The History of Cossacks. The Military Service Class in the Life of the Russian State from the Origins During the Golden Horde to the Civil War

A.A. Gordeev – a hereditary Don Cossack, a Colonel of the Don Army, a holder of the Order of St. George, a participant in World War I and the White movement, created a comprehensive work on the history of Cossacks in the Russian state. The author investigated the origins, formation, political and military organization of the Cossacks, the system of governance, the peculiarities of their economy, and everyday culture. He described the continuous and difficult wars fought by the Cossacks to defend their lands, as well as their campaigns as part of the Russian armies. He presented the historical fates of all Cossack troops of the Russian Empire: Don, Ural, Kuban, Terek, Orenburg, Astrakhan, Siberian, Semirechensk, Transbaikal, Yenisei, Amur, and Ussuri. Gordeev's fundamental work has been highly regarded by historians and participants in the revival movement of the Cossacks.