Azov Cossack Host - Zadunaets Za Azovom

Zadunaets Za Azovom

During the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829), the Danubian Sich Cossacks, previously living in exile in Ottoman controlled Danube Delta were split in loyalty towards the Orthodox Russian Empire, who they left in 1775 and Islamic Ottoman Empire, which was about to start another war with Russia. Led by their Kosh ataman Osip Gladky, some of the Cossacks, chose to defect to Russia, where they were pardoned by Nicholas I in 1828. The Tsar formed a Special Zaporozhian Host out of them, who took extensive part in the war.

After Russia's victory, a separate newly created Danube Cossack Host was deemed sufficient to safeguard the borders and the ex-Zaporozhian presence in the Danube was deemed excessive. The Tsar, having personally befriended Gladky, suggested that his Host moves to the Kuban to join the other ex-Zaporozhian Cossacks, the Black Sea Cossack Host who were actively involved against the Circassians in the course of the Caucasus War. In 1830 Gladky visited the Kuban, but rejected this idea of migrating there, citing the difficulties faced in such a long move for such a small host, and because such a persona would reject subordinating to the supreme authorities of the Black Sea Cossacks. The Tsar instead allowed the Cossacks to remain in Novorossiya provided they find a suitable empty land. Gladky found the territory adjacent to the west of the Don Cossack Host land on the Northern coast of the Azov Sea between Berdyansk and Mariupol (modern Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine).

Thus in 1832 Gladky moved his host to Priazovye which numbered 2,336 Cossacks (including 637 women), and the Azov Cossack Host was officially formed, with Gladky as its Nakazny (appointed) Ataman. They were the only Cossack Host that had a naval role and were tasked in guarding the Black Sea coasts of the Caucasus and Crimea. Because of their initial small size, the peasants of Novospasovka selo were also incorporated into the host. They were joined by numerous volunteers from the Chernigov governorate and in 1839 a group of 217 Nekrasov Cossacks were added to their host.