The Army

• The Army aimed to expand the power of the Russian Empire to new territories and to crush internal opposition.
• The Russian Army was the biggest in the world.
• Ordinary soldiers were conscripts from peasant families who were obliged to serve in the army if they were called upon to do so by their local lord on behalf of the Tsar.
• Cossacks were known for their horsemanship and they made up a prestigious part of the military and the Tsar’s personal bodyguard.