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The first ranks (positions) of the Cossacks (Zaporozhye Sich) hetman, ataman, clerk, centurion, foreman were elected.

The later appearance of ranks in the Cossack troops (colonel, military judge, esaul, and so on) dates back to the 16th century, which was associated with the development of the military organization of the Cossacks as troops.

In the Russian army, ranks were first introduced in the middle of the 16th century in the Streltsy army. The last Russian Tsar and the first All-Russian Emperor Peter I established a unified system of military, civil and court ranks, which was finally consolidated in the year in the “Table of Ranks”. The ranks were assigned to a specific class, the senior of which was the first class.

At the end of the 18th century, officer ranks of the Cossack troops were included in the Table of Ranks.

In the year under Emperor Nicholas I, a unified system of all military ranks (ranks) was introduced in the Cossack troops. By that time, the Cossacks had the following ranks:

• staff officers (senior officers) - colonel, lieutenant colonel and military sergeant major;
• chief officers (junior officers) - esaul, centurion, cornet;
• lower ranks - sergeant, constable, clerk and Cossack (private).

In the future, this system of military ranks (ranks) in the Cossack troops did not tolerate any more changes. In the year the rank of sub-soror is introduced.

In 1884, the rank of lieutenant colonel was replaced by the rank of military foreman, which previously corresponded to an army major, and the rank of captain was introduced, equal to a headquarters captain in the army cavalry.

Ranks

Cossack

At the very bottom rung of the Cossack army's career ladder stood private Cossack, corresponding to an infantry private.

Orderly

Orderly had one stripe and matched corporal in the infantry.

Uryadnik

The ranks of junior sergeant, sergeant and senior sergeant corresponded to junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, respectively, the number of badges is typical for modern non-commissioned officers.

Sergeant

Sergeant- the next rank, which was not only in the Cossacks, but also in the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery. In the Russian army and gendarmerie, the sergeant was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry.

Podkhorunzhy

According to the regulations of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was “sub-horunzhy”, which corresponded to the rank of lieutenant in the infantry (ensign in the modern army), introduced only in war time. In peacetime, except for the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only in reserve. Subhorunzhiy did not belong to the rank of officer and was a senior non-commissioned officer rank. The first officer rank in the infantry, only in wartime and for the militia, was the rank of ensign, which corresponded to the modern rank of ensign. In the Cossack troops, cavalry and gendarmerie there was no rank corresponding to the modern rank of junior lieutenant.

Cornet

Cornet- the next degree in the chief officer ranks, corresponding to a second lieutenant in the infantry or a cornet in the cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponded to a junior lieutenant in the modern army, wore shoulder straps with a blue clearance on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Army) with two stars.

Centurion

Centurion- chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore shoulder straps of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern lieutenant. Commanded fifty.

Podesaul

Podesaul was an assistant or deputy of the captain, commanded a Cossack hundred. The shoulder straps had the same design as the centurion, but with four stars. In terms of service position he corresponds to a modern senior lieutenant. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops it corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain.

Esaul

Esauly there were general, military, regimental, hundred, village, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general esauls performed inspector functions; in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of the hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for the Zaporozhye Cossacks.

Military esauls were elected at the Military Circle (in Donskoy and most others - two per Army, in Volzhsky and Orenburg - one each). We were engaged in administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman.

Regimental esauls(initially two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers and were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundred esauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army after the first centuries of the existence of the Cossacks. The village esauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were elected at village assemblies and served as assistants to the village atamans.

Marching esauls(usually two per Army) were chosen when setting out on a campaign. They served as assistants to the marching chieftain, in the 16th-17th centuries they commanded the army in his absence, and later they were executors of the marching chieftain’s orders.

Artillery esaul(one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

General, regimental, village and other esauls were gradually abolished.

Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Cossack army.

In 1798 - 1800 The rank of esaul was equal to the rank of captain in the cavalry.

Esaul, as a rule, commanded (on behalf of the senior commander) a detachment from one to several hundred. His official position corresponded to that of a modern captain. He wore shoulder straps with one gap without stars.

Military foreman

Name military sergeant major comes from the ancient name of the executive body of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to individuals who commanded individual branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, a military foreman was equivalent to a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, to a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three stars.

Colonel

Colonel- shoulder straps are the same as those of a military sergeant major, but without stars. Starting from this rank, the service ladder is unified with the general army one, since the purely Cossack names of ranks disappear.

Cossack general. The official position of a Cossack general fully corresponds to the general ranks of the Russian Army.

Hetman

Hetman- traditional title of the leaders of the Zaporozhye Army; In April-December 1918 - the title of the position of the head of the Ukrainian State.

Modern Cossack ranks in the Russian Federation

Lower ranks

Cossack, Prikazny, Junior constable, Sergeant, Senior constable.

Cossack- the rank available in all Cossack organizations without exception does not give rise to debate.

Orderly- petty official, clerical servant (obsolete neglect), employee of the departments of the Moscow State of the 15th-18th centuries, Prikazov (modern Ministries). The rank was approved in 1828 under Emperor Nicholas I with the introduction of a unified system of all military ranks (ranks) in the Cossack troops.

Officer -(Polish.urzednicy) official (official) in government bodies (orders) of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania). The rank was approved in 1828 under Emperor Nicholas I with the introduction of a unified system of all military ranks (ranks) in the Cossack troops.

In the Russian Empire in 1878-1917. Along with the Cossacks, this rank was also held by the lower ranks of the district police, intended to assist the police officers “to perform the police duties of the bailiff.

Historical reference:

The first written mention of Okhtyrka dates back to 1641. Its construction is carried out under the leadership constable Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Kulczewski. First police officer Okhtyrki was Yakubovsky.

The first Russian Military Regulations of 1647 for regiments of a foreign system (not streltsy) determined the first legally established system of military ranks. For the first time, military personnel were divided into categories - ordinary and constables (lower rank - corporal; middle rank - ensign, lieutenant, captain (captain), high rank - regimental guard (major), lieutenant colonel (large regimental lieutenant) and colonel)

In March 1697, the Great Embassy set off from Moscow to Europe, in which, under the name constable The young tsar was in the Preobrazhensky regiment of Peter Mikhailov;

Sergeant- (also Wachtmeister, German Wachtmeister) - military rank of non-commissioned officers of cavalry and artillery in the armies of some European countries, as well as in the Russian army (cavalry, Cossack troops, as well as the Separate Corps of Gendarmes) until 1917.

This rank was also a special police rank in the German states and approximately corresponded in different periods to an army non-commissioned sergeant or non-commissioned officer (in some states of the Federal Republic of Germany it is currently a lower police rank awarded after completing the initial training course).

In the Wehrmacht fascist Germany sergeants were called sergeants in the cavalry and artillery. Non-commissioned sergeants in these branches of the army were respectively called non-commissioned sergeants, chief sergeants - chief sergeants, and staff sergeants - staff sergeants.

Podkhorunzhy(Polish podchorazy) - military rank in the armies of some countries of Eastern Europe, is lower in status than the cornet, and, unlike him, is not an officer. The rank of sub-sergeant in the Cossack troops of the Russian army corresponded to the rank of army ensign. In 1880-1903. it was also awarded to those who graduated from cadet Cossack schools (before receiving officer rank). In 1826-1917 this was the most senior Cossack non-commissioned officer rank. The purpose of this title was similar in Poland since the 18th century.

Cornet(Polish chorazy), also (rarely) horuzhy - a military position in many countries of Eastern Europe, coming from the Polish word choragiew - “gonfalon”, “banner”. Initially, the word “cornet” actually meant “standard bearer.” Since the 14th century, in Poland and its neighboring states, a “coronet of a regiment” was an officer who led the militia of one povet, which was called a banner (the militia of each povet was a separate combat unit and therefore had its own banner - a banner). The cornet in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was subordinate to the castellan, his functions included the organization of the militia (Pospolita ruin). This was one of the highest positions in the zemstvo government of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (next after senator, subcomorist and city mayor).

Until 2004, a special class of officers remained in the Polish Army (between senior sub-officers (non-commissioned officers) and junior officers), called cornets. Currently, due to the transition of the Polish army to NATO standards, it is combined with the non-commissioned officer class (the ranks of senior cornet, cornet and junior cornet themselves have been retained).

Centurion- sotny head - commander of a unit (“hundred”) in the Russian army from the 9th century to the beginning of the 18th century. In addition, the centurion is the head of the administrative-territorial and military unit (hundred) in Ukraine in the 16th-18th centuries.

In the Cossack troops from 1828 to 1884 - chief officer rank XII class, from 1884 - class X in the Table of Ranks, corresponding to the rank of lieutenant, midshipman, collegiate secretary.

Podesaul- a rank introduced into the Russian army in 1884. The podesauls were assistants or deputies of the esauls and in their absence commanded hundreds.

Esaul- the term is attributed to Turkic or even Mongolian origin, which may be associated with the names “yasa” (charter, law in the Mongol Empire) and “yasak” (collection of tribute according to the law). This title is sometimes used in chronicles to refer to Genghis Khan’s son Chagatai (Jagatai): “eke Yasaul” - that is, “second Yasaul.” Initially - the name of the assistant military commander, his deputy. Subsequently - chief officer rank in Russia in the Cossack troops.

The position of captain for the Cossacks was first introduced in 1576. in the Zaporozhye Army by the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stefan Batory. Later, this position migrated to the Don and other Cossack troops of Russia.

Military foreman- the name of the rank comes from the ancient name of the executive body of power among the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to individuals who commanded individual branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, in the Russian Army, the rank of military foreman was equivalent to major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884 - to lieutenant colonel.

Colonel- (from the word regiment - leading a regiment, akin to a thousand-man) - position, rank, military rank of officer or command (commanding) personnel in armed forces and other “security” departments of most countries of the world.

Voivodes were sometimes called colonels, from the constituent units (regiments) of the army.

In Rus', the rank of colonel was first introduced in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible. This title was given to experienced military leaders, usually of noble class. The military rank (rank) of colonel was established in Russia in the 30s of the 17th century for commanders of regiments of the “new system”. After the transformation of the Streltsy orders into regiments in 1681, the commanders of the latter also began to be called colonels (instead of the rank of “head of the order”). The commanders of regiments in the Ukrainian Registered Cossack Army and the Zaporozhye Sich were also called colonels.

General- the historical Cossacks did not have it.

Historical reference:

Since September 22, 1796, in Cossack units the names of ranks have been established the same as the ranks of army cavalry and are equal to them, although Cossack units are listed as irregular cavalry (not part of the army). Until 1828, the ranks in Cossack units were as follows: private, junior non-commissioned officer, ensign, estandard cadet, sergeant, cornet, lieutenant, headquarters captain, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel. Due to the fact that the Cossack units were considered irregular, the rank of general was not awarded to the Cossack units;

Since 1828, army Cossacks have been given ranks that are different from the army cavalry (in the Cossack Life Guards and Ataman Life Guards regiments, the ranks remain the same as those of the entire guards cavalry). The Cossack units themselves are transferred from the category of irregular cavalry to the army, but colonel remains the highest rank.

In 1891, Cossack ranks were established in the Cossack Life Guards and Ataman Life Guards Regiment (before that time, these regiments had general cavalry ranks).

Having analyzed the above, we come to the conclusion that The ranks of Cossack and military foreman can be recognized as truly Cossack ranks. All other ranks are of origin either German, Polish, Mongolian, or from the bureaucratic class of the Moscow state. Therefore, such Cossack ranks as icon, vistun and chotar, used in the Armed Forces of the UPR, WUNR and the Ukrainian State of Hetman P. Skoropadsky also have the right to exist.

By the way, in the Ukrainian State of Hetman P. Skoropadsky, on October 16, 1918, the Cossacks in Ukraine were legally restored as an estate. The law has not been formally repealed to this day.

The debatable elements of Cossack symbolism also include cockades, the shape of stars on shoulder straps, and images on buttons.

Cockade(French cocarde) - a distinctive sign of the established type, metal or fabric, worn in the army and navy on hats. A cockade is a national emblem or a sign of state affiliation, which should reflect the colors of the state (national) flag or state emblem.

In the Russian Federation, the Cossack cockade has changed several times over the past 20 years. For example, Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated April 24, 1998 No. 447, which established cockades for Cossack generals, officers and lower ranks, repeating the cockades of the Russian Imperial Army of the 1881 model, was canceled in 2010 and by the Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation dated April 22, 2012 . No. 182 “On approval of the Description of clothing items, insignia of Cossack societies included in the state register of Cossack societies of the Russian Federation,” as amended (order No. 229 of May 23, 2011) for Cossack societies of the Russian Federation, the clause establishes cockades:

a) the cockade of the highest, main and senior ranks is metal, silver, oval in shape. The side surface of the cockade has 32 rays. The rays are dihedral, the edges are corrugated. The central part of the cockade is flat and consists of concentric elliptical stripes. The first (outer) and third stripes are silver with a jagged pattern, the second stripe and the center are covered with blue enamel;

b) the cockade of junior ranks is metal, silver, oval in shape. The side surface of the cockade in the form of numerous circles adjacent to each other has a rim of 32 short rays along the edge. The central part of the cockade is flat and consists of concentric elliptical stripes. The first (outer) and third stripes are covered with white enamel, the second stripe and the center are covered with blue enamel;

c) the cockade of the lower ranks is metal, silver, oval in shape. The side surface of the cockade is convex and smooth. The central part of the cockade is flat and consists of concentric elliptical stripes. The first (outer) and third stripes are covered with white enamel, the second stripe and the center are covered with blue enamel.

The traditional colors of cockades of the Russian army and Cossack troops (black-orange-white) have been abolished in the Russian Federation

"The Chronicle of Gregory Grabyanka", the author of which is the Ukrainian "Cossack chronicler" - says that in 1575, the Polish king Stefan Batory, among various kleinods - military insignia in the Cossack troops - sent the Cossacks a special seal in recognition of their courage shown in in particular, in battles with the Tatars. This seal depicted a Cossack with a musket, who went down in history under the name “Cossack knight with a self-propelled gun.” But Batory did not invent the image of the seal, but de jure recognized the coat of arms that the Zaporozhye Cossacks already had.

The most famous of the oldest kleinod seals dates back to 1595 and belongs to Hetman Loboda. Starting from the time of Gavril Krutnevich (1603), the Cossack was depicted on it walking, in half profile, with a saber at his side and with a musket. In 1622, in poetic lines on the death of Hetman Pyotr Konashevich-Sagaidachny, this symbol was first called the “coat of arms of the lower Zaporozhian Army.”

The hetman seals of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, the leader of the liberation war of the Ukrainian people in 1648-1654, also depicted a Cossack with a musket. For some time, the symbol becomes a distinctive sign of Ukraine. Since 1758 it has been called the “national emblem”. On the maps of Ukraine published at that time, it was precisely “Cossack with a musket” that was placed. Therefore, it is quite logical that modern Cossacks of the Zaporozhian Army wear cockades with the image of the ancient Coat of Arms of the Cossack state - a Cossack with a musket.

Concerning buttons, then by the same above-mentioned order of the Ministry of Regional Development, paragraph 47, the uniform button is installed: “... The upper front part is convex, with a relief image of the small coat of arms of the military, district (departmental) Cossack society (for the highest ranks - a double-headed eagle State emblem Russian Federation)…"

In the Union of Cossacks of Ukraine “Zaporozhian Army” on the button there is a relief image of the ancient Coat of Arms of the Zaporozhye Lower Army - a Cossack with a musket. This uniform button is the same for all categories of Cossacks from the rank and file to the highest petty officer.

Defining the “true Cossack” shape of stars for shoulder straps It is first necessary to find out where the tradition of using stars as a distinctive sign of military rank came from.

In state military symbols, the five-pointed star was first used by soldiers of the French army during the Great French Revolution. When choosing new symbols, the heraldists of the republic turned to ancient mythology, where the five-pointed star symbolized the god of war Mars, who, according to legend, was born from a lily, the bud of which represents a five-pointed star (the so-called “martagon lily”, i.e. the one that gave birth to Mars). As the “star of Mars,” revolutionary France made the five-pointed star the distinctive sign of its officers (it was applied to epaulettes, scarves, etc.). It was adopted as a “star of Mars” with purely military semantics, in imitation of the French military uniform, in some other armies of the world. In 1827, Nicholas I also introduced it, ordering that five-pointed stars, following the French example, be placed on epaulettes in the Russian army. When shoulder straps were introduced into the armies of the Russian Empire, five-pointed stars began to be depicted on them. In this way, the stars of the Great French Revolution (with whose army the Russian Cossacks fought) ended up on Cossack shoulder straps.

Nowadays, in many armies of Europe and America, Asia and Africa, the five-pointed star is used as a distinctive sign of military rank.

Zaporozhye Cossacks have always been deeply religious Christians. Therefore, the distinctive sign of the Cossack military officer rank in the Union of Cossacks of Ukraine “Zaporozhian Army” is the eight-pointed star of Bethlehem, which is a symbol of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At all times, the concept of an Army included a clear structure, uniformity in uniforms, ranks, insignia, symbols and the presence of military discipline. This is the foundation that distinguishes the Army from a situationally gathered crowd of armed men.

Over almost twenty years of history, the Union of Cossacks of Ukraine “Zaporozhian Army” has developed a clear structure and uniform, uniform ranks and symbols, bearing the historical continuity of the ancient Cossack Army, mandatory for wearing by all Cossacks and foremen of the SKU “VZ”

1. Maryskin A. Uradnik // Vyalikae Principality of Litoŷ. Encyclopedia in 3 volumes - Mn.: Belarusian Encyclopedia

Name P. Broŷki, 2005.

2. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg, 1890 - 1907.

3. Karpeev I. “Esaul”, publication of the website of the International Military Historical Association dated December 27, 2007.

4. Military encyclopedic dictionary. - M.: Voenizdat, 2007. P. 333.

Head of administrative and construction service

Union of Cossacks of Ukraine “Zaporozhian Army”

Colonel Gennady Tymkiv

Cossack
At the very bottom rung of the Cossack army’s service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an infantry private.

Orderly
The clerk had one stripe and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry.

Uryadnik
The ranks of junior sergeant and senior sergeant corresponded to junior non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, respectively. In the modern Russian army, the rank of non-commissioned officer is similar to the rank of sergeant, and shoulder straps have two transverse stripes for the junior officer and three for the senior officer. A sergeant could command 26 horsemen (platoon)

Sergeant
Artillery sergeant. In the Russian army and gendarmerie, the sergeant was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry.

Podkhorunzhy
According to the regulations of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was “under-sergeant”, which corresponded to the rank of lieutenant in the infantry (ensign in the modern army) and was introduced only in wartime . In peacetime, except for the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only in reserve. Sub-horunzhiy did not belong to the rank of officer and was the most senior non-commissioned officer rank.

The first officer rank in the infantry, only in wartime and for the militia, was the rank of “ensign”, which, despite the similarity of shoulder straps with a single star, does not at all correspond to the modern rank of “junior lieutenant”.

Cornet
Cornet - the next rank, actually the primary chief officer rank, corresponds to a second lieutenant in the infantry or a cornet in the cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponds to a lieutenant in the modern army; he wore shoulder straps with blue clearance on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Army) with two stars.

Centurion
Sotnik is a chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore shoulder straps of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern senior lieutenant. Commanded fifty.

Podesaul
Pod'esaul was an assistant or deputy of the esaul and commanded a hundred Cossacks. The shoulder straps had the same design as the centurion, but with four daughter stars. His official position corresponds to that of a modern captain. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops it corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain.

Esaul
Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundred, village, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general esauls performed inspector functions; in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of the hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for the Zaporozhye Cossacks.

Military esauls were chosen at the Military Circle (in Donskoy and most others - two per Army, in Volzhsky and Orenburg - one each). We were engaged in administrative affairs. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman.

Regimental esauls (initially two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers and were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundred esauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army after the first centuries of the existence of the Cossacks. The village esauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were elected at village assemblies and served as assistants to the village atamans.

Marching esauls (usually two per Army) were selected when setting out on a campaign. They performed the functions of assistants to the marching ataman, in the 16th - 17th centuries, in his absence, they commanded the army, and later they were executors of the orders of the marching ataman.

The artillery captain (one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

General, regimental, village and other esauls were gradually abolished.

Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ata-man of the Cossack army.

In 1798-1800 The rank of esaul was equal to the rank of captain in the cavalry.

Esaul, as a rule, commanded (on behalf of a senior commander) a detachment of one to several hundred. His official position corresponded to that of a modern major. He wore shoulder straps with one gap without stars.

Military foreman
The name military foreman comes from the ancient name of the executive body of power among the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to individuals who commanded individual branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the military foreman was equated to a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884 - to a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three stars (until 1884 - with two stars).

Colonel
Colonel - shoulder straps are the same as those of a military foreman, but without stars with two gaps or epaulettes. The highest staff officer rank in the Cossack troops. Assigned to regimental commanders.

Ataman Pokhodny
Ataman Pokhodny - shoulder straps are the same as those of the general staff. The rank was assigned in wartime to the generals of the Cossack troops under each army; they oversaw the proper use and conservation of Cossack troops.

Ataman of the Military Punishment
Ataman of the Military Punishment. The rank was assigned to the chiefs of the military and civil administration of the Don, Siberian, Caucasian and Amur Cossack troops.

Ataman Nakaznoy
The rank was assigned to the chiefs of military and civil administration in Terek, Kuban, Astrakhan, Ural, Semirechensk,.

August Ataman of all Cossack Troops
An honorary rank assigned since 1827 to the Heir Tsarevich before his accession to the throne.

Hetman
Hetman is the traditional title of the leaders of the Zaporozhye Army. In April-December 1918 - the title of the position of the head of the Ukrainian State.

Modern Cossack ranks in Russia[edit | edit wiki text]
Main article: State Register of Cossack Societies of the Russian Federation
Currently, Cossack ranks may exist in Cossack organizations. The ranks of members of Cossack societies included in the State Register of Cossack Societies are established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation and refer to special ranks. The ranks of public organizations are established by the public organization and are not regulated by regulatory legal acts. At the same time, Cossack organizations, as a rule, adhere to the historical names of ranks and insignia. At the same time, some public Cossack organizations are establishing general ranks that previously did not exist in the Cossacks.

Esaul is a rank in the Cossack army. At first, this was the name given to the military commander’s assistant, later the captain began to be equated with a captain or captain. What does this word mean?

Etymology of the word

According to one version, “esaul” is a word of Turkic origin. In some chronicles it is called “eke yasaul”, which means “second yasaul”.

According to another version, the word has Iranian roots. It came from two early Iranian words “asa” - “free” and “ul” - “son”. The phrase meant “son of the free.”

Over time, the Iranian-language word entered the Turkic language, and later into Old Russian. In the Ukrainian and Russian languages, the word has several forms: “esaul”, “osavul” and others.

Cossack rank

The position of captain among the Cossacks first appeared in 1578. She is mentioned in the Registered Army, which was in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the reign of

The Cossack esaul was divided into the following ranks:

• General Yesaul - this was the highest position after the hetman; he commanded regiments, and sometimes the entire army. In peacetime, he dealt with inspection issues. The rank was characteristic of the Zaporozhye Cossacks.
• Military - was in charge of administrative affairs, in the nineteenth century he was an adjutant, carrying out the instructions of the ataman.
• Regimental - was the main assistant to the regiment commander, performing the duties of a staff officer. The Don Cossacks had village esauls, they were considered assistants to the village ataman.
• Marching - appointed before the start of the campaign, served as an assistant to the marching chieftain. If he was absent, the esaul could command the army himself. This was allowed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
• An artillery captain is a person who carries out orders from the chief of artillery.

In the sequence of military rank, esaul stood above podesaul, but below military foreman.

The position of general captain, who kept the hetman's mace, lasted until 1764. She disappeared as a result of the lands.

The most famous esaul

Ivan Mazepa began his career under Hetman Doroshenko in Right Bank Ukraine. At first he was a captain, later he became a general clerk. In 1674, by order of Hetman, Mazepa went to the Crimean Khanate as an envoy. When his delegation was heading to Constantinople, he was captured by the Kosh chieftain Ivan Sirko.

The Zaporozhye Cossacks decided to execute Mazepa, but as a result they sent him to Samoilovich. The hetman made him a military comrade, and a few years later granted him the rank of general captain. So Mazepa approached the Cossack elder. After the fall of Samoilovich, Mazepa took his place, becoming one of the controversial figures of his time.

Rank after 1775

By order of Prince Potemkin, the rank of esaul (regimental) was equal to the rank of officer. At the end of the eighteenth century, this position granted its holder hereditary nobility.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the rank of esaul corresponded to that of captain. In modern times, it is equivalent to the rank of major. The position disappeared after 1917 with the arrival of the Bolsheviks.

At the very bottom rung of the service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an infantry private. Next came the clerk, who had one stripe and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry.
The next level of the career ladder: junior sergeant, sergeant and senior sergeant, corresponding to junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer, with the corresponding number of badges for modern non-commissioned officers.
This was followed by the rank of sergeant, characteristic not only of the Cossacks, but also of the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery of the Russian army and gendarmerie. The sergeant is the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry.
According to the Regulations of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was sub-sergeant, corresponding to an intermediate position between ensign and warrant officer in the infantry, which was also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, except for the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers.
The next grade in the chief officer ranks is cornet, corresponding to second lieutenant in the infantry and cornet in the regular cavalry. According to his official position, he corresponded to a lieutenant in the modern army, but wore a shoulder strap with a blue gap on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Army) with two stars. In the old army, compared to the Soviet army, the number of stars was one more.
Next came the centurion, a chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular troops. The centurion wore shoulder straps of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern senior lieutenant.
A higher level is podesaul. This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops he corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain. The podesauls were assistants or deputies of the esauls and in their absence commanded the Cossack hundreds. Shoulder straps of the same design, but with four stars. His official position corresponds to that of a modern captain.
And the highest rank of chief officer is esaul. It is worth talking about this rank in particular, since the people who wore it held positions in both civil and military administration. In various Cossack troops, this position included various service prerogatives.
The word comes from the Turkic “yasaul” - chief. It was first mentioned in the Cossack troops in 1576, as introduced into the Ukrainian Cossack army. Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundred, village, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) is the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general esauls performed inspector functions; in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of the hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Ukrainian Cossacks.
Military esauls were elected at the Military Circle (in Donskoy and most others - two per Army, in Volzhsky and Orenburg - one each). We were engaged in administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman.
Regimental esauls (initially two per regiment) performed the duties of headquarters officers and were the closest assistants to the regiment commander. Hundred esauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Army.
The village esauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were elected at village assemblies and served as assistants to the village atamans.
Marching esauls (usually two per Army) were selected when setting out on a campaign. They served as assistants to the marching chieftain, in the 16th-17th centuries they commanded the army in his absence, and later they were executors of the marching chieftain’s orders. For the Don Army they are typical only for the specified period.
The artillery captain (one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.
General, regimental, village and other esauls were gradually abolished. Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Don Cossack army.
In 1798-1800, the rank of esaul was equal to the rank of captain in the cavalry. Esaul, as a rule, commanded a Cossack hundred. His official position corresponded to that of a modern major. He wore an epaulette with a blue gap on a silver field, empty, without stars.
Next come the staff officer ranks. In fact, after the reform Alexandra III in 1884, the rank of captain was included in this rank, and therefore the rank of major was removed from the staff officer ranks, as a result of which a serviceman immediately became a lieutenant colonel from captain.
Next comes the military sergeant major. The name of this rank comes from the ancient name of the executive body of power among the Cossacks (the so-called military foreman). In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to individuals who commanded individual branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, a military foreman was equivalent to a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, to a lieutenant colonel. He wore an epaulette with two blue gaps on a silver field and three large stars.
Next comes the colonel. The shoulder strap is the same as that of a military sergeant major, but without stars. Starting from this rank, the service ladder is unified with the general army, since the purely Cossack names of ranks disappear and the general level, characteristic of the entire Russian army, appears. His official position fully corresponds to the general ranks of the Russian Army.
Correspondence of Cossack ranks and ranks of the Russian army
Cossack - soldier, orderly - corporal, junior sergeant - junior sergeant, sergeant - sergeant, senior sergeant - senior sergeant, junior sergeant - foreman, sergeant - warrant officer, senior sergeant - senior warrant officer, subhorunzhiy - junior lieutenant, cornet - lieutenant, centurion - senior lieutenant, podesaul - captain, esaul - major, military foreman - lieutenant colonel, Cossack colonel - colonel, Cossack general - general.