Yermak Timofeyevich Yermak Timofeyevich ( ; born between 1532 and 1542 – August 5 or 6 , 1584 ) was a Cossack who led the Russian conquest of Siberia in the reign of Ivan the Terrible . Russia ’ s fur interests fueled their desire to expand east into Siberia . The tsar ’ s ultimate goal was to extend all the way to the Bering Strait . The Tatar khanate of Kazan was established as the best entryway into Siberia . In 1552 , Ivan the Terrible ’ s modernized army toppled the khanate . After the takeover of Kazan , the tsar looked to the powerful and affluent Stroganov merchant family to spearhead the eastward expansion . In the late 1570s , the Stroganovs recruited Cossack fighters to invade Asia on behalf of the tsar . They elected Yermak as the leader of their armed forces and , in 1582 , Yermak set out with an army of 840 to conquer Siberia . On October 26 , 1582 , Yermak and his soldiers overthrew Kuchum Khan ' s Tatar empire at Qashliq in a battle that marked the " conquest of Siberia . " Yermak remained in Siberia and continued his struggle against the Tatars until 1584 , when he and his party were ambushed and killed in a raid organized by Kuchum Khan . The specifics of Yermak ' s life , such as his appearance , background , and dates of events , are points of controversy for historians because the texts that document his life are not reliable . However , his life and conquests had a profound influence on Siberian relations , sparking Russian interest in the region and establishing Russia as an aggressive imperial power in the east . Authenticity . There is less information about Yermak than most other notable explorers and historical figures . Much of what we know about Yermak is derived from folklore and legend . There are no contemporary descriptions of Yermak and all portraits are merely estimations . One of the Siberian chronicles , the Remezov Chronicle , written more than one hundred years after Yermak ’ s death describes him as “ flat - faced , black of beard with curly hair , of medium stature and thick - set and broad - shouldered , ” but even this detailed account is not reliable because the narrator had never seen Yermak . In addition to his physical features being unknown , the details of Yermak ’ s life and the circumstances leading up to his excursion into Siberia are obscure . Russian writer Valentin Rasputin laments the lack of information that we have about Yermak considering the vast scope of his contributions to Russian society . Our knowledge of Yermak ’ s upbringing and voyages pales in comparison to that of other renowned explorers such as Christopher Columbus . Historians encounter serious difficulties when attempting to piece together the specifics of Yermak ’ s life and exploits because the two key , primary sources about Yermak may be biased or inaccurate . These sources are the Stroganov Chronicle , another one of the Siberian chronicles , and the " Sinodik " . The Stroganov Chronicle was commissioned by the Stroganov family itself , therefore it exaggerates the family ’ s involvement in the conquest of Siberia . The Sinodik is an account of Yermak ’ s campaign written forty years after his death by the archbishop of Tobolsk , Cyprian ( Kipriyan ) . The text was formed based on oral tradition and memories of his expedition but almost certainly was affected by the archbishop ’ s desire to canonize Yermak . The combination of forgotten details over time and the embellishment or omission of facts in order for Yermak to be accepted as a saint suggests that the " Sinodik " could be erroneous . Though Cyprian failed to canonize Yermak , he made an effort to immortalize the warrior , who he considered to be the " Grand Inquisitor " of Siberia . These documents , along with the various others that chronicle Yermak ’ s expeditions , are filled with contradictions that make the truth about Yermak ’ s life difficult to discern . While the sources that exist on Yermak are fallible , those accounts , along with folklore and legend , are all that historians have to base their knowledge on ; therefore , they are widely accepted and considered to reflect the truth . Yermak is typically described as brutal , cunning , and daring . He also liked describing himself as " we " instead of " I " . However , these descriptions may be attributable to the stereotypical characteristics of a Cossack . According to Rasputin , " " Cossack " [ in Russian " kazak " ] is a Tatar word that translates as daredevil , bold spirit , someone who has severed ties with his social class . " In official documents , Cossacks were referred to as " vagabonds , thieves , robbers , deserters , and runaway peasants . " The Cossack group emerged in Russia during the sixteenth century , when Russian society was greatly influenced by the systems of feudalism and serfdom . Those who wished to flee from the oppressive Russian system relocated to the Don , Dnieper , and Volga River regions and formed their own communities as free persons . Though Cossack settlements had leaders ( " atamans " ) and laws , the settlers did not report to the tsar or any other khanate . Only after the sixteenth century were Cossacks subjected to rule by the tsar . Yermak , the embodiment of Cossack freewill , bravery , and brutality , grew famous for his exploits Early life . Ancestry . Yermak Timofeyevich was a Don Cossack warrior who was born by the Chusovaya River in Russia . The only information about Yermak ’ s upbringing comes from a source called the Cherepanov Chronicle . Though the chronicle was compiled by a Tobolsk coachman in 1760 , far after Yermak ’ s death , and was never published in full , in 1894 , the historian A . A . Dmitriyev determined that the chronicle was likely a copy or paraphrase of an authentic 17th century document . According to the section of the chronicle entitled ‘ On Yermak , and where he was born , ’ Yermak ’ s grandfather named Afonasiy Grigor ’ yevich Alenin was from Suzdal , northeast of Moscow . To escape poverty , he moved to Vladimir where he became a coachman in the Murom forests . In the Murom forests , he was arrested by the voyevoda for driving unscrupulous passengers , robbers who had hired him . Afonasiy ’ s son and Yermak ’ s father Timofey relocated to the Stroganov lands on the Chusovaya in order to make money . There , Yermak is speculated to have been born with the name Vasiliy Timoyeevich Alenin . Occupation . Yermak worked in the Stroganovs ' river fleet as a porter and a sailor transporting salt along the Kama and the Volga rivers . Growing tired of his work , he assembled a gang , left his employment , and moved to the Don region to become a river pirate . Among his fellow Cossack bandits , he acquired the nickname Yermak . Prior to his conquest of Siberia , Yermak ’ s combat experience consisted of leading a Cossack detachment for the tsar in the Livonian War of 1558 - 83 and plundering merchant ships . Based on legends and folk songs , for years , Yermak had been involved in robbing and plundering on the Volga with the hetman Ivan Kolzo and four other Cossack leaders . Historian Valerie Kivelson refers to Yermak ’ s group as “ his gang of thugs . ” Like many other Cossacks , Yermak ’ s gang was involved in the “ thieves ” trade [ " “ vorovskim ” remeslom " ] . It was typical of Cossacks to engage in piracy on the Sea of Azov or the Caspian Sea and to rob various envoys and Russian or Persian merchants . Though a bandit , Yermak earned a reputation as an eminent and loyal Russian fighter . Through his experience fighting in the Livonian War , he learned war tactics and excelled beyond the other hetmans in skill . Conquest background . In the late 1500s , prior to Yermak ’ s expeditions , the Russians attempted to push eastward into Siberia in search of furs . Under Ivan the Great , the Russians entered northwest Siberia but “ to approach Siberia from that direction proved too arduous and difficult , even in the best of times . ” The Russians decided that taking a southern route through the Tatar khanate of Kazan would allow them to penetrate Siberia more easily , but Kazan would need to be overthrown first . Ivan the Terrible ’ s first foreign objective upon rising to power was to take Kazan . Ivan the Terrible ’ s modernized army proved successful in the beginning of October 1552 and Ivan proceeded to open up the east to enterprising Russian individuals , such as the Stroganovs . Anika Stroganov used the former khanate of Kazan as an entryway into Siberia and established a private empire on the southwest corner of Siberia . Following the Russian conquest under Ivan the Terrible , the Tatar khanate of Kazan became the Russian province of Perm . Ivan the Terrible had tremendous trust in the entrepreneurial prowess of the Stroganov family and granted them the province of Perm as a financial investment which would be sure to benefit Russia in the future . The tsar also gave the Stroganovs permission to expand into the territory along the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers which belonged to the Muslim leader Kuchum Khan . The Stroganovs proceeded to launch expeditions eastward into non - Russian territories . They pushed into the khanate of Sibir , the sister state of the former khanate of Kazan , because it maintained control over Siberia ’ s fur in the west . During the time of the Russian conquest of Kazan in the 1540s and 1550s , Sibir had been undergoing conflicts of its own with rival clans . The khanate was on precarious ground until the rise of Kuchum Khan , a descendent of the famed Chingis Khan , in the 1560s . Kuchum Khan built up allies among its neighbors and the Crimean Tatars in order to thwart the Stroganovs ’ expansion across the Urals . In July 1572 , Kuchum launched his first raid of Stroganov settlements , which resulted in almost one hundred deaths . In 1573 , the Tatar army expanded and changed leadership . Kuchum ’ s nephew , Mahmet - kul , assumed control of the Tatar army . The Stroganovs realized that they could no longer expect their settlers to remain in the lands around Perm if they only fought a defensive battle . The tsar granted the Stroganov family permission to invade Asia . However , the tsar soon changed his mind and told the Stroganovs to retract from Siberia , fearing that Russia did not have the resources or manpower to topple Kuchum Khan ’ s empire . The Stroganovs decided to ignore the tsar ’ s orders and , in the late 1570s , Anika Stroganov ’ s grandsons Nikita and Maksim recruited Cossack fighters to wage war on their behalf . They elected the Cossack chieftain Yermak Timofeevich as the leader of the Cossack brigades . According to the Stroganov Chronicle , on April 6 , 1579 , after hearing of Yermak and his comrades ’ “ daring and bravery , ” the Stroganovs sent a letter to the men asking them to come to their ancestral estates in Chusovaya and summoning them to fight against the Tatars in the name of the tsar . Since Yermak had been the most illustrious of the recruits , he became the captain ( ataman ) of the “ conquest of Siberia . ” However , there remains the question as to whether Yermak in fact decided to fight the war of his own accord without being pursued by the Stroganovs . This question arose due to the discrepancy between the narratives of the Stroganov Chronicle and a different Siberian chronicle , the Yespiov Chronicle . The Stroganov Chronicle portrays the family as the motivating force behind Yermak ’ s campaign while the Yesipov Chronicle fails to even mention the family . Perhaps the Stroganovs told the story in a way that would inspire the Russian people to feel just as indebted to them as to Yermak for the conquest of Siberia . Siberian historians are divided on the matter , some believing that the Stroganovs were behind Yermak ’ s campaign and others believing that they played no part in it . Conquest of Siberia . Yermak was officially enlisted by the Stroganovs in the spring of 1582 . His quest was “ to take de facto possession of the country along the Tobol and the Irtysh , which was already de jure in the Stroganovs ’ possession under the Tsar ’ s charter of 1574 . ” The Stroganovs ’ ultimate goal was to open up a southern passageway to Mangaseya to access its furs . The khanate of Sibir blocked the road from the Urals to Mangaseya . After overthrowing the khanate , the intended final destination of Yermak ’ s five thousand mile journey was the Bering Strait . Yermak led a small army of 840 men , made up of 540 of his own followers and three hundred supplied by the Stroganovs . His army was composed of “ Russians , Tatars , Lithuanians , and Germans . ” The Lithuanians and Germans of the crew came from the Lithuanian front . Nikita and Maksim Stroganov spent twenty thousand rubles of their riches to outfit the army with the best weapons available . This was especially to the advantage of the Russian detachment because their Tatar opponents did not have industrial weapons . According to Russian history specialist W . Bruce Lincoln , the Tatars ’ “ bows , arrows , and spears ” went up against Yermak ’ s team ’ s “ matchlock muskets , sabers , pikes , and several small cannon . ” However , according to the Russian author Yuri Semyonov , “ Yermak had no cannon , and only a small number of his men carried firearms . The Cossacks had not a single horse , while Kuchum and his men were mounted . His cavalry could move quickly in any direction , while the Cossacks were tied to their rafts , which were laden with all their supplies . ” Yermak first embarked on his journey through Siberia from a frontier fort in Perm on the Chusovaya River on September 1 , 1582 , though other sources claim that he may have started his campaign in 1579 or 1581 . When navigating down rivers , the crew used high - sided boats that originated in Russia . Throughout their journey , they encountered violent opposition from Kuchum Khan ’ s native allies but the high sides of their boats acted as shields . When crossing the Urals , the Cossacks had to carry their possessions on their backs because they did not have horses . After two months , Yermak ’ s army had finally crossed the Urals . They followed the river Tura and found themselves at the outskirts of Kuchum Khan ’ s empire . Soon they reached the kingdom ’ s capital city of Qashliq . On October 23 , 1582 , Yermak ’ s army fought the Battle of Chuvash Cape , which initiated three days of fighting against Kuchum ’ s nephew , Mahmet - kul , and the Tatar army . Yermak ’ s infantry blocked the Tatar charge with mass musket fire , which wounded Mahmet - kul and prevented the Tatars from a scoring a single Russian casualty . Yermak succeeded in capturing Qashliq and the battle came to mark the “ conquest of Siberia . ” The Stroganov Chronicle provides an account of Kuchum Khan ’ s reaction to the attack on Qashliq and Yermak ’ s success : Khan Kuchyum , seeing his ruin and the loss of his kingdom and riches , said to all his men with bitter lamentation : ‘ O murzas and princes , let us flee without delaying … The Stroganovs sent men of the common people against me from their forts to avenge on me the evil I had inflicted ; they sent the atamans and Cossacks , Yermak and his comrades , with not many of their men . He came upon us , defeated us and did us such great harm . ’ While Yermak had succeeded in taking Qashliq , the battle had reduced his Cossack force to 500 men . Yermak also now faced a supply problem . While the army had found treasures such as fur , silk and gold in the Tatar city , no food or provisions had been left behind . The inhabitants had also fled the city , preventing their enlistment for aid . However , four days after Yermak claimed Qashliq the people returned , and Yermak soon befriended the Ostyak people . The Ostyaks would formally declare their allegiance to Yermak on October 30 , complementing their pledge by delivering offerings of food to the city . Yermak used the Ostyak tributes to feed his band of Cossacks throughout the winter . However , these supplies proved to be insufficient , and the Cossacks soon ventured into the wilderness to fish and hunt . The Cossacks ’ task was not without trouble , as although Yermak had defeated the Tatars they continued to harass the Cossacks , preventing Yermak from establishing complete control over the region . The Tatars struck a decisive blow on December 20 , when a Cossack party of twenty men were discovered and slain . Upon their failure to return , Yermak left the city to investigate , eventually finding that Mahmet - kul had recovered from their earlier battle and was responsible for the Cossacks ’ murder . Yermak then entered into battle with Mahmet - kul and his forces , defeating him once again . The defeat of Mahmet - kul provided a brief respite to the Cossacks . However , in April 1583 , he returned to the region . In an unfortunate twist of fate , Mahmet - kul was quickly ambushed and captured by a small party of Cossacks , whose numbers ranged from as little as 10 to as many as 50 . A few days after his capture , Mahmet - kul sent a messenger to Kuchum stating that he was alive and in good health . He also requested that the Khan cease attacks on the Cossacks and those bringing tribute to Yermak . Yermak , taking advantage of this lull in hostilities , set out down the Irtysh and Ob to complete his subjugation of the local tribal princes . He soon encountered the Ostyak prince Demian , who had fortified himself in a fortress on the banks of the Irtish with 2 , 000 loyal fighters . It is reported to have taken Yermak and his men considerable time to break through their defenses due to Demian ’ s possession of a gilded idol . Yermak ’ s forces eventually prevailed ; however , upon entering the fort , no idol was found . After dispersing a group of priests and warriors by brandishing their firearms , Yermak determined to subdue the most influential Ostyak prince of the region , Samar , who had joined forces with eight other princes . Yermak , noting that Samar had failed to place guards around his encampment , launched a surprise attack , killing Samar and disbanding his forces . Yermak was then able to secure tribute from the eight other princes . After this conquest , he continued down the river , succeeding in capturing the key Ostyak town of Nazym . Yermak ’ s friend , Ataman Nikita Pan , and several Cossacks lost their lives in the battle . Yermak then directed his forces down the river Ob , conquering several small forts . After reaching a point at which the river broadened to a point of three or four versts , Yermak halted the expedition and returned his forces to Qashliq . Upon returning to Qashliq , Yermak decided to inform the Stroganovs and the tsar of his conquests . While his reasons for this are unclear , experts believe that , in addition to wishing to clear his name of earlier misdeeds , Yermak also desperately needed supplies . To his end , he sent his trusted lieutenant Ivan Kolzo with fifty men , two letters ( one each for the Stroganovs and Ivan the Terrible ) , and a large assortment of furs for the tsar . The exact amount sent to the tsar is disputed , as descriptions range from 2 , 500 to 5 , 000 to sixty sacks of furs . Kolzo ’ s arrival at the Stroganovs was well - timed , as Maksim Stroganov had just received a letter from Ivan denouncing Yermak and threatening him and his followers with death . Kolzo , bearing news of Kuchum ’ s defeat , Mahmet - kul ’ s capture , and the subjugation of Tatar lands , was thus well received by a relieved Maksim . Maksim provided Kolzo him with lodging , food , and money before sending him on his way . Kolzo , upon reaching Moscow , was granted an audience with Ivan despite having a Muscovite bounty on his head . To the detriment of Moscow ’ s interests , the Livonian War had just been ended and Ivan had begun receiving reports of local tribesman conducting raids in Perm , putting him in a foul mood . Upon reading the news born by Kolzo concerning the extension of his dominion , Ivan became overjoyed , immediately pardoning the Cossacks and proclaiming Yermak to be a hero of the first degree . The triumphant atmosphere extended across the city , as church bells were tolled throughout Moscow to glorify Yermak . Ivan then had many gifts prepared for Yermak , including his personal fur mantle , a goblet , two suits of armor emblazoned with bronze double - headed eagles , and money . Ivan also commanded that a band of " streltsy " be sent to reinforce Yermak . Reports differ on whether 300 or 500 men were sent . The Stroganovs were also ordered to support this group with an additional fifty men upon their arrival in Perm . Yermak was bestowed the title “ Prince of Siberia ” by Ivan , who also commanded that Mahmet - kul be sent to Moscow . Upon returning to Qashliq , Koltso informed Yermak of the tsar ’ s command that Mahmet - kul be delivered to him . Yermak , aware that doing so would eliminate Kuchum ’ s only motive for peace , nonetheless obeyed the tsar and arranged for his transport . Unsurprisingly , Kuchum ’ s forces began to increase the frequency of their raids . Yermak now found himself in a predicament , as a long winter had prevented gathering of supplies and tributes and the tsar ’ s reinforcements had not yet arrived . Under orders from the tsar , the Stroganovs had contributed fifty cavalry to the reinforcement party . However , the horses had slowed the party to a crawl across the Siberia landscape , and they did even not cross the Urals until the spring of 1584 . In September 1583 , a call for help from a Tatar leader named Karacha was delivered to Yermak begging for assistance against the Nogai Tatars . Yermak , wary of Karacha but nonetheless disposed to help , deployed Kolzo with a force of 40 Cossacks . Karacha , however , was not to be trusted , as Kolzo and his men walked into an ambush and were all killed . Now without Kolzo , Yermak was left with a little more than 300 men . Sensing Yermak ’ s waning power , the tribes previously under his control revolted , and Qashliq soon came under siege by a collective army of Tatars , Voguls , and Ostyaks . Cleverly , they encircled the city with a line of wagons , both preventing passage to and from the city while protecting the attackers from the Russians ’ firearms . Yermak , despite having limited supplies , was able to endure the blockade for three months . However , the Cossacks could not last forever , and on the cloudy night of June 12 , 1584 , Yermak decided to act . Stealthily penetrating the line of wagons , Yermak ’ s men were able to surprise the gathered forces in their sleep , killing a large number . As Karacha ’ s forces had been caught completely unaware , Yermak was able to recover a substantial amount of provisions from the barricade . Karacha , having failed in his mission , was punished by Kuchum , who sentenced Karacha ’ s two sons to death . Karacha , fueled by the loss of his sons , regrouped the native tribes and returned to assault Yermak the next day . Karacha ’ s forces , however , were soundly defeated , as the Cossacks were able to kill one hundred men with only two dozen deaths of their own . Defeated and disgraced , Karacha fled south to the Steppes of the Ishim , where Kuchum waited . Freed from confinement , Yermak turned to the offensive , conquering many towns and forts to the east of Qashliq and extending the tsar ’ s dominion . Having already regained the loyalty of the revolting tribes , Yermak continued sailing up the Irtysh throughout the summer of 1584 to subdue tribes and demand tribute . Although he attempted to search for Karacha , Yermak was ultimately unsuccessful in this venture . Also , while Yermak had succeeded in regaining the loyalty of the tribes , his men were now almost completely out of gunpowder . To make matters worse , while his reinforcements arrived , they did so utterly exhausted and depleted by scurvy . Indeed , many of the men , including their commanding officer , had not survived the journey . Thus , in addition to facing the problem of escalating hostilities , their food shortage was magnified by the arrival of more men . Eventually , it is reported the situation grew dire enough that Yermak ’ s men turned to cannibalism , eating the bodies of the deceased . Yermak ’ s death . The precise details of Yermak ’ s death are lost to history , but legend has preserved multiple variations of the account . With the onset and worsening of the food shortage , Yermak ’ s people had now entered a time of famine . Kuchum , knowing this , set a trap . The most common account is that Kuchum purposely leaked information to Yermak , in which was claimed Bukhuran merchants from Central Asia , traveling with large amounts of food , were being prevented from moving by Kuchum ’ s men . In August 1584 , Yermak set out with a band of men to free the traders . Finding the reports to be false , Yermak ordered a return to Qashliq . Whether because of an ongoing storm or because the men were tired from rowing upstream , Yermak ’ s force stopped on a small island formed by two branches of the Irtysh and set up camp on the night of August 4 – 5 , 1584 . Convinced that the river offered protection , Yermak ’ s men fell asleep with no guard . Kuchum , however , had been following Yermak ’ s party and was lying in wait . Kuchum ’ s forces forded the river around midnight , their approach hidden by the loudness of the storm and the dark of night . Kuchum ’ s Tatars were upon Yermak ’ s men so quickly that they could not use either their guns or weapons , and a slaughter ensued . In the ensuing chaos , it is reported that all but three men on the Russian side were killed , including Yermak . Legend has it that after fighting through the invaders and being wounded in the arm by a knife , Yermak , finding that their boats had been washed away in the storm , attempted to cross the river . Due to the weight of the armor gifted to him by the Tsar , Yermak sank to the bottom and drowned . At least one survivor , unburdened by such heavy armor , was able to flee across the river and return to Qashliq with news of Yermak ’ s death . Yermak ’ s body was born down the river , where seven days later it is said to have been found by a Tatar fisherman named Yanish . Easily recognizable by the eagle on his armor , Yermak ’ s corpse was stripped and hung on a frame made out of six poles , where for six weeks archers used his body for target practice . However , it is said that the carrion did not feed on him and his body produced no odor , and that the corpse caused fear and nightmares in the people . Heeding these omens , the Tatars buried him as a hero , killing thirty oxen in his name . His prized armor was eventually distributed among the Tatar chiefs . Legacy . Upon receiving news of Yermak ’ s death , the Cossacks became immediately demoralized . The original band of men had dwindled to 150 fighters , and command now fell to Glukhoff , the leader of the initial group of reinforcements that the tsar had delivered to Yermak . The Cossacks soon decided to abandon Qashliq and to retreat to Russia . Before travelling a great distance , they ran into a group of one hundred reinforcements that had been sent as additional strength from the tsar . With this upturn in fortune , Yermak ’ s band resolved to return to Qashliq and refortify their position in accordance with the tsar ’ s will . The fast - acting and perspective Tatars , however , had been informed of the group ’ s flight and had retaken the city almost immediately , preventing any peaceful reoccupation of their former stronghold . Although the Tatar position appeared strong , they were no longer lead by Kuchum , who had lost his power , and were thus not as stable as before . Furthermore , another three hundred reinforcements from the tsar soon arrived to join the Russians . Lead by Tchulkoff , this new force provided a significant boost in fighting strength to the party . Despite the tumultuous state of the Tatar leadership and their newly received recruits , however , the Russians did not pursue another attempt on Qashliq . Instead , in a culmination of the events immediately following Yermak ’ s fatal plunge , they founded a new settlement in 1587 on the site of what would become Tobolsk , a comfortable twelve miles from Qashliq . Although the Tatars quickly began raids against their familiar foe , after a short period they ceased , leaving the Russians to their new town . Yermak ’ s heroic endeavors in the Russian East laid the groundwork for future Russian expansion and settlement . Soon after Yermak and his initial band set out for Siberia , merchants and peasants followed in their wake , hoping to harness some of the fur riches that abounded in the land . This trend grew exponentially after Yermak ’ s death , as his legend spread through the domain rapidly and , with it , the news of a land rich and furs and vulnerable to Russian influence . Colonization attempts soon followed , as Tyumen , the first known town after Yermak ’ s death , was founded in 1586 . The settling of this territory facilitated the establishment and development of Siberian agriculture . Most of these farmers were in fact soldiers , who grew their own sustenance out of necessity . Yermak had set a precedent of Cossack involvement in Siberian expansion , and the exploration and conquests of these men were responsible for many of the additions to the Russian empire in the east . After the initial return of the Cossacks shortly after Yermak ’ s death , an ambitious project of fortification began under the direction of Boris Gudonov . Its achievements , including the extension of protection for Russians in the region , would drive even greater numbers of entrepreneurs to Siberia . In 1590 , Tobolsk received a significant boost in prominence as it was dubbed the principal city and administrative center of the region . The fur trade also continued to grow , aided by the Cossacks , who in 1593 established the trading center of Berezof on the Ob River at the sixty fourth latitude . The practice of collecting tributes of fur from the natives continued to spread , and in the 17th century such furs made up 25 - 33 percent of the income to the tsar ’ s treasury . Thus , as soon as fifteen years after Yermak ’ s death , the basin of the Ob River had truly become a region of Russian influence . Even so , the Russians did not rest on their laurels , and the attitude and pace of expansion pioneered by Yermak continued well into the 17th century . Indeed , within the first half of the century the ford of Yeniseysk was established in 1619 , the city of Yakutsk founded in 1632 , and the important feat of reaching the Sea of Okhotsk on the Pacific coast in 1639 . Throughout these campaigns , Yermak ’ s influence was undeniable , as the pace he had established for achievement in his relatively short time in Siberia heralded a new age of Russian pioneering . Yermak ’ s life and conquests had a significant impact on Russian policy towards Siberia and the colonization attempts that followed this shift . Prior to Yermak ’ s agreement with the Strogonovs , Russian attitude towards the Siberian expanse had been one preoccupied primarily with defense , not aggression . The central priority was the repelling of the Tatar hordes , and , as shown by Ivan ’ s letter to the Strogonovs , the central government rarely involved itself unless the tribes succeeded in entering Russian territory . This , of course , changed with Yermak , whose triumphs displayed that the Tatars could be put on the defensive and that Russia could now establish itself as an aggressive power in the East . Yermak also changed the involvement of the tsar in Siberian affairs . In reaching out to the tsar for assistance , Yermak gained the support of the government ; indeed , it was reinforcements from the tsar that solidified the Russian presence in the region immediately after Yermak ’ s death . This newfound commitment and involvement in the area is best summarized by Ivan ’ s acceptance of the title bestowed upon him by Yermak : “ Tsar of Sibir . ” Yermak ’ s pioneering further enabled this system to exist because it depended on the success he achieved in gaining tribute from conquered peoples . Much like Yermak , future troops were sent with the understanding that it would be necessary to supplement their base payment with treasures and tributes gained from conquest . Without this system in place , it is unlikely such an arrangement would have come to fruition . Future explorers would also take notice of Yermak ’ s strategy in approaching the Siberian lands , which , unlike those in many other colonization attempts , already had an established imperial power . However , Yermak wisely recognized that Kuchum ’ s territories were not unified . Yermak noted that many of these peoples were nothing more than vassals and that they were incredibly diverse in terms of race , language , and religion . Unlike Kuchum and his Mohammedan Tatars , many of these groups were pagan . Due to the sum of these differences , many simply paid tribute to avoid trouble , and it mattered little who the tribute was paid to . Yermak ’ s unique strength was thus in recognizing the bigger picture and playing it to his advantage , first identifying and then executing quick , efficient ways to establish influence in the region . The actions of Yermak also redefined the meaning of the word Cossack . While it is uncertain whether Yermak ’ s group was related in any way to the Yaik or Ural Cossacks , it is known that their company was previously outlawed by the Russian government . However , in sending his letter and his trusted lieutenant Ivan Kolzo to Ivan the Terrible , Yermak transformed the image of the Cossack overnight from a bandit to a soldier recognized by the Tsar of Moscow . Now , Yermak ’ s Cossacks had effectively been incorporated into the military system and were able to receive support from the tsar . This new arrangement also acted as a sort of pressure - relief valve for the Cossacks , who had a history of being troublesome on the Russian frontier . In sending as many of them as possible further east into unconquered lands , the burgeoning and extremely profitable lands on the borders of Russian territory were provided respite . Yermak ’ s call for aid thus spawned a new type of Cossack which , by virtue of its link to the government , would enjoy significant favor from future Russian rulers . Despite this new shift in orientation , it is worth noting that the Cossack name remained in place in Siberia , and that soldiers sent as reinforcements often adopted this title . Furthermore , this realignment was not without criticism , however , and some saw Yermak as a traitor to the Cossack name . Such detractors saw Yermak ’ s death as punishment for turning away from the Cossack code and becoming a pawn of the tsar . Fittingly , then , it was his armor , the very symbol of the tsar , that dragged him down to his fate . Relics of Yermak also continued to command significant power and prestige years after his death . In particular , the search for his armor affected at least one element of Siberian relations . Decades after Yermak ’ s death , a Mongol leader who had assisted the Russian government approached the voyevoda of Tobolsk and asked for his assistance in obtaining an item in the Tatar ’ s possession , believed to be Yermak ’ s armor . The reason he approached the voyevoda was that he had previously been denied a trade by the Tatars after offering them ten slave families and a thousand sheep . The Tatars , despite being convinced that the armor had divine properties , agreed to the sale upon the involvement of the voyevoda . Soon after , the Mongol , convinced of the power of Yermak ’ s armor , refused to service the Russian government because he no longer feared their might . Commemoration . The Russian people pay tribute to the legend of Yermak in a variety of ways . Multiple statues and monuments have been erected in his honor throughout Russia . V . A . Beklemishev began his construction project for a monument dedicated to Yermak in 1903 in the Cathedral Square of Novocherkassk , the capital of the Don Cossack country . On the monument Yermak is shown holding his regimental banner in his left hand and the ceremonial cap of his rival Kuchum Khan in his right hand . The back of the monument reads : “ To the Don Cossack Ataman Ermak Timofeevich , the Siberia conqueror from the grateful posterity . In honor of Don Cossack Army 300th Anniversary . He passed away in Irtysh waves on August 5 , 1584 . ” Some believe that Yermak was born in the village of Kachalinskaya on the Don . Though this region has long claimed Yermak to be one of its own , there is no evidence that he was born there or ever visited . There is also a statue of Yermak at Tobolsk and one in the State Russian Museum in Leningrad designed by M . M . Antolkol ’ skiy . Two icebreaker s have been named after Yermak . The first , built in Newcastle , England , in 1898 , was one of the first major vessels of that type ever built and the second , which entered the service in 1974 , was the first of an impressive new type of ship . In commemoration of Yermak , there is a town named after him on the upper Irtysh . Similarly , a mountain in the Perm Region made up of three cliff stacks is called the Yermak Stone after Yermak . Legend has it that Yermak and his brigade passed one of the harsh Siberian winters on the cliff side . Popular culture . Yermak , an important heroic figure in Russian history , has been depicted in film , literature , poetry , song , and paintings for the past two hundred years . Film . Yermak makes an appearance in the 1947 film " Tale of the Siberian Land " ( " Skazanie o zemle sibirskoi " ) directed by Ivan Pyryev . The movie tells the story of a pianist named Andrei who moves to Siberia to work at a paper - processing plant after being wounded in World War II and losing his faith in music . Once in Siberia , Andrei reunites with a female singer who he had been in love with in Moscow . When nothing comes of their first encounter , he heads far north in Siberia and becomes so enamored with the might of Soviet construction projects that he composes a choral symphony entitled the ‘ Tale of Siberian Land . ’ Andrei is then reunited with his beloved who finds him in the depths of Siberia . The two travel to Moscow where Andrei ’ s symphony is performed in the Conservatory . The symphony tells his life story while presenting the “ mysterious , wild , silver grey ” landscape of Siberia to the audience . In displaying the “ extreme might of the land , ” he conveys “ the extreme heroism of the Russian and Soviet conquest of Siberia . ” The symphony introduces Yermak as a mighty figure who “ made his way through the fog and mist to do battle with Siberia . ” The film then begins a visual montage which traces Russian history and the representation of the Russian landscape over time . Yermak is shown as a “ pantomime hero ” leading his forces into battle . Simon Franklin and Emma Widdis describe that “ here , the director taps into the folk imagination , and the landscape that he evokes is plainly the landscape of the epic . As the battle ends , the natural world itself expresses the majesty of Ermak ’ s achievement . Fire shades into lightning , and then the rain begins : the conquest of the elements is complete , as nature bows down in the face of Russian strength , and Siberia is conquered . ” The montage then shifts to showing the landscape as softer , flatter , and gentler . Andrei proceeds to describe the process through which Yermak ’ s ancestors continued to dominate Siberia . Ultimately , Yermak is portrayed as the hero who launched the conquest that shaped the whole of Russia . In 1996 , directors Vladimir Krasnopolsky and Valeri Uskov produced the film " Yermak " , a historical drama about the conquest of Siberia which starred Viktor Stepanov , Irina Alfyorova , and Nikita Dzhigurda . Folk songs and poetry . There are many folk songs and much poetry about Yermak which contribute to our vision of the hero . By tracing the transformation of folk songs and poetry about Yermak since his death , it is possible to see how his status as a legendary figure has evolved over time . Over 150 songs about Yermak ’ s exploits have been collected and spread throughout all of Russia since the 18th century . As many as 35 of these songs have been collected in a text by V . Th . Miller entitled “ Historical Songs of the Russian People of the XVI - XVII Centuries . ” One song describes how “ Yermak ’ s men kill the Muscovite ambassador to Persia named as Semen Konstantinovich Karamyshev ” while others speak of Yermak ’ s acts of piracy and pillaging with his Cossack brigade . Though most folk songs are not entirely consistent with the historical accounts of Yermak ’ s life , there are many similarities and much overlap among the different songs . There are often several versions of the same song that share certain details but differ on others . I . I . Dmitriyev ( 1760 – 1837 ) wrote the dramatic poem “ Yermak ” and K . P . Pylevyev ( 1795 – 1826 ) in 1821 wrote a poem entitled “ The death of Yermak . ” References . " This article incorporates text from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia "