The Cossacks refer to a group of Eastern and Asian Europeans. They are most well known as effective soldiers who patrolled the borders and regions.
Early groupings of Cossacks were slightly nomadic and always constructed along military lines. They answered to a high military leader called an Ataman. Laws were not written but everyone within a Cossack group, including clergy would answer to the Ataman.
In fact, the Cossack groups are well known for their close ties to the Orthodox Church. A minority of Cossacks, however, may have been Muslim, and another have been of a different Christian orientation too. However, generally, most Cossacks were supporters of the Orthodox Church, which gave the Orthodox church much power.
The Cossacks also had power since they often formed cavalry units, and early used horses to participate in battles. They played important roles in repelling the French forces during the Napoleonic Wars.
The race of Cossacks split into different holdings in Eastern Europe, and some groups intermarried with other local races. Others married within their own ethnic group, and were thought prejudiced against different ethnicities.
