Fur trade marten furs could generate in international markets spurred a "fur fever" in which many Russians moved to Siberia as independent trappers. From 1585 to 1680, tens of thousands of sable and other valuable pelts were obtained in Siberia each year. The primary way for the Muscovite state to obtain furs was by exacting a fur tribute from the Siberian natives, called a "yasak". "Yasak" was usually a fixed number of sable pelts which every male tribe member who was at least fifteen years old had to supply to Russian officials. Officials enforced "yasak" through coercion and by taking hostages, usually
Marten new New World clade. The genus first evolved up to seven million years ago during the Miocene epoch. The Modern English "marten" comes from the Middle English "martryn", in turn borrowed from the Anglo-French "martrine" and Old French "martre" (Latin "martes"), itself from a Germanic source; cf. Old English "mearþ", Old Norse "mörðr", and Old High German and Yiddish "". Martens are solitary animals, meeting only to breed in late spring or early summer. Litters of up to five blind and nearly hairless kits are born in early spring. They are weaned after around two months, and leave the mother