ABSTRACT
During the first half of the seventeenth century government forces and private hunters probed ever deeper into the scarcely populated forests, mountains, swamps, permafrost and open steppe of Northern Asia. The government increasingly felt the main dilemma of fur-tax politics: how could Moscow maintain a suitable organization guaranteeing its share of precious furs in a territory so huge and wild it was essentially uncontrollable? The prolonged frontier, which merchants and fur transports had to travel along for thousands of miles while being within reach of nomad assaults, exacerbated this problem. One of the instruments available to guarantee the necessary security was zhalovan’e, translated as remuneration, reward or salary. It was paid upon receipt of a petition handed in by the Cossack individually or collectively by a desiatka at the voevoda office. Each Cossack was entitled to an allowance (oklad). Payment of zhalovan’e was delayed if Cossacks did not appear to claim it. The voevoda decided when the amount was paid and on what conditions. He could also decide to pay an advance for up to three years if he considered the Cossack reliable and his mission necessary. Additional moneys were paid when Cossacks travelled to Moscow: the daily allowance in Moscow, and a lump sum paid on departure.
