Includes bibliographical references (p. [269]-281) and index.

Machine generated contents note: [1] The Sociology of the Frontier, or Why Peace Was -- Impossible / 7 -- Social and Political Organization in the Steppe -- Raiding and Warfare -- Captives and Slaves -- Trade and Economy -- A Khan, or a Search for Central Authority -- Religion -- Ideology through Diplomacy -- [2] Frontier Concepts and Policies in Muscovy / 46 -- The Frontier -- Shert': A Peace Treaty or an Oath of Allegiance? -- Amanat: Hostages of Sorts -- Yasak: Tribute or Trade? -- Presents and Payments: Bestowed or Extorted? -- Translating or Colonizing? -- [3] Taming the "Wild Steppe," 1480-1600s / 76 -- Moscow and the Great Horde: The "Ugra Standoff" -- Reconsidered -- The End of the Golden Horde, 1481-1502: On to Kazan -- The End of the Crimean-Muscovite Alliance -- The Nogays and Kazan, 1530s-1550s: Kazan Annexed -- The Nogays and Astrakhan, 1550s -- The Astrakhan Campaign of 1569 -- Containing the Nogays, 1577-1582 -- Debilitating the Nogays, 1582-1600 -- [4] From Steppe Frontier to Imperial Borderlands, 1600-1800 / 126 -- The Nogays -- New Strategies -- The Kalmyks -- The Kazakhs -- [5] Concepts and Policies in the Imperial Borderlands, -- 1690s-1800 / 184 -- Representations -- Non-Christians into Russian Orthodox -- Migration of the Native Elite and Commoners -- Colonial Contest I: Law and Administration -- Colonial Contest II: Land -- Conclusion / 221 -- GLOSSARY / 230 -- LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS / 233 -- NOTES / 235 -- BIBLIOGRAPHY / 269 -- INDEX / 283.