The Chechens have been with Russia for a long time, and wanted to conquer them for a long time. The Mongols managed it, but so far the Chechens have not, though not for want of desire. It’s not contamination with fanatical Islam that they’re lacking. It’s nuclear bombs and air support, though that doesn’t explain why the Czar’s Cossacks were able to keep them down. Back then, they didn’t have those things, either.
Although somewhat settled the Cossacks were still very much a horse people, and thus served as elite cavalry. I just finished reading “All quiet on the Don” about the Don Cossacks and the early 19th century as they fought the Germans in WW1, and then the Russian Bolshevic Revolution which squashed their semi-autonomous way of life. As one example, the area hetman (elected? boss) distributed certain lands (commons?) each year to be used for grazing and agriculture. A good leader tried to be fair in his allocations. Not like forced collectivization. I am in the middle of reading the second book of that duo, so don’t know exactly how badly the Communists subjugated them. But I think the current situation in Ukraine is an outgrowth of this entire issue/history.
I should have said early 1900s, not 19th century for Cossacks fighting in WW1.