barely tolerated the Sich's and Hetmanate's existence, as their regions were free of serfdom and too autonomous for TheEmpire. Considering it to be a separatist element, the Russian Empire under UsefulNotes/CatherineTheGreat annexed the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764, then ordered the destruction of the Sich in 1775. After the fall of Sich, many Zaporozhian cossacks migrated to the Kuban river valley, and these ones became the Black Sea Cossack Host, later known as Kuban Cossacks. Other Cossacks either intermingled with other parts of Ukrainian society, or escaped to the Ottoman Empire where they were organised into the Danube Cossack Host (Zadunays'ka Sich), which later returned to Russian-ruled Ukraine and became the Azov Cossack Host, that existed until 1866.

* Zaporozhian Cossacks, named so because their stronghold (Zaporozhian Sich) was located on an island beyond ("Za") the rapids ("porogi") of the river Dnieper. For a while the Zaporozhians helped (for Sich Cossacks) or served (for Registered Cossacks) UsefulNotes/PolishLithuanianCommonwealth fighting off Crimean Tatars -- not that the latter had much control over them. They played a big role in the history of Ukraine, at one point liberating it from Poland and creating the Cossack Hetmanate -- a Ukrainian state in 1648-1764, a vassal of Muscovy and later of the Russian Empire during most of its history. The Russian government, while seeing the value of mighty Zaporozhian Cossack troops, barely tolerated the Sich's and Hetmanate's existence, as their regions were free of serfdom and too autonomous for TheEmpire. Considering it to be a separatist element, the Russian Empire under Catherine II annexed the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764, then ordered the destruction of the Sich in 1775. After the fall of Sich, many Zaporozhian cossacks migrated to the Kuban river valley, and these ones became the Black Sea Cossack Host, later known as Kuban Cossacks. Other Cossacks either intermingled with other parts of Ukrainian society, or escaped to the Ottoman Empire where they were organised into the Danube Cossack Host (Zadunays'ka Sich), which later returned to Russian-ruled Ukraine and became the Azov Cossack Host, that existed until 1866.

* Zaporozhian Cossacks, named so because their stronghold (Zaporozhian Sich) was located on an island beyond ("Za") the rapids ("porogi") of the river Dnieper. For a while the Zaporozhians helped (for Sich Cossacks) or served (for Registered Cossacks) Poland fighting off Crimean Tatars -- not that Poland had much control over them. They played a big role in the history of Ukraine, at one point liberating it from Poland and creating the Cossack Hetmanate -- a Ukrainian state in 1648-1764, a vassal of Muscovy and later of the Russian Empire during most of its history. The Russian government, while seeing the value of mighty Zaporozhian Cossack troops, barely tolerated the Sich's and Hetmanate's existence, as their regions were free of serfdom and too autonomous for TheEmpire. Considering it to be a separatist element, the Russian Empire under Catherine II annexed the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764, then ordered the destruction of the Sich in 1775. After the fall of Sich, many Zaporozhian cossacks migrated to the Kuban river valley, and these ones became the Black Sea Cossack Host, later known as Kuban Cossacks. Other Cossacks either intermingled with other parts of Ukrainian society, or escaped to the Ottoman Empire where they were organised into the Danube Cossack Host (Zadunays'ka Sich), which later returned to Russian-ruled Ukraine and became the Azov Cossack Host, that existed until 1866.

[=Cossacks=] were groups of professional warriors first recorded as a separate group of society in Eastern Europe around late 15th century. [[UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} Russian]] Cossacks are typically seen as agile cavalry armed with lances and sabres, while [[UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} Ukrainian]] Cossacks mostly fought on their feet and were notorious for their mastery of musketeer tactics.

* Zaporozhian Cossacks, named so because their stronghold (Zaporozhian Sich) was located on an island beyond ("Za") the rapids ("porogi") of the river Dnieper. For a while the Zaporozhians helped (for Sich Cossacks) or served (for Registered Cossacks) Poland fighting off Crimean Tatars -- not that Poland had much control over them. They played a big role in the history of Ukraine, at one point liberating it from Poland and creating the Cossack Hetmanate - a Ukrainian state in 1648-1764, a vassal of Muscovy and later Russian Empire during most of its history. Russian government, while seeing the value of mighty Zaporozhian Cossack troops, barely tolerated Sich's and Hetmanate's existence, as their regions were free of serfdom and too autonomous for TheEmpire. Considering it to be a separatist element, Russian Empire under Catherine II annexed Cossack Hetmanate in 1764, then ordered to destroy the Sich in 1775. After the fall of Sich, many Zaporozhian cossacks migrated to the Kuban river valley, and these ones became the Black Sea Cossack Host, later known as Kuban Cossacks. Other Cossacks either intermingled with other parts of Ukrainian society, or escaped to the Ottoman Empire where they were organised into the Danube Cossack Host (Zadunays'ka Sich), which later returned to Russian-ruled Ukraine and became the Azov Cossack Host, that existed until 1866.

* Don Cossacks, named because of the river Don. Gradually formed after Brodnici ("ford men", a large multi-ethnic group in southern Ruthenia) intermingled with Mongols and Cumans (traditional seminomad rivals and allies of Ruthenian princes) in the Steppe and thus adopted independent steppe-wandering style of life, as well as their name (the word "Cossack" has Turkic origins, usually reffering to "free men", who could not find their place in society and went into the steppes, where they acknowledged no authority - some other Turkic names have the same etymology - the [[UsefulNotes/{{Kazakhstan}} Kazakh]] people for example) from these nomads. Joined by adventurous Russian nobles and runaway peasants, the Don Host became an important part of Muscovite Tsardom's politics, while staying independent from the Tsar until the beginning of 18th century. After the suppression of Bulavin's revolt by the Russians, the Don Host was completely incorporated into Russia as an irregular military organization with some privileges, but less autonomy.

Other groups included Terek Cossacks, Ussuri Cossacks, Ural Cossacks etc. Cossacks were exempt from tax and were granted some land in exchange for military service, and as such considered minor nobility (that was especially the case with Registered Cossacks in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). Cossack settlements were called "stanitsa" in Russia and "sloboda" or "zymivnik" in Ukraine. These settlements enjoyed higher liberties than common villages, e.g. a serf who managed to join the Cossacks was free from his former owner's pursuit.

After the fall of Soviet Union many organisations yearned for the restoration of Cossacks. Today, the "Cossack organizations" exist, but up until recently have had little military or law-enforcement powers, other than the right to bear sabers in Russia, or acting as some honorary mounted policemen functions in Ukraine. In some cities and towns they patrol the streets as voluntary police assistance corps, still relying on cadre policemen for paperwork and with tacit or explicit consent from the official police force. Unsympathetic outside observers have warned that the Cossack ethos, of conservative obedience to authority, Church and heirarchy, together with violence against demonstrators and those protesting against Putin's administration, places them in RightWingMilitiaFanatic territory. The public whipping of "Pussy Riot" female dissenters by uniformed Cossacks, whilst the regular police stood by and did not intervene, was recorded on camera and seen around the world.

Still, the Cossack Hosts, while being mostly a farce movement nowadays, greatly influenced the history and culture of Eastern Europe. Dnieper Cossacks formed the basis for the creation of modern Ukrainian nation and culture, while Russian Cossacks created a separate ethnographic group in South-Western Russia, with culture and traditions that persist to this day. As of 2014, a lot of Cossacks from the Don host native to the Donbass region and the Kuban host descended from the Zaporozhian Cossacks fought in the Ukrainian civil war on the pro-Russian side.

* Appear frequently in Ukrainian folk songs regardless of the genre- epic ballads, love songs, humorous / bawdy songs...anything really."Dumy" (historical /epics ballads) in particular feature a lot of cossacks and hetmans, often mentioned by name, for example Dmytro Vyshnevetsky, Ivan Mazepa or Bohdan Khmelnytsky. Less common in western Ukraine.

** The third game features Cossacks again. And this time, the game's {{Mascot}} is [[http://www.journaldugamer.com/files/2015/05/Cossacks3_1920.0.png one]].

Nowadays in popular culture, the Cossack look has been the primary image that pops in foreigner's minds when they think of what Russians look like (The same way {{Americans are Cowboys}}). This is due to the fact that the iconic Cossack hats and [[ThatRussianSquatDance dance]] is closely associated with Russians in movies abroad (these days however, it shares that spot with DirtyCommunists).

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Eastern European Animation]]

Still, the Cossack Hosts, while being mostly a farce movement nowadays, greatly influenced the history and culture of Eastern Europe. Dnieper Cossacks formed the basis for the creation of modern Ukrainian nation and culture, while Russian Cossacks created a separate ethnographic group in South-Western Russia, with culture and traditions that persist to this day. As of 2014, a lot of Cossacks from the Don host native to the Donbass region and the Kuban host descended from the Zaporozhian Cossacks fought in the Ukrainian civil war on the pro-Russian side, the most famous one is an [[ManlyFacialHair awesomely bearded]] guy named [[https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/alexandr-litoy/cossacks-MH17-Babai-Mozhaev-Kozytsin Aleksandr Mozhayev a.k.a Babai]].

--> ''In early 1921, Babel joined a Cossack regiment. Those blustering and useless warriors (no one in the history of the universe has been defeated more often than the Cossacks)) were, of course, anti-Semitic. The mere idea of a Jew on horseback struck them as laughable, and the fact that Babel was a good horseman only added to their disdain and spite. A couple of welltimed and flashy exploits enabled Babel to make them leave him in peace.''

* The "Cossacks" (1967-1995) cartoon series [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin obviosly]][[https://popkult.org/cossacks/]] as well as various animated adaptations of Ukrainian folk tales.

Unlike the regular Imperial Russian Army units which had to submit to slavelike discipline (the Imperial Russian Navy was even worse in this regard), Cossacks enjoyed a much higher level of personal initiative and autonomy, due to their traditions of quasi-independence summarized in the proverb ''bow down to no one save the God & Emperor himself''. This strengthened their [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race]] spirit and during the early stages of UsefulNotes/WorldWarI they enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for courage and ruthlessness.

During the Civil War, the Cossacks divided; the poorer ones fought for the Reds, the richer ones for the Whites, though there were also the idea of independent Don and Kuban Republics. In Soviet Russia, the Cossack hosts were eliminated in 1920. During WWII some old Cossack commanders from the Civil War supported the Nazis (and were recognised as "Ostrogoths" by Hitler's regime to mask the idea of working together with the Slavs), while Soviet Union also "restored" old Russian Cossack Hosts, even though these were mostly formed from new guys, with many Cossacks eliminated under Lenin's purge of counter-revolutionaries or fled outside, as much more Cossacks joined the White Army(as most of them were complacent to the Imperial policy to respect the Cossack's free & autonomous lifestyle, in contrast to ill-treated sailors in which lots of them joined the Reds) and Ukrainian anarchists led by Nestor Makhno.

After WWII ended & horse cavalry were rendered largely obsolete, the Cossack units who fought in the Red Army were dismissed once again and lived as farmers, entertainers, and craftsmen, although their martial traditions makes them a preferred stock for military service & they fought in Afghanistan in contemporary military units. The fate of Nazi Germany-aligned ones were far worse, as after they surrendered to the West they were simply handed back to Soviet forces, facing treason charges, albeit a number of them were White emigrants (anti-Bolshevik Russians who moved abroad after the Reds won the 1917-1922 civil war) which were never citizens of the Soviet Union to begin with. Their main German handler Helmuth von Pannwitz chose to share the fate of his men rather than running away from it.

Still, the Cossack Hosts, while being mostly a farce movement nowadays, greatly influenced the history and culture of Eastern Europe. Dnieper Cossacks formed the basis for the creation of modern Ukrainian nation and culture, while Russian Cossacks created a separate ethnographic group in South-Western Russia, with culture and traditions that persist to this day. As of 2014, a lot of Cossacks from the Don host native to the Donbass region & the Kuban host descended from the Zaporozhian Cossacks fought in the Ukrainian civil war on the pro-Russian side, the most famous one is an [[ManlyFacialHair awesomely bearded]] guy named [[https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/alexandr-litoy/cossacks-MH17-Babai-Mozhaev-Kozytsin Aleksandr Mozhayev a.k.a Babai]].

* In the ''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/GoldenEye'', the BigBad is the son of Lienz Cossacks, a group of cossacks who fought for Nazi Germany (or perhaps more accurately, ''with'' the Nazis ''against'' the Soviets, in their eyes anyway) and were forcefully repatriated to the USSR (where they would be tried and executed for treason) by the British. Their RealLife counterparts never lived in a place named "Lienz", this was just the name of the Austrian town where they were handed over to the Soviets in late May 1945.