Persian Cossack Brigade

Cossack Brigade
Cossack Brigade
Persian: تیپ قزاق
	Persian Cossack Brigade in Tabriz in 1909
Active	1879–1921
Disbanded	6 December 1921
Country	Sublime State of Iran
Allegiance	Russian Empire (1879–1917) ; White movement (1917–1920) ; British Empire (1921)
Branch	Persian Army
Type	Cavalry
Role	Special operations
Garrison/HQ	Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Mashhad, Ardabil, Hamadan, Urmia, Mazandaran and Gilan
Engagements	Persian Constitutional Revolution 1908 bombardment of the Majlis; ; First World War Persian Campaign; ; Mohammad Khiabani's uprising; 1921 Persian coup d'état; Suppression of Pessian's revolt; Campaign on the Jungle Movement;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Col. Vladimir Liakhov; Brigadier General and King of Future Reza Khan; Brigadier general Martiros Khan Davidkhanian; Brigadier general Alexander Khan Setkhanian

The Persian Cossack Brigade, also known as the Iranian Cossack Brigade (Persian: بریگاد قزاق, romanized: Berīgād-e qazzāq), was a Cossack-style cavalry unit formed in 1879 in Iran. It was modelled after the Caucasian Cossack regiments of the Imperial Russian Army. Until 1920, it was commanded by Russian officers, while its rank and file were composed of ethnic Caucasians and later on Iranians as well. During much of the brigade's history it was the most functional and effective military unit of the Qajar dynasty. Acting on occasion as kingmakers, this force played a pivotal role in modern Iranian history during the Persian Constitutional Revolution, the rise of Reza Shah, and the foundation of the Pahlavi dynasty.