Siberia is rich in a variety of precious furs, such as mink, otter and fox skins, which are highly sought after by nobles and women in Europe, Russia and Western Europe.

At that time, the demand for Russia in the European market was very large, and it was in short supply. Fur in Russia is no longer sufficient for the European market, and the eastern part of the Urals is a natural treasure trove of furs.

Since Yermak led a group of Cossacks to conquer the Siberian Khanate, he seized a large number of precious furs, and these trophies meant amazing wealth, and Siberia suddenly became a region full of gold.

The fur of Siberia was very important to the Russian government, and at its peak, it accounted for 30% of Russia's annual revenue.

Therefore, the exploration and occupation of private expeditions by successive tsars were also encouraged, which could not only reduce the investment of human resources for the conquest of new lands, but also obtain high returns on land, trade, and taxes.

If something happens in Siberia, the blow to the Russian government can be said to be quite large. The local officials in the Eastern Ural Mountains knew that the matter was serious, so they sent a large number of elite cavalry across the Ural Mountains to the Siberian region.

As a result, the cavalry units sent out one after another did not hear from them for a long time. Officials in various parts of the Russian Eastern Ural Mountains did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly reported the situation in Siberia to the Russian emperor.

Thirty years after Russia emerged from the "Age of Chaos" in the mid-seventeenth century, it was still generally languishing and full of hidden dangers.

Externally, Sweden, a powerful enemy in the north, occupied a large area of land north of the Pskov-Novgorod line and on the Baltic Sea coast, and firmly controlled the trade routes to Europe. To the west were the feuding kingdoms of Poland and Lithuania, which occupied a series of important towns led by Smolensk. Threatening Moscow at all times.

To the southwest was Ukraine, a vassal of Poland, and the Cossack cavalry of the steppes of Ukraine was also a serious threat to Moscow, and to the south was the Turkish vassal state of the Crimean Khanate, which had invaded Russia countless times over the centuries. Only in the southern steppes were the Don Cossacks, who were under the orders of Moscow, but remained independent of Tsarist Russia.

At this time, the Russian Tsar Mikhail Romanov was the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty in the Russian Empire, which had been worshiped for more than 300 years.

Although Mikhail has historically been assessed as neither experienced nor capable of governing the country. He himself has a weak personality and has no independent personality. Obeying the words of his mother and the close ministers around him does not have the willpower of a ruler at all.

However, during his reign, he completed a series of policies such as the conquest of Siberia and the legal establishment of serfdom, so that Russia, after experiencing the devastation of war and the turmoil of a long period of anarchy, in just thirty years, the country was rebuilt and richer, no longer threatened by hunger and destruction, and the whole of Russia entered a new era of political stability.

Among them conquered Siberia. It is of considerable significance to the Russian government. The cherished fur of Siberia even accounts for nearly 30% of Russia's fiscal revenue.

Therefore, when the Russian Emperor Mikhail received an urgent report from the Eastern Urals, he hurriedly convened many ministers to discuss countermeasures. Although winter was approaching at this time, the Russian emperor Mikhail still organized an army of more than 3,000 men and crossed the Ural Mountains to the Siberian region.

The force had 1,200 musketeers, all armed with a new type of four-kilogram arquebus, replacing the previous six-kilogram musket. A soldier does not need the help of others and can fire independently.

This was the first military reform carried out by Russian Emperor Mimikhail. A specially created unit modeled after the Swedish army. At that time, Sweden had the most powerful military system in Europe, and its military system was imitated by other countries. Other than that. The unit also consisted of more than 2,000 Don Cossacks, including more than 1,000 cavalrymen, and artillery units armed with more than a dozen front-loading field guns.

Because of the great interests involved in Siberia, the Russian nobles and businessmen were more or less related and received great funding from all sides, so this army was formed quite quickly.

Weapons, ammunition, logistical supplies and other materials were quickly put in place. Then they took a boat all the way east to Kazan before the Volga River froze, where they took a brief rest and supplies.

Then they entered the Kama River and marched all the way to the Ural Mountains, joined by a large number of Cossacks, all of whom were paid for by fur pedders.

Now many Russian fur traders in the East Ural Mountains have long been out of order. The Ural Mountains are like a gate to hell. For more than two months, many people went east to Siberia, but no one returned.

Therefore, the fur traders gathered here are like ants on a hot pot, they are most afraid of what will happen to the Siberian region, and these fur traders have made a lot of money from the precious furs there over the years.

Since the end of the last century, Russian merchants began to pour into the vast snowfields, chasing all the hairy animals, Russian wealthy merchants and large families, also joined the ranks of the fur trade and the exploration of fur origins, this period came to Siberia, whether hunters, soldiers, merchants, are related to the fur trade.

By the time this army reached the western slopes of the Urals, it had already numbered more than five thousand people. A large number of Russian fur merchants hired Cossacks and asked to go with this army to Siberia.

The commander of this unit, Golovin. General Ostolov welcomed the many Russian fur merchants and hired Cossacks to join.

Because these Russian fur traders often go to the Siberian region and know more about the situation there. Moreover, the Cossacks hired by them also roamed Siberia all the year round, not only fought bravely, but also knew the local natives very well, and many of them also fought against the Tatars in southern Siberia, which was of great help to the army led by him.

In order to get to Tobolsk before the cold winter, Golovin. General Ostolov simply took a short rest and set off with this force.

In addition, a large number of Cossack cavalry was sent to form a reconnaissance force to cross the Ural Mountains and explore the Siberian region in advance.

In fact, whether it is Golovin. Ostov, as well as many Russian fur merchants and a large number of Cossack chieftains, believed that the changes in Siberia were caused by the Tatars from the south. (To be continued.) )

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