Traveling from New York to Southern Urals #6

I was born in the Southern Urals in the village Berdyash. It is believed that the village was originated in 1774. But in fact, on the geographical map created several centuries ago this place was daruga a sort of post office created by the Mongol-Tatars. They shod horses, sent messages and orders. The village is small and people live here, whose ancestors began to live in the forces of different historical events. In these places, Pugachev cathered troops among the local residents, who supported the rebellion led by Pugachev.
Pugachev's Rebellion (or the Cossack Rebellion) of 1773-75 was the principal revolt in a series of popular rebellions that took place in Russia after Catherine II seized power in 1762. It began as an organized insurrection of Yaik Cossacks headed by Yemelyan Pugachev, a disaffected ex-lieutenant of the Russian Imperial army, against a background of profound peasant unrest and war with the Ottoman Empire. After the initial success, Pugachev assumed leadership of an alternative government in the name of the assassinated Tsar Peter III and proclaimed an end to serfdom. This organized leadership presented a challenge to the imperial administration of Catherine II.

The rebellion managed to consolidate support from various groups including the peasants, the Cossacks, and Old Believers priesthood. At one point, its administration claimed control over most of the territory between the Volga River and the Urals.

According to family legends, my father's ancestors were a descendant of Genghis Khan Tokhtamysh. Later they mingled with Ukrainian Cossacks, Russians and possibly Caucasians. There is a poem about our ancestors, which was written at the beginning of the last century.

The nature near Bedyash is exceptional and diverse. Here you can see different grasses and flowers that can not be seen in other places. Also here live different kinds of different animals, like wolves, bears, moose, which were ousted and exterminated by people in other places. This is a kind of reserve of the preserved pristine nature.