I am not the first one to draw parallels between the Iberian Reconquista and the Russian conquest of the steppe. Several historians, including James Powers, have noted how the similarities of the frontier environment in these two societies resulted in many similar social institutions. Probably the most striking parallel is the remarkable egalitarianism and easy social mobility that characterized each society. As in Muscovy, the frontier warriors served either as cavalry or infantry. The mounted caballeros enjoyed a higher social status compared to the peones who fought on foot. They also had
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