Promyshlenniki facts for kids
The promyshlenniki (say: pro-MISH-len-nee-kee) were skilled Russian and Siberian workers. They were often self-employed or worked in small groups called artels. These adventurous people were very important in the fur trade. They hunted animals for their valuable furs across Siberia and later in Russian America (which is now Alaska).
Many promyshlenniki started as fur-hunters or traders. Over time, some also became sailors, carpenters, or other craftsmen. They were the backbone of Russia's trading efforts in Alaska. Some worked on special contracts, even for big companies like the Russian-American Company.
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Promyshlenniki in Siberia
The idea of promyshlenniki first appeared in the Novgorod Republic in Russia. In the old Novgorod language, they were called Povolnik. This meant a person who was not tied to any specific group or ruler. They explored and traded in areas like Perm and Northwestern Siberia.
After Russia conquered the Siberian Khanate, the fur trade grew even more. Furs were a valuable luxury item. Many Russians wanted to make money from this new opportunity. Some government workers, who didn't get regular pay, also joined the fur trade. Merchants would visit Russian settlements to buy furs.
Promyshlenniki were free people who found ways to earn a living. They did not pay personal taxes to the state. Instead, they paid a trading fee. They also had to help in wars, bringing their own weapons, food, and supplies. This was similar to how American rangers operated.
As the Russian Empire grew in Siberia, officials started to control the fur trade more. Promyshlenniki had to follow new rules. They had to bring all their furs to town for inspection and taxes. They could only trade with native people at certain times and places. They also had to avoid giving alcohol to native people.
The strong competition among promyshlenniki led to too much hunting of sables. This forced them to go further and further east. By the late 1600s, the demand for sable furs in Europe dropped. So did their price. Many promyshlenniki then started trading with the Qing dynasty (China). They sold furs in the border town of Kyakhta. Some even crossed into Outer Manchuria to hunt sables. Russian officials knew about this but often allowed it.
Promyshlenniki in Russian America
The Great Northern Expedition helped Russia learn more about the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. News spread about the many sea otters in these new lands. This quickly caught the attention of promyshlenniki in Siberia. Most of them had no experience with ships. But they began to sail the Bering Sea in boats called kochs.
The first Russian promyshlennik to travel east was Emelian Basov in 1743. He sailed to Bering Island. Promyshlenniki often hunted sea cows on the Commander Islands for food. They hunted so many that sea cows became extinct. Russians hunted sea otters in the Aleutians more and more. By 1759, they reached the Fox Islands. These early hunters didn't know much about navigation. So, they didn't make good maps or surveys.
In 1790, the Lebedev-Lastochkin Company sent a promyshlennik named Ivanov to explore the lower Yukon River. His group traveled from Iliamna Lake to the Kuskokwim River and Yukon rivers. Ivanov reported that the area had lots of fish, game, and people. At first, traders returned to Kamchatka after each season. But eventually, they set up trading posts. These posts started in the Aleutians and moved east towards the Alaska Peninsula.
Working with Aleut and Alutiiq People
Promyshlenniki were good at hunting on land. But they were not skilled at hunting sea otters in the water. So, they asked the native Aleut and Alutiiq men to hunt for them. These Alaska Native men were trained from a young age to hunt sea otters. To make sure the men hunted, the Russians sometimes kept their families close by.
Over time, Russian men and native women had children together. These children were called Alaskan Creoles. They became a small but important group in the region.
Their Way of Life
Many Russian promyshlenniki lived like the native people in the Aleutian Islands. They took Aleut partners and had children. In 1794, the Siberian governor encouraged Russian men to marry native women. This was approved by Empress Catherine II.
When the Vancouver Expedition explored the northern Pacific, they visited Russian fur posts. One explorer, Joseph Whidbey, visited a Lebedev-Lastochkin Company station. George Vancouver described the promyshlenniki there in 1794:
The Promyshlenniki seemed perfectly happy to live like the Native people of the country. They ate the same food and wore the same clothes. They only looked different because they didn't paint their faces or wear native ornaments.
