Mansi people

 ( Mansi ) 

As per the Primary Chronicle, Uleb Ragnvaldsson, the posadnik of Veliky Novgorod, led a war party to conquer Yugra, the historical homeland of the Khanty (Ostyaks) and Mansi (Voguls). Ragnvaldsson was defeated near Syktyvkar, as the Mansi still inhabited large areas west of the Ural Mountains. This is one of the first records of Novgorod and later the unified Russian state claiming dominance over a land where they had no or negligible presence.

Some Russian historians claim that Yugra were subjugated during the 12th century, but historical records show that Russian power was only established in the middle of the 18th century. Most likely, the Khanty people were not initially aware they had been claimed as subjects of Novgorod or Russia, and their "new" masters were not aware of who their subordinates were.

During the Middle Ages, it is possible that the Mansi considered the eastern territories of the Novgorod Republic and the Grand Principality of Moscow as their own. Russian folklore identifies the people of Yugra as being bloodthirsty, as natives of Yugra may have made raids into areas controlled by Novgorod or Moscow. The 15th to 17th centuries were the height of the Mansi conducting war parties on Russian lands. The Mansi principalities' leaders had sworn allegiance to the Russian tsar; however they did interpret this differently from the Russians. Mansi lords used these sworn allegiances to convince local Mansi populations that they were direct subjects of the Russian supreme leader, and hence had full right to punish Russian nobility for their wrongdoings. Raids and war parties against Russian nobility created confusion in the regions near the Ural Mountains. As a result, they were also popular with Russian peasants, as they gave them freedom to improve their lives by stealing with a "permit" from the tsar whatever they wished from the nobility.

During the 15th and 17th centuries, there were many conflicts among natives of Yugra in which sometimes Moscow was involved, but from the 17th century, Russia became the dominant power. There were many conflicts where the Mansi fought against the Khanty, Nenets, Tatars or Russians, changing allies as fit their needs.

The Mansi people were divided into principalities such as Kondia. In the 15th and 16th century, these were divided into three categories: central, southern and northern. The central principalities were partially included in the Grand Principality of Moscow, while some southern principalities were subjects of the Siberian Khanate, and the northern principalities were independent as knowledge of them was limited outside of the region. At the end of the 16th century, Russia made the decision to conquer the principalities. The push came under the Russian Cossack Yermak, and its influence reached the natives in the Obi River region, starting a time of troubles lasting until the reign of Peter the Great in the 18th century. It took until the end of the 17th century for the Russians to reach every corner of their claimed areas. This resulted in number of wars between Mansi principalities and the Russians.

Kondia was the most powerful principality in Yugra in the 17th century, as it was still de facto independent at the beginning of the 18th century. During that period, there was an attempt to Christianization the Mansi and others living in the same region. Kondia raised an army of several hundred men and drove the Missionary out from their lands. Kondia was also unique in that it did not pay the yasak tax until 1620, when Russia started demanding it from them.

In 1609, the leadership of Kondia planned to push Russia out from Siberia and attacked Beryozovo. To increase their chances of success, alliances with other principalities, including Khanty principalities, were considered. Finally with the Obdorski, Belogorje and Sosva principalities, an attack was made on Beryozovo. The alliance with Khanty-run Obdorski may have been influenced by the fact that Obdorski destroyed a Russian war party in the tundra in 1600. The war was not successful and the Russians pushed for a change of leadership in Kondia. The noblewoman Anna stepped down but continued to rule behind the scenes through her son and grandson. As a result, the Russian yasak was not paid until 1620, when Russia started demanding it specifically. Peace did not last long, as the Khanty nobility formed another alliance with Khanty nobleman Mamruk to drive the Russians away. Another conflict began in 1611–1612, when Kondia started another war to drive the Russians out, unsuccessfully.

Kinema and Sueta, rulers of the Bardak principality, whose area is located in the present-day town of Surgut, attacked the village of Surgut in 1691. They stole the funds of the local administration and panic broke out in Surgut. The funds stolen had come from taxing the Nenets, as local Mansi were either excluded from paying taxes or chose to ignore taxes. The Russians responded to this offence by liquidating the principality and enforcing taxes on all the residents.

The last conflict between the Mansi and the Russian state was the Kazym rebellion in 1931–1934, where natives of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug rebelled. The rebellion was crushed by the Red Army. This was the last known conflict between Russia and any of the Siberian tribes.