Search

The article examines the process of the formation of military garrisons on the southern border of the Russian state in the 17th century. Particular attention is paid to the many variations of this process, the use of both numerous fugitives from among the taxable population from their owners, and former service people, representatives of the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks, the townspeople. The needs of the state in the process of settling border territories were put in the foreground, sometimes to the detriment of noble interests. The state tightly controlled migration processes, seeking to resettle a significant part of the younger generation to these counties, whо then contributed to the demographic explosion and the rapid settlement of the territories, including them in the Russian centralized state. The flight of the taxable population was also under control, but the need to increase the number of the military contingent on the southern border forced the authorities until the end of the 60s. XVII century be careful to pursue a policy of finding fugitives and returning them to their former owners. The structure of military garrisons in the south of Russia was generally of the same type, with a predominance of cavalry for constant border control.