New Insights into the History of the Terek Cossacks in XVII Century Documents

The article examines a number of sources on the history of the Terek and Greben Cossacks in the XVII century. Some of these sources have been previously published in documentary collections, including lists of noble families, estimate lists, and similar compilations, while others remain stored in archives. Studying these materials made it possible to expand and clarify ideas about the Terek Cossacks’ population. The documents contain information concerning various Cossack groups – Zhiletsky, Belomestnye, and Free Terek and Greben Cossacks. They make it possible to reconstruct information about the dynamics of the Cossack population throughout a significant part of the XVII century: for Free Cossacks – from 1623 to 1696, and for Zhiletsky and Belomestnye Cossacks – until 1678, shortly after which they ceased to exist. Furthermore, the documents preserve new details regarding Terek Cossack settlements, the Cossacks’ attitude toward the Stenka Razin rebellion, and their participation in the Crimean campaign of 1675.