Some features of the clothing and armament complex evolution of the Western Siberia Tatars service men elite at the end of XVI - XVII centuries

The armament, the military organization and tactics of Siberian Tatars in XVI century have been investigated effectively for a long time, in contrast, military art of the Tatar service people of the Western Siberia after joining of this region to the Russian state has been studied in much smaller degree. Purpose : To identify the features of the clothing and armament complex evolution of Tatar service people elite at the end of XVI-XVII centuries. Results : The complex analysis of material, written and graphic sources revealed that the main trend of the Western Siberia Tatar’s nobility clothing development was the inclusion of Russian sample clothing. If Russian service people elite in Siberia willingly got warm and functional clothes of Siberian production, the local Turkic aristocracy, on the contrary, sought to obtain from their new overlords Moscow cut costume which in the eyes of the native population was a symbol of the powerful patronage of the White Tsar. Besides, the Russian clothing emphasized ownership of its owner with a privileged service class of Moscow state. At the same time it must be emphasized that the Russian clothing in the XVII century did not replace the traditional costume of the Western Siberia Tatar elite, but supplemented it. Representatives of the Turkic elite of the region continued to wear the fur Tatar malachai and dressing gown with oblique wrap in daily life even at the beginning of XVIII century. More complicated in development was the process of evolution of the Tatars weapons complex at the end of XVI - XVII centuries. It consisted of three main elements: the local production of weapons (mostly bows, arrows, knives, ringed shells), Russian import (bladed weapons and firearms, defensive armament, etc.) and Oirat’s import (plate armor, helmets, pikes, swords and etc.). During the XVII century the value of Russian arms in the armament complex of the Tatars in the Western Siberia has increased gradually. Quite significantly Russian and Oirat’s influence was seen in other branches of the military art of Siberian Tatars. The Russian administration has formed a military organization of service and «tributaries» Tatars. Common military campaigns with Streltsy and Cossacks helped Siberian Tatars to learn the tactics of dismounted actions using hand firearms. Oirat’s impact on military affairs of the Turkic population of the Western Siberia was manifested primarily in the growing popularity of equestrian battle with the pikes. Conclusion : The evolution of the clothing and armament of service Tatar elite in the Western Siberia in XVI-XVII centuries obviously displays the complex and multifeature process of intercultural dialogue which is characteristic for the period of colonization of Siberia to the Russian state and the initial stages of development of Trans-Ural region by Russian settlers.