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Vasily Surikov | Stepan Razin. 1906 | Oil on canvas. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Stepan Razin (c. 1630- 1671), Donskoy Cossack, ataman (commander). In 1662-63, he headed the Cossacks in the campaigns against the Crimean Tatars and Turks, in 1668-69 – against Persia. In 1670-71, Razin headed the Cossack revolt against tzarism in the South of Russia, the Volga region. Thousands of serfs and local nations joined the revolt. The rebel army counted up to 10 thousand, they captured and burnt many towns and estates. After the defeat at Simbirsk, some other atamans betrayed Razin and gave him up to the authorities. Razin was executed in Moscow in 1671.