Imperial Boundaries: Cossack Communities and Empire-Building in the Age of Peter the Great (New Studies in European History)

Imperial Boundaries is a study of imperial expansion and local transformation on Russia's Don Steppe frontier during the age of Peter the Great. Brian Boeck connects the rivalry of the Russian and Ottoman empires in the northern Black Sea basin to the social history of the Don Cossacks, who were transformed from an open, democratic, multiethnic, male fraternity dedicated to frontier raiding into a closed, ethnic community devoted to defending and advancing the boundaries of the Russian state. He shows how by promoting border patrol, migration control, bureaucratic regulation of cross-border contacts and deportation of dissidents, Peter I destroyed the world of the old steppe and created a new imperial Cossack order in its place. In examining this transformation, Imperial Boundaries addresses key historical issues of imperial expansion, the delegitimization of non-state violence, the construction of borders, and the encroaching boundaries of state authority in the lives of local communities. Half-title 3 Series-title 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Maps and illustrations 9 Acknowledgments 10 Abbreviations 12 Source publications 12 Archives 12 Glossary 12 Introduction 17 Russian empire-building 18 Historiography 21 Sources 26 Chapter 1 Beyond borders, between worlds: Russian Empire and the making of the Don steppe frontier 29 A frontier between two empires 30 From many, one: the frontier and cossack ethnogenesis 33 Non-state violence in the employ of empire 36 Chapter 2 People and power on the frontier: liberty, diversity, and de-centralization in the Don region to 1700 43 Liberty and autocracy 43 A multi-ethnic martial fraternity 46 Equality, participatory politics, and the right of refuge 50 A de-centralized world of fortified communities 53 Chapter 3 A middle ground between autonomy and dependence: the raiding economy of the Don steppe frontier to 1700 56 The don cossacks as clients of the muscovite state 57 Russian subsidy and cossack subsistence 58 Raid, trade, or crusade? 60 The cross-cultural ransom business as a middle ground 66 Chapter 4 Boundaries of integration or exclusion? Migration, mobility, and state sovereignty on the southern frontier to 1700 70 Policing muscovy's margins 71 From open frontier to administrative boundary 74 The belgorod line as a boundary of sovereignty 77 The no-man's-land beyond the belgorod line 80 Chapter 5 Testing the boundaries of imperial alliance: cooperation, negotiation and resistance in the era of Razin (1667–1681) 84 A shift in strategic focus 84 From subsistence crisis to political crisis 87 Razin attempts to revive raiding 89 The aftermath of razin's revolt 95 Chapter 6 Between Rus’ and Rossiia: realigning the boundaries of Cossack communities in a time of migration and transition (1681–1695) 102 Migration from rus’ as a source of division in the don region 102 Closing ranks against migrants 106 Ataman frol minaev and the middle ground 112 Chapter 7 The era of raskol: religion and rebellion (1681–1695) 119 Old believers fill the religious void 119 The struggle between factions 122 Civil war: the last stand of the old believers 127 Free cossacks seek refuge in the caucasus 129 Chapter 8 Incorporation without integration: the Azov interlude (1695–1711) 133 The conquest of azov: questioning the “azov question” 134 The don region coexists with azov 137 Neighbors, but not equals: cossacks and azov colonists 143 The loss of azov 147 Chapter 9 From frontier to borderland: the demarcation of the steppe and the delegitimization of raiding (1696–1710) 150 A constraint on raiding 151 Peace negotiations and the partition of the steppe 153 Boundaries become a reality for the russian side 158 The stages of ottoman engagement 162 Joint enforcement of the border regime 165 The breakdown of the border commission 172 Chapter 10 Boundaries of land, liberty, and identity: making the Don region legible to imperial officials (1696–1706) 175 Making cossack communities legible to russian officials 175 A statute of limitations for cossack legitimacy 182 Chapter 11 The Bulavin uprising: the last stand of the old steppe (1706–1709) 188 From resistance to rebellion 189 The fight for the old steppe and the second cossack civil war 191 Bulavin's ascendancy and fall 194 The decimation of rebel ranks and devastation of rebel strongholds 197 Rebels find refuge in ottoman lands 201 Chapter 12 Reshaping the Don in the imperial image: power, privilege, and patronage in the post-Bulavin era (1708–1739) 203 The new deal: redemption through service 204 The ataman as imperial client 205 The ataman's unlimited power 209 A pastor's protest 210 The military college assumes control of cossack affairs 215 The rise of the starshina elite 219 Chapter 13 Closing the Cossack community: recording and policing the boundaries of group identity (1708–1739) 224 Defining the don in opposition to rus’ 225 From fraternity to community 229 Documenting individual identity in the don region 231 Deportation and the boundaries of legitimacy 237 Policing undocumented migration 242 Chapter 14 A borderline state of mind: the closing of the Don steppe frontier (1708–1739) 247 Re-asserting borders against the nomads 247 New frontiers: the disquieting caucasus 251 The end of an era 258 Afterword 261 Index 268 9780521514637 Beyond Borders, Between Worlds : Russian Empire And The Making Of The Don Steppe Frontier -- People And Power On The Frontier : Liberty, Diversity, And De-centralization In The Don Region To 1700 -- A Middle Ground Between Autonomy And Dependence : The Raiding Economy Of The Don Steppe Frontier To 1700 -- Boundaries Of Integration Or Exclusion? : Migration, Mobility, And State Sovereignty On The Southern Frontier To 1700 -- Testing The Boundaries Of Imperial Alliance : Cooperation, Negotiation And Resistance In The Era Of Razin (1667-1681) -- Between Rus' And Rossiia : Realigning The Boundaries Of Cossack Communities In A Time Of Migration And Transition (1681-1695) -- The Era Of Raskol : Religion And Rebellion (1681-1695) -- Incorporation Without Integration : The Azov Interlude (1695-1711) -- From Frontier To Borderland : The Demarcation Of The Steppe And The Delegitimation Of Raiding (1696-1710) -- Boundaries Of Land, Liberty, And Identity : Making The Don Region Legible To Imperial Officials (1696-1706) -- The Bulavin Uprising : The Last Stand Of The Old Steppe (1706-1709) -- Reshaping The Don In The Imperial Image : Power, Privilege, And Patronage In The Post-bulavin Era (1708-1739) -- Closing The Cossack Community : Recording And Policing The Boundaries Of Group Identity (1708-1739) -- A Borderline State Of Mind : The Closing Of The Don Steppe Frontier (1708-1739). Brian J. Boeck. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Addressing key historical issues of imperial expansion, in this book Brian Boeck shows how Peter I destroyed the old world of the Don Steppe in Russia and created a new imperial Cossack order in its place by promoting border patrol, migration control, bureaucratic regulation of cross-border contacts and deportation of dissidents.