Yermak's campaign in Siberia: a selection of documents translated from the Russian by Tatiana Minorsky and David Wileman - no.146

The Russian conquest of Siberia was an event of which the consequences have only slowly become apparent.

Already great, they may come to dominate much of our world; with today's technology, a resource base of this size and richness confers immense power on the owner.

The conquest was a gradual process of absorption. But if one had to assign a time and place for its start, then one would certainly choose the campaign of Yermak in the 1580's.

This enterprise was by no means wholly successful, and probably fewer than a thousand Russians participated in it.

But it was the first entry in force into Siberia, and Russian historians have long regarded it as crucial.

Among English-speakers, the events are not so well known.

The object of this book is to provide the reader of English with translations of the most important documents relating to the campaign.