Country by Russians (After the year of 1632)

Yakut people that called themselves as "Saha" was a Turkish tribe in respect of origin. The Yakut people had emigrated from the environs of the Lake Baikal and invaded the banks of Lena river. Yakut people were one of the oldest tribes in the Eastern Siberia. The language of Yakut people was much different from the dialects of the other Turks. Therefore, it has been understood that they got separated from the Turkish groups in a very early period and they mixed the other elements of Siberia and constituted the Yakut tribe.Since Yakut people had brought their animals with them from the former Turkish homelands (horses, cattle), they could continue to breed domestic animals despite the severe climate conditions of Siberia. Therefore, they had established an economic life that was much different from the other tribes in the north of Siberia. Apart from stock breeding, they were highly developed in fishing in the rivers and the hunting of valuable furs in the forests.

Yakut people lived in semi-clans nearly along the entire basin of Lena River. These clans were called as "con" in Yakut language and the leader of the "con" was their own beys ("toyon" in Yakut language). "Toyon" (toyun) was an ancient Turkish nickname and it has been observed in Avar and Khazar people. It has been known that this word was borrowed by the Russian language (through Khazar people) and it was used until the century XVII. While the Russians were on the verge of penetration into Siberia, it was rumoured that some of Yakut people were under the domination of a "toyun" called as Tigin. The name of Tigin was a well-known Turkish name and it meant "prince".

The most powerful clan of Yakut people werw "Namas" people that lived in the left coasts of Lena river. "Kangalas" people lived in the north of these people and "Mengin" people that was a very crowded clan lived in the right section of Lena. There were some Yakut clans such as "Borogon" people on the banks of Tanda that flowed into Aldan, "Baturust" people in the more east, "Batulin" people, etc.

The valuable furs constituted the most significant good in the foreign trade and they were given to the statesmen of the foreign countries as bribes and presents. These furs were strongly in demand in Moscow. The best animals with valuable furs such as sables, martens, black foxes, ermines, red squirrels, and beavers, etc. were found in the country of Yakut people. Russians who had heard of this peculiarity passed over the banks of "Lena" and started to force Yakut people to give "yasak" (fur).

In the year of 1632, the city of Yakut was built in the middle section of Lena River. The Russian dominion over the Yakut people would be established from this city. The Russian collectors of "yasak" penetrated among Yakut people from various places and they collected "fur". Sometimes there were the servants of two groups that acted in the same place at the same time. A Russian (Kazakh) detachment that was sent from Mangazay (Mangazeya) encountered with another Russian group that was sent from the city of Yakut in the spring of the year of 1633. Ther Russian Kazakhs or "businessmen" would penetrate among Yakut people in order to demand "fur". Therefore, the country of Yakut people was subject to the pillage of Russians totally. In the year of 1633, the Yakut people attempted to resist against the Russians and they killed several Russian Kazakhs. In the year of 1634, a few Yakut clans rebelled; however, these rebellions were suppressed in a violent manner by Ivan Galkin who was the Kazakh elected-chief in the city of Yakut. The second great rebellion took place between the years of 1636-1637; and this movement was also suppressed with violence. Regardless of their few number, the Russian Kazakhs spread terror among Yakut people with their firearms and they easily disbanded the Yakut union composed of several thousands of people. When one of Kazan elected-chief advanced along the Aldan river in the year of 1637 and founded the city of "Butalski Ostrog" in the year of 1638, the main homeland of Yakut people was under the Russian domination. At the end of the year of 1639, Aldan Yakut people tried to rebel against the Russians together with Tungusic people; but they could not attain any success. In the year of 1641, Petr Golovin that was the governor appointed by Moscow came to the city of Yakut. From that date on the systemised pillage of the homeland of Yakut people was initiated by the Russian administration.