Reasons for the strengthening of Novgorod. Novgorod land was located between lakes Ilmen and Chudskoye, along the banks of the river. Volkhov, Lovat. Cities: Pskov, Ladoga, Rusa (now Staraya Russa), Torzhok, Velikiye Luki, etc. As a result of colonization, Finno-Ugric tribes - Karelians, Zavolochskaya Chud - became part of the Novgorod land. As academician V. Yanin believes, Novgorod arose as an association-federation of three tribal settlements: Slavic and two Finno-Ugric - Meryan and Chud. Novgorod was one of the largest and richest cities in Europe. Stone fortifications were built here already in 1044. The city had a high level of improvement: wooden pavements appeared here earlier than in Paris, and a drainage system drained groundwater. Novgorod was located on trade routes, connecting the Baltic Sea with the Black and Caspian. The city traded with Scandinavia and North German cities, which concluded agreements in the 14th century. trade and political union Gá nza. Archaeologists have found the remains of a German trading court in Novgorod. Novgorod exports included furs, honey, wax, salt, leather, fish, and walrus ivory. Novgorod's weak point: unfavorable conditions for agriculture, the need to import grain. Novgorod's main opponent, the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, often cut off its grain supplies.
Peculiarities Novgorod Republic . There was no monarchical princely system of power in Novgorod. Established here boyar feudal republic. The Novgorod boyars, unlike the Vladimir-Suzdal boyars, were not princely warriors by origin, but descendants of the local tribal nobility. They formed a closed group of genera. In Novgorod one could not become a boyar, one could only be born one. Boyar land ownership developed here early. Princes were sent here as governors. In addition to Novgorod, in 1348–1510. There was a Pskov Republic.
Control system. Novgorod was the first to separate from Kyiv. During the uprising 1136 the prince was expelled Vsevolod Mstislavich for “neglect” of city interests. Novgorod was considered a “stronghold of freedom.” The highest authority was veche – meeting of the male population of the city, body of state administration and self-government. The first mention in the chronicles of the veche dates back to 997. The veche consisted of 300–500 people, decided issues of war and peace, summoned and expelled princes, adopted laws, and concluded treaties with other lands. It gathered on Yaroslav's Court - a square paved with cow jaws, or on Sophia Square. The veche was public - they voted by shouting, sometimes the decision was made through a fight: the winning side was recognized by the majority.
They were elected at the meeting mayor, thousand, bishop.
-Posadnik carried out city management, diplomatic negotiations, administered court, and controlled the activities of the prince.
-Tysyatsky– head people's militia, he also held court in commercial matters and resolved financial issues. They obeyed him Withó tskie who collected taxes (taxes).
-Bishop(from 1165 - archbishop), “lord”, was elected for life at the assembly and then confirmed by the metropolitan. He headed the church and the church court, managed the treasury and the “sovereign” regiment, and sealed international agreements with his personal seal.
-Prince of Novgorod- military commander, head of the squad, performed military-police functions, in Peaceful time maintained order in the city. Since the time of the “calling of the Varangians”, Novgorod has been characterized by an invitation from the prince (remember Rurik). There was an agreement with the prince row"(agreement), which prohibited the prince from interfering in the affairs of city government, changing officials, attending the meeting, acquiring land and real estate, and settling in the city. The prince and his retinue lived in a country residence - on the Rurik Settlement, three kilometers from Novgorod. The veche had the right to expel the prince if he violated the “order” with the words: “prince, you are yours, and we are yours.” The expulsion of princes (as well as posadniks) was common. For the XII–XIII centuries. Princes in Novgorod changed 68 times. The famous Alexander Nevskiy. In 1097–1117 was the prince of Novgorod Mstislav the Great, son of Vladimir Monomakh. When in 1102 the Prince of Kiev Svyatopolk Izyaslavich wanted to replace him with his son, the Novgorodians replied: “We don’t want Svyatopolk or his son... If your son has two heads, then send him to us!”
The territory of the republic was divided into regions - Pyatina. City of Novgorod r. Volkhov was divided into two sides: Sofia (Kremlin) and Trade, as well as ends(districts) and streets With Konchansky And street veche. The ordinary population participated in the Konchansky and Ulichansky veche, electing the elders of the ends and streets.
The veche system of Novgorod did not ensure true democracy. In fact, the republic was ruled by the Novgorod gentlemen(power elite) represented by the boyars and wealthy merchants. The positions of mayors and thousanders were held only by rich boyars (“ Council of gentlemen", or " 300 gold belts"). Novgorod can be considered aristocratic, oligarchic republic. Therefore, uprisings of the common people often broke out here (1136, 1207, 1229, etc.).
Galicia-Volyn land.
The Galicia-Volyn principality is the southwestern outskirts of Rus'. Favorable climate, fertile soils, trade routes to Poland and Hungary contributed to its strengthening. Initially, Galicia and Volhynia were separate principalities. After the death of Yaroslav the Wise, his grandson began to rule in Volyn Davyd Igorevich, and in Galicia – great-grandchildren Vasilko And Volodar. But the princely congress expelled Davyd for blinding Vasilko Terebovlsky after the Lyubech Congress. The Monomashich dynasty, descendants of Vladimir Monomakh, strengthened in Volyn. The Galician principality achieved power under the grandson of Volodar Yaroslav Osmomysl(1119–1187; 1153–1157 gg.), married to the daughter of Yuri Dolgoruky Olga.
In 1199, the Galician and Volyn principalities united Roman Mstislavovich Volynsky(1150–1205; 1199 – 1205 gg.). Roman sought to subjugate the rebellious Galician boyars. He said about the boyars: “If you don’t kill the bees, you can’t eat honey.” In 1203, Roman occupied Kyiv and took the title of Grand Duke. The Pope offered Roman the royal crown, but he rejected it. In 1205 Roman died in Poland in a battle with the Prince of Krakow Leshkom Bely. Strife began.
Roman's four-year-old son - Daniil (Danilo) Romanovich(1201 or 1204–1264; 1238 – 1264 yy.) was expelled with his mother from Galich, but, having matured, by 1238 Vladimir of Volynsky, Galich, annexed the Kiev and Turov-Pinsk principalities, founded the cities of Lvov and Kholm. In 1240, Daniil's possessions were destroyed by Batu. In 1254 he received the title of king from the Pope.
Thus, fragmentation, on the one hand, was a progressive phenomenon for economic development, but, on the other hand, it undermined the defense capability of Russia and led to the Mongol yoke.
The history of the Novgorod land is, firstly, the history of one of largest cities the Middle Ages, which demonstrated closeness to the European type of development, and, secondly, the history of a powerful state that stretched from the Baltic to Arctic Ocean and the Urals.
The most ancient core of the Novgorod land was an interethnic confederation of Slavic (Slovenes, Krivichi) and Finno-Ugric (Merya, Chud) tribes. Its political and economic center, the city of Novgorod, was located on both banks of the Volkhov, near the source of this river from Lake Ilmen. Volkhov divided the city into two sides: the eastern - Trade and western - Sofia. By the end of the 13th century. the division of the city into five main ones was finally determined administrative districts- the ends of Slavensky (in the eastern part of the city), Nerevsky, Lyudin (on the Sofia side), Plotnitsky, Zagorodsky. The territory around Novgorod was divided into five provinces, which later received the name Pyatyn. To the northwest of Novgorod, between the Volkhov and Luga rivers, lay the Vodskaya Pyatina; to the northeast, on both sides of Lake Onega to the White Sea - Obonezhskaya; to the southwest, on both sides of the Sheloni River - Shelonskaya; to the southeast, between Msta and Lovat - Derevskaya; in the direction of the Volga - Bezhetskaya. To the north and east of Pyatina lay the Novgorod “colonies” - Zavolochye on the Northern Dvina, Tre on the Kola Peninsula, Pechora, Perm, Vyatka. Already in the 12th century. all these lands paid tribute to Novgorod. To seize colonies and exploit their wealth, the Novgorod boyars widely used robber explorers - “ushkuiniks”.
In Pyatina there were the suburbs of Novgorod: Ladoga, Staraya Russa, Torzhok, Izborsk, Koporye. Largest suburb there was Pskov, which over time became an independent republic and began to be called “the younger brother of Novgorod.”
Agriculture has long been developed in the Novgorod land. However, poor soils significantly reduced the efficiency of grain production. Therefore, in case of crop failures, Novgorod depended on neighboring Russian lands. At the same time, natural and climatic conditions were favorable for the development of cattle breeding. Wide use received hunting, fishing, beekeeping. An important source of Novgorod's wealth was the robbery of colonial lands, from where furs, silver, wax and other commercial items came.
The level of handicraft production in Novgorod was no lower than in the famous centers of Western Europe and the Middle East. Skilled blacksmiths, tanners, jewelers, gunsmiths, weavers, coopers and other specialists worked here. The vast majority of craft workshops were located in rich boyar estates, the owners of which exploited the labor of artisans. A large boyar family had an exhaustive range of different industries. While promoting boyar consolidation, such a system of organizing urban ownership at the same time resolutely opposed the consolidation of artisans in professional basis. Participation of artisans different professions in a single economic organization of the boyar clan became an insurmountable obstacle to their unification into guild organizations.
Foreign trade of Novgorod was largely subordinated to the needs of crafts: craft raw materials were imported - non-ferrous metals, precious stones, amber, boxwood, cloth, etc. For a long time salt was imported until local deposits were discovered. The main items exported from Novgorod to Western Europe were furs, walrus tusks, wax, lard, flax, and hemp.
Trade relations between Novgorod and Scandinavia go back to a very early time. Novgorod merchants visited Byzantium, the countries of the East, and traded in remote Russian cities. In the 12th century. Novgorodians had their own guest house in the city of Visby on the island of Gotland. In Novgorod itself there were two courts of foreign merchants: Gothic (the inhabitants of the island of Gotland were called Goths) and German. From the second half of the 12th century. increased trade between Novgorodians and the Baltic countries begins German cities, which subsequently formed the Hanseatic League. Emperor Frederick II gave Novgorod merchants the right to duty-free trade in Lübeck.
The large Novgorod merchants were organized into hundreds, which were somewhat similar to Western European merchant guilds. The most influential and organized was the association of wax merchants (wax traders) “Ivanovo Sto”, which existed at the Church of John the Baptist in Opoki.
Large areas of the city were the hereditary property of large boyar families. The owners of neighboring city estates descended from one common ancestor. It has been established that the urban estates of the boyars themselves did not change their boundaries throughout the 10th-15th centuries. The emergence of the patrimonial system in the Novgorod land goes back only to beginning of XII c., when the boyars began to actively acquire “villages”. Before this, boyar land ownership existed not in private, but in corporate form. The fact is that the local aristocracy, which apparently traced its origins back to the tribal nobility, took an active part in collecting state revenues and controlling them. This distinguished Novgorod from the southern Russian lands, where undivided princely control over state revenues (polyudya system) reigned. By turning into a special corporation, the Novgorod boyars separated from the princely druzhina organization. It fully retained the collection of state revenues during the patrimonial period, which consolidated the top of Novgorod society and gave them the means and opportunities for effective fight with princely power.
The socio-political development of the Novgorod land initially had its own specifics. Princely power has always been secondary in relation to Novgorod. Already under Yaroslav the Wise, the Novgorodians achieved significant political success. The memory of Rurik’s calling and the established practice of concluding an agreement (“row”) with the prince ideologically prepared the triumph of republican order in Novgorod. Around 1117, the Novgorodians became “free princes,” that is, they openly declared their right to expel the prince, regardless of the will of Kyiv, and in 1126 they themselves elected a mayor (before that, the mayor was either sent from Kyiv or appointed by the prince from composition of the squad).
An important milestone on the path to the complete independence of Novgorod from Kyiv were the events of 1132-1136. After the death of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Mstislav Vladimirovich, his son Vsevolod, who occupied the Novgorod table, decided to leave Novgorod and occupy Pereyaslavl. When he, having failed to achieve success in the south, returned to Novgorod, the Novgorod veche kicked him out. In 1136, the Novgorodians took Vsevolod and his entire family into custody. The prince was accused of “not watching the stink,” he wanted to go reign in Pereyaslavl, he was the first to flee the battlefield in the war with the Suzdal prince Yuri Dolgoruky.
It is traditionally accepted that with the victory of the boyars over the princely power in 1136, the order of the feudal boyar republic finally triumphed in Novgorod. From that time on, the boyars began to exert a decisive influence on the choice of the prince.
Initially, none of the princely families of Rus' managed to gain a foothold in Novgorod for a long time, but from the 30s. XIII century Only representatives of the Suzdal branch reigned there. In total, throughout the XII-XIII centuries. The change of princely power in Novgorod took place about 60 times. The supreme power in Novgorod was in the hands of the citywide veche. It was engaged in legislative activities, concluded and terminated contracts with the prince, elected all senior officials, resolved issues of war and peace, and established the duties of the population. The prince was an integral part of the republican administrative apparatus, but his functions were sharply limited. They boiled down mainly to protecting Novgorod from external danger. The prince obliged to strictly fulfill the conditions of the “row” with the Novgorodians, otherwise they could “show the way” to him. The prince's judicial rights were limited; he could not subject Novgorod men to repression “without guilt”; he was forbidden to acquire land in the volosts, that is, on the outskirts of the Novgorod land. But the princely government often took on mediation functions and reconciled warring boyar factions.
From among the ranks and under the control of the boyars, the veche elected a mayor, who over time concentrated all executive power in his hands. He convened the veche and carried out its decisions, entered into agreements with the prince. In addition, the mayor supervised the activities of all officials, together with the prince he led military campaigns, carried out judicial functions, and represented in foreign relations.
The next most senior official of Novgorod was Tysyatsky. Initially he was appointed prince, but from the end of the 12th century. also began to be elected. For a long time (until the second half of the 14th century), representatives of the non-boyar population - lesser people, merchants - were thousands. Tysyatsky controlled tax system, observed order in the city, and in war time led the militia.
A major role in the life of Novgorod was played by the bishop - the bishop (later the archbishop). From the middle of the 12th century. the spiritual shepherd also began to be chosen by the Novgorodians themselves. The veche named three candidates. After this, on the other bank of the Volkhov, in the St. Sophia Cathedral, one of the three most authoritative ministers of the church was chosen by lot with the help of a child or a blind man. The hierarch chosen in this way was sent to the metropolitan in Kyiv for initiation. The first Novgorod ruler to go through a similar procedure was Arkady. The election took place in 1156.
The Novgorod ruler was the custodian of the city treasury, was in charge of state lands, participated in the management of foreign policy, controlled the standard of weights and measures, and had his own regiment. Any land transactions were considered invalid without his sanction. At the bishop's court it was carried out Novgorod Chronicle. The archbishop's position was for life, although it happened that bishops went to a monastery or were expelled by decision of the veche.
There were also other officials in Novgorod. At the head were the “Konchansky” elders, at the head of the streets were the “Ulichansky” elders. They were elected at the appropriate (“Konchansky” and “Ulichansky”) meetings.
One of the significant issues in the history of Novgorod has always been identifying the degree of democracy of its political system. Many historians of the 19th-20th centuries. They saw in the Novgorod Republic a model of “democracy” (N.M. Karamzin, I.Ya. Froyanov), the antithesis of the monarchy. There is a widespread belief that everyone participated in the veche meeting of Novgorod male population cities - from boyars to simple artisans and traders. However, real power in the Novgorod Republic belonged to the feudal lords (boyars and lesser) and the richest merchants. There was a clear tendency towards an oligarchic form of government (V.L. Yanin). Over time, the boyars created a special body - the council “gentlemen”. The meetings of this unofficial government of Novgorod were held in the chambers of the ruler on the Sofia side and under his chairmanship. The council prepared the agenda for veche meetings, developed measures of influence at the veche, and exercised supervision over officials of the republic.
The veche square of Novgorod, which was located near the St. Nicholas Cathedral on the Trade Side, did not exceed the size of a boyar’s estate. There was a tribune (“degree”) for the leaders of the republic, and benches for the other participants were also located here. According to calculations by V.L. Ioannina, a maximum of 400-500 people could be accommodated here, which corresponded to the number of rich boyar estates in Novgorod. It is clear that places on the benches could be occupied primarily by wealthy homeowners. Apparently, the advantages of the republican system and its external democracy were based not on the crowdedness of the citywide veche, but on its openness, as well as on the multi-stage veche system of the city. If the citywide meeting was, in fact, artificial organ, the result of the creation of the Inter-Konchan confederation, the lower levels of the veche (“Konchansky” and “Ulichansky”) genetically descended from the most ancient folk assemblies. But they were also the most important means of organization internal political struggle boyars for power. It was easier to light them and direct them into the right direction everyone's political emotions social groups end or street.
Under normal conditions, the boyars had no need to convene a veche and appeal to the will of the lower classes. Therefore, the citywide council was not a daily governing body. Chronicle memories of him are separated by years. The veche assumed full power only in emergency cases: in the event of the rejection of an unwanted prince, an enemy invasion, etc.
A state of emergency in Novgorod was usually accompanied by the arrest of the prince, mayor or other representatives of the republican administration, and the robbery of the property of persons outlawed. But elements of the veche system formed a unique mentality of the Novgorodians. If in South-Western Rus' the boyars executed princes, then in Novgorod they were not killed, but elected officials in the veche did not stand on ceremony and were dealt with with all cruelty.
The internal life of Novgorod was characterized by social tension, which often resulted in urban uprisings (1136, 1207, 1228-1229, etc.). Although the urban lower classes took a very direct part in movements of this kind, it would be an exaggeration to consider these uprisings as a manifestation of class struggle. In every specific case Some groups of Novgorodians, led by their boyars, fought against other groups with their boyars. It was a struggle of interests, a struggle between “Ulichanskaya” and “Konchanskaya”. But the street crowd, the "black people" played decisive role in robberies and pogroms, the victims of which were representatives of some boyar clan.
It can be considered that the self-affirmation of the Novgorod boyars as a participant in corporate power, in contrast to the boyars southern principalities, led not to centrifugal, but to centripetal consequences in political and economic areas. Having achieved the limitation of princely power, the boyars of Novgorod did not give the princes the opportunity to tear the Novgorod land apart.
Novgorod land (or Novgorod Land) - one of the largest territorial-state entities within ancient Russian state, and then the Moscow State, which existed until 1708 with its center in the city of Novgorod.
During greatest development reached the White Sea and in the east spread beyond Ural Mountains. Covered almost the entire modern north-west of Russia.
Administrative division
Administratively, by the end of the Middle Ages, it was divided into Pyatyns, which in turn were divided into halves (Pyatyns), volosts, districts (districts), graveyards and camps, and according to the chronicles, the beginning of this division was laid in the 10th century by Princess Olga, who divided the Novgorod land into graveyards and installed lessons. The Tale of Bygone Years defines it as “a great and abundant land.”
Judging from the “Tale of Bygone Years” and archaeological data, by the time of Rurik’s arrival in 862, large settlements were already Novgorod (probably as a chain of settlements from the sources of the Volkhov and Rurik Settlement up to the Kholopye town, opposite Krechevitsy), Ladoga, Izborsk and possibly Beloozero. The Scandinavians probably called this particular territory Gardariki.
The Pyatin system was finally formed by the 15th century. In each Pyatina there were several courts (districts), in each court (district) there were several graveyards and volosts.
Pyatina: Vodskaya, near Lake Nevo (Lake Ladoga); Obonezhskaya, to the White Sea; Bezhetskaya, to Msta; Derevskaya, to Lovat; Shelonskaya, from Lovat to Luga)
and Novgorod volosts: Zavolochye, along the Northern Dvina from Onega to Mezen, Perm - along Vychegda and up. Kama, Pechora - along the Pechora River to the Ural Range and Ugra - beyond the Ural Range.
Some territories of the region of late Novgorod colonization were not included in the pyatin division and formed a number of volosts that were in a special position, and the five cities with suburbs did not belong to any pyatin. The peculiarity of the position of these cities was that at first they were jointly owned by Novgorod: Volok-Lamsky, Bezhichi (then Gorodetsk), Torzhok with the Grand Dukes of Vladimir and then Moscow, and Rzhev, Velikiye Luki with the princes of Smolensk and then Lithuanian, when Smolensk was captured by Lithuania. Behind the Obonezhskaya and Bezhetskaya Pyatina to the northeast there was the volost of Zavolochye, or Dvinskaya land. It was called Zavolochye because it was located behind the portage - the watershed separating the Onega and Northern Dvina basins from the Volga basin. The flow of the Vychegda River and its tributaries determined the position of the Perm land. Beyond the Dvina land and Perm further to the northeast were the volost of Pechora on both sides of the river of this name, and on the eastern side of the northern Ural ridge there was the volost of Yugra. On the northern shore of the White Sea there was the volost of Tre, or Tersky coast.
In 1348, Pskov was granted autonomy by Novgorod in terms of choosing mayors, while Pskov recognizes the Moscow prince as its head and agrees to elect persons pleasing to the Grand Duke for the Pskov reign. Since 1399, these princes have been called Moscow governors. Vasily II seeks the right to appoint Pskov governors at his own discretion, and they take the oath not only to Pskov, but also to the Grand Duke. Under Ivan III, the Pskovites renounced the right to remove the princes appointed to them. Since 1510, Pskov has been the patrimony of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III.
Check-in
The settlement of the territory of the Novgorod land began in the area of the Valdai Upland from the Paleolithic and Mesolithic times, along the border of the Valdai (Ostashkovo) glaciation, and in the north-west of the Ilmen region, in the area of the future territorial center - from Neolithic times.
In the time of Herodotus, about 25 centuries ago, the lands from approximately the Baltic to the Urals were completely or partially mastered by androphages, neuros, melanchlens (Smolyans, Budins, Fyssagetae, Irki, northern Scythians in the Volga-Kama region, which are often localized depending on the Issedons.
Under Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. e. these lands were controlled by the Wends, Stavans, Aors, Alans, Boruski, royal Sarmatians and more than a dozen other large and small nations. Possibly, the continuation of the Roxolans, Rosomons (guard of the ruler of Scythia and Germany), Thiuds (Chud, Vasi-in-Abronki, Merens, Mordens and other peoples along the Balto-Volga route in the 4th century AD were part of the power of Germanaric. The descendants of these peoples were partly included in the ethnic groups noted by medieval Russian sources.
In the initial part of "The Tale of Bygone Years" in Laurentian Chronicle 1377 there is an opinion of a medieval chronicler about more ancient settlement peoples:
Also here the main actions of the epic “The Tale of Sloven and Rus and the City of Slovensk” and the epic about Sadko take place.
Archaeologically and through the study of toponymy, the presence here of migratory so-called Nostratic communities is assumed, of which several thousand years ago, in the area south of the Ilmen region, Indo-Europeans (Indo-European languages in particular - the future Slavs and Balts) and Finno-Ugrians stood out. This multiethnicity is confirmed by ethnogenetics and genogeography.
It is traditionally believed that in the 6th century the Krivichi tribes came here, and in the 8th century, during the Slavic settlement of the East European Plain, the Ilmen Slovenian tribe came. Finno-Ugric tribes lived on the same territory, leaving a memory of themselves in the names of numerous rivers and lakes, although the interpretation of Finno-Ugric toponyms exclusively as pre-Slavic is probably erroneous and is questioned by many researchers.
The time of Slavic settlement is dated, as a rule, by the type of mound groups and individual mounds located on this territory. Pskovskie long mounds- are traditionally associated with the Krivichi, and hill-shaped mounds with the Slovenes. There is also the so-called Kurgan hypothesis, based on which it is possible various assumptions about the ways of settling this territory.
Archaeological research in Staraya Ladoga and Rurik Settlement shows the presence among the inhabitants of these first large settlements, including Scandinavians, traditionally called Varangians in ancient Russian (medieval) literary sources.
Demography
Archaeologically and through the study of toponymy, the presence here of migratory hypothetical so-called Nostratic communities is assumed, of which several thousand years ago, in the area south of the Ilmen region, Indo-Europeans (Indo-European languages in particular - the future Slavs and Balts) and Finno-Ugrians stood out. This multiethnicity is confirmed by ethnogenetics and genogeography.
In addition to the Slavic population, a noticeable part of the Novgorod land was inhabited by various Finno-Ugric tribes, who were at different stages of culture and stood in various relationships to Novgorod. Vodskaya Pyatina, along with the Slavs, was inhabited by Vodya and Izhora, who have long been in close connection with Novgorod. Em, who lived in southern Finland, was usually at enmity with the Novgorodians and was more inclined to side with the Swedes, while the neighboring Karelians usually stuck to Novgorod. Since ancient times, Novgorod has come into conflict with the miracles that inhabited Livonia and Estland; The Novgorodians have a constant struggle with this miracle, which later turns into a struggle between the Novgorodians and the Livonian knights. Zavolochye was inhabited by Finno-Ugric tribes, often called the Zavolotsk Chud; Later, Novgorod colonists rushed to this region. The Terek coast was inhabited by Lapps. Further in the northeast lived the Permyaks and Zyryans.
The center of Slavic settlements was the area around Lake Ilmen and the Volkhov River, where the Ilmen Slovenes lived.
Story
Earliest period (before 882)
Novgorod land was one of the centers of formation of the Russian state. It was in the Novgorod land that the Rurik dynasty began to reign, and arose public education, so-called Novgorod Rus', from which it is customary to begin the history of Russian statehood.
As part of Kievan Rus (882-1136)
After 882, the center of the Russian land gradually shifted to Kyiv, but the Novgorod land retained its autonomy. In the 10th century, Ladoga was attacked by the Norwegian Jarl Eric. In 980 Novgorod prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich (the Baptist), at the head of the Varangian squad, overthrows the Kyiv prince Yaropolk; in 1015-1019, the Novgorod prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise overthrows the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk the Accursed.
In 1020 and 1067, the Novgorod land was attacked by the Polotsk Izyaslavichs. At this time, the governor - the son of the Kyiv prince - had even greater powers. In 1088, Vsevolod Yaroslavich sent his young grandson Mstislav (son of Vladimir Monomakh) to reign in Novgorod. At this time, the institution of posadniks appeared - co-rulers of the prince, who were elected by the Novgorod community.
In the second decade of the 12th century, Vladimir Monomakh took a number of measures to strengthen his position central government in Novgorod land. In 1117, without taking into account the opinion of the Novgorod community, Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich was placed on the Novgorod throne. Some boyars opposed such a decision prince, in connection with which they were summoned to Kyiv and thrown into prison.
After the death of Mstislav the Great in 1132 and the deepening tendencies of fragmentation, the Novgorod prince lost the support of the central government. In 1134 Vsevolod was expelled from the city. Returning to Novgorod, he was forced to conclude a “row” with the Novgorodians, limiting his powers. On May 28, 1136, due to the dissatisfaction of the Novgorodians with the actions of Prince Vsevolod, he was taken into custody and subsequently expelled from Novgorod.
Republican period (1136-1478)
In 1136, after the expulsion of Vsevolod Mstislavich, republican rule was established on the Novgorod land.
During the Mongol invasion of Rus', the Novgorod lands were not conquered. In 1236-1240 and 1241-1252 Alexander Nevsky reigned in Novgorod in 1328-1337. - Ivan Kalita. Until 1478, the Novgorod princely table was occupied mainly by Suzdal and Vladimir princes, then by Moscow Grand Dukes, and rarely by Lithuanian princes, see Novgorod princes.
The Novgorod Republic was captured and its lands annexed by Moscow Tsar Ivan III after the Battle of Shelon (1471) and the subsequent campaign against Novgorod in 1478.
As part of the centralized Russian state (since 1478)
Having conquered Novgorod in 1478, Moscow inherited its former political relations with neighbors. The legacy of the period of independence was the preservation of diplomatic practice, in which Novgorod's northwestern neighbors - Sweden and Livonia - maintained diplomatic relations with Moscow through the Novgorod governors of the Grand Duke.
In territorial terms, the Novgorod land during the era of the Muscovite kingdom (XVI-XVII centuries) was divided into 5 pyatitins: Vodskaya, Shelonskaya, Obonezhskaya, Derevskaya and Bezhetskaya. The smallest units of administrative division at that time were churchyards, by which the geographical location of villages was determined, the population and their taxable property were counted.
Reign of Vasily III
March 21, 1499 son of Tsar Ivan III Vasily was declared Grand Duke of Novgorod and Pskov. In April 1502, he became the Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir and All Rus' autocrat, that is, he became co-ruler of Ivan III, and after the death of Ivan III on October 27, 1505, he became the sole monarch.
Reign of Ivan the Terrible
- Russo-Swedish War 1590-1595
- Oprichnina, Novgorod pogrom
- Ingria
Time of Troubles. Swedish occupation.
In 1609, in Vyborg, the government of Vasily Shuisky concluded the Vyborg Treaty with Sweden, according to which, in exchange for military assistance Korelsky district was transferred to the Swedish crown.
In 1610, Ivan Odoevsky was appointed governor of Novgorod.
In 1610, Tsar Vasily Shuisky was overthrown and Moscow swore allegiance to Prince Vladislav. A new government was formed in Moscow, which began to swear in other cities of the Moscow state to the prince. He was sent to Novgorod to take the oath of office and to protect him from the Swedes, who appeared at that time in the north, and from the gangs of thieves I. M. Saltykov. The Novgorodians and, probably at their head, Odoevsky, who was always on good terms with the Novgorod Metropolitan Isidore, who had great influence on the Novgorodians, and, apparently, himself enjoyed respect and love among the Novgorodians, agreed no sooner to let Saltykov in and swear allegiance to the prince than they will receive from Moscow a list of the approved letter of the cross; but, having received the letter, they swore allegiance only after they took a promise from Saltykov that he would not bring Poles with him into the city.
Soon a strong movement against the Poles arose in Moscow and throughout Russia; At the head of the militia, which set itself the task of expelling the Poles from Russia, was Prokopiy Lyapunov, who, together with some other persons, formed a provisional government, which, having taken over the administration of the country, began to send out governors to the cities.
In the summer of 1611, the Swedish general Jacob Delagardie and his army approached Novgorod. He entered into negotiations with the Novgorod authorities. He asked the governor whether they were enemies or friends of the Swedes and whether they wanted to comply with the Treaty of Vyborg, concluded with Sweden under Tsar Vasily Shuisky. The governors could only answer that it depended on the future king and that they had no right to answer this question.
The Lyapunov government sent voivode Vasily Buturlin to Novgorod. Buturlin, having arrived in Novgorod, began to behave differently: he immediately began negotiations with Delagardie, offering the Russian crown to one of the sons of King Charles IX. Negotiations began, which dragged on, and meanwhile Buturlin and Odoevsky had disagreements: Buturlin did not allow the cautious Odoevsky to take measures to protect the city, allowed Delagardi, under the pretext of negotiations, to cross the Volkhov and approach the very suburban Kolmovsky monastery, and even allowed Novgorod trading people to supply the Swedes with various supplies.
The Swedes realized that they had a very convenient opportunity to capture Novgorod, and on July 8 they launched an attack, which was repelled only due to the fact that the Novgorodians managed to burn the settlements surrounding Novgorod in time. However, the Novgorodians did not last long under the siege: on the night of July 16, the Swedes managed to break into Novgorod. Their resistance was weak, since all the military men were under the command of Buturlin, who, after a short battle, withdrew from the city, having robbed the Novgorod merchants; Odoevsky and Metropolitan Isidore locked themselves in the Kremlin, but, having neither military supplies nor military men at their disposal, they had to enter into negotiations with Delagardie. An agreement was concluded under which the Novgorodians recognized the Swedish king as their patron, and Delagardie was allowed into the Kremlin.
By mid-1612, the Swedes occupied the entire Novgorod land, except for Pskov and Gdov. Unsuccessful attempt take Pskov. The Swedes stopped hostilities.
Prince Pozharsky did not have enough troops to fight simultaneously with the Poles and Swedes, so he began negotiations with the latter. In May 1612, Stepan Tatishchev, the ambassador of the “zemsky” government, was sent from Yaroslavl to Novgorod with letters to the Novgorod Metropolitan Isidore, the boyar Prince Ivan Odoevsky and the commander of the Swedish troops, Jacob Delagardie. The government asked Metropolitan Isidore and Boyar Odoevsky how they were doing with the Swedes? The government wrote to Delagardie that if the king of Sweden gives his brother to the state and baptizes him into the Orthodox Christian faith, then they are glad to be with the Novgorodians in the same council. Odoevsky and Delagardie replied that they would soon send their ambassadors to Yaroslavl. Returning to Yaroslavl, Tatishchev announced that “there is nothing good to expect from the Swedes.” Negotiations with the Swedes about Karl Philip's candidate for Moscow Tsar became the reason for Pozharsky and Minin to convene the Zemsky Sobor. In July, the promised ambassadors arrived in Yaroslavl: abbot of the Vyazhitsky monastery Gennady, Prince Fyodor Obolensky and from all Pyatina, from the nobles and from the townspeople - one person at a time. On July 26, the Novgorodians appeared before Pozharsky and declared that “the prince is now on the road and will soon be in Novgorod.” The ambassadors’ speech ended with the proposal “to be with us in love and unity under the hand of one sovereign.”
Then a new embassy of Perfilius Sekerin was sent from Yaroslavl to Novgorod. He was instructed, with the assistance of the Novgorod Metropolitan Isidore, to conclude an agreement with the Swedes “so that the peasantry would have peace and quiet.” It is possible that in connection with this, the question of electing a Swedish prince recognized by Novgorod as king was raised in Yaroslavl. However, the royal election did not take place in Yaroslavl.
In October 1612, Moscow was liberated and the need arose to choose a new sovereign. Letters were sent from Moscow to many cities of Rus', including Novgorod, on behalf of the liberators of Moscow - Pozharsky and Trubetskoy. At the beginning of 1613, a meeting took place in Moscow Zemsky Sobor, where he was elected new king— Mikhail Romanov.
The Swedes left Novgorod only in 1617; only a few hundred inhabitants remained in the completely devastated city. During the events of the Time of Troubles, the borders of the Novgorod land were significantly reduced due to the loss of lands bordering Sweden in the Treaty of Stolbovo in 1617.
As part of the Russian Empire
- Novgorod province
In 1708, the territory became part of the Ingermanland (since 1710 St. Petersburg province) and Arkhangelsk provinces, and since 1726 the Novgorod province was allocated, in which there were 5 provinces: Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, Belozersk and Velikolutsk.
Notes
- The concept of “Novgorod land” is sometimes not always true (depending on historical period), include the areas of Novgorod colonization on the Northern Dvina, Karelia and the Arctic.
- Period of political history The Novgorod land, starting from the coup of 1136 and the sharp limitation of the role of the prince, until the victory of the Moscow prince Ivan III over the Novgorodians in 1478, is usually called by most Soviet and modern historians - "Novgorod Feudal Republic".
| Parameter name | Meaning |
| Article topic: | PRINCIPALITY OF NOVGOROD |
| Rubric (thematic category) | Story |
The territory of the Novgorod principality increased gradually. The Novgorod principality began with the ancient region of Slavic settlement. It was located in the basin of Lake Ilmen, as well as the rivers Volkhov, Lovat, Msta and Mologa. From the north, the Novgorod land was covered by the fortress-city of Ladoga, located at the mouth of the Volkhov. Over time, the territory of the Novgorod principality increased. The principality even had its own colonies.
Novgorod Principality in the XII – XIII centuries in the north owned lands along Lake Onega, the Lake Ladoga basin and northern shores Gulf of Finland. The outpost of the Novgorod principality in the west was the city of Yuryev (Tartu), which was founded by Yaroslav the Wise. This was Peipus land. The Novgorod principality expanded very quickly to the north and east (northeast). So, the lands that extended to the Urals and even beyond the Urals went to the Novgorod principality.
Novgorod itself occupied a territory that had five ends (districts). The entire territory of the Novgorod principality was divided into five regions in accordance with the five districts of the city. These areas were also called Pyatina. Thus, to the north-west of Novgorod was the Vodskaya Pyatina. It spread towards the Gulf of Finland and covered the lands of the Finnish Vod tribe. The Shelon Pyatina spread to the southwest on both sides of the Shelon River. Derevskaya Pyatina was located between the Msta and Lovat rivers, southeast of Novgorod. On both sides of Lake Onega to the northeast to White Sea Obonezhskaya Pyatina was located. Behind the Derevskaya and Obonezhskaya Pyatina, to the southeast was the Bezhetskaya Pyatina.
In addition to the indicated five pyatinas, the Novgorod principality included Novgorod volosts. One of them was the Dvina land (Zavolochye), which was located in the Northern Dvina region. Another volost of the Novgorod principality was the Perm land, which was located along the course of the Vychegda, as well as along its tributaries. The Principality of Novgorod included the land on both sides of Pechora. This was the Pechora region. Yugra was located east of the Northern Urals. Within the Onega and Ladoga lakes there was the land of Korela, which was also part of the Novgorod principality. The Kola Peninsula (Tersky Coast) was also part of the Novgorod Principality.
The basis of the Novgorod economy was agriculture. The land and the peasants working on it provided the main income to landowners. These were the boyars and, of course, the Orthodox clergy. Among the large landowners there were also merchants.
On the lands of the Novgorod Pyatins, the arable system prevailed. In the extreme northern regions, cutting was maintained. The lands at these latitudes cannot be called fertile. For this reason, part of the grain was imported from other Russian lands, most often from the Ryazan principality and the Rostov-Suzdal land. The problem of providing bread was especially pressing in lean years, which were not uncommon here.
It was not only the land that fed us. The population was engaged in hunting for fur and sea animals, fishing, beekeeping, salt mining in Staraya Russa and Vychegda, and iron ore mining in Vodskaya Pyatina. Trade and crafts were widely developed in Novgorod. Carpenters, potters, blacksmiths, gunsmiths, shoemakers, tanners, felt makers, bridge workers and other craftsmen worked there. Novgorod carpenters were even sent to Kyiv, where they carried out very important orders.
Trade routes from Novgorod passed through Northern Europe to the Black Sea basin, as well as from Western countries to Eastern European countries. In the 10th century, Novgorod merchants sailed on their ships along the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” At the same time, they reached the shores of Byzantium. The Novgorod state had very close trade and economic ties with European countries. Among them was a large shopping mall Northwestern Europe Gotland. In Novgorod there was a whole trading colony - the Gothic court.
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It was surrounded by a high wall, behind which there were barns and houses with foreign merchants living in them.
In the second half of the 12th century they strengthened trade relations Novgorod with the union of North German cities (Hansa). All measures were taken to ensure that foreign merchants felt completely safe. Another merchant colony and a new German trading court were built.
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The life of trading colonies was regulated by a special charter (ʼʼSkraʼʼ).
Novgorodians supplied linen, hemp, flax, lard, wax, and the like to the market. Metals, cloth, weapons and other goods came to Novgorod from abroad. Goods passed through Novgorod from Western countries to Eastern countries and in the opposite direction. Novgorod acted as an intermediary in such trade. Goods from the East were delivered to Novgorod along the Volga, from where they were sent to Western countries.
Trade within the vast Novgorod Republic developed successfully. Novgorodians also traded with the principalities North-Eastern Rus', where Novgorod primarily purchased bread. Novgorod merchants were united into societies (like guilds). The most powerful was the trading company “Ivanovo Sto”. Members of society had great privileges. From among its members, the trading society again chose elders according to the number of districts of the city. Each elder, together with the thousand, was in charge of everyone commercial affairs, as well as a commercial court in Novgorod. The trade leader established weight measures, length measures, etc., and monitored compliance with accepted and legalized rules of trade. The ruling class in the Novgorod Republic there were large landowners- boyars, clergy, merchants. Some of them owned lands that stretched for hundreds of miles. For example, the boyar family Boretsky owned lands that extended over vast territories along the Northern Dvina and the White Sea. Merchants who owned significant lands were called “living people”. Landowners received their main income in the form of quitrents. The landowner's own farm was not very large. Slaves worked on it.
In the city, large landowners shared power with the merchant elite. Together they formed the city patriciate and controlled the economic and political life of Novgorod.
Established in Novgorod political system was unique. Initially, Kyiv sent governor-princes to Novgorod, who were subordinate to the Grand Duke of Kyiv and acted in accordance with instructions from Kyiv. The prince-governor appointed mayors and mayors. At the same time, over time, the boyars and large landowners increasingly evaded subordination to the prince. So, in 1136 this resulted in a rebellion against Prince Vsevolod. The chronicle says that “Prince Vsevolod rode into the bishop’s courtyard with his wife and children, his mother-in-law, and the guard, guarding the guard day and night 30, the husband a day with weapons.” It ended with Prince Vsevolod being exiled to Pskov. And in Novgorod a people's assembly was formed - the veche.
The mayor or tysyatsky announced the gathering of the people's assembly on the trading side of the Yaroslavl courtyard. Everyone was summoned by the ringing of the veche bell. In addition, Birgochs and Podveiskys were sent to different parts of the city, who invited (clicked) the people to the veche gathering. Only men participated in decision making. Any free person (male) could take part in the work of the veche.
The powers of the veche were broad and significant. The veche elected a mayor, a thousand (previously they were appointed by the prince), a bishop, declared war, made peace, discussed and approved legislative acts, tried posadniks, thousand, sotskys for crimes, concluded treaties with foreign powers. The veche invited the prince to the board. It also “showed him the way” when he did not live up to his hopes.
The Veche was the legislative power in the Novgorod Republic. The decisions made at the meeting had to be implemented. This was the responsibility of the executive branch. The heads of the executive power were the mayor and the thousand. The mayor was elected at the assembly. His term of office was not determined in advance. But the veche could recall him at any time. The posadnik was the highest official in the republic. He controlled the activities of the prince, ensuring that the activities of the Novgorod authorities corresponded to the decisions of the veche. In the hands of the townsman was Supreme Court republics. He had the right to remove and appoint officials. The prince headed the armed forces. The mayor went on a campaign as an assistant to the prince. In fact, the mayor headed not only the executive branch, but also the veche. He received foreign ambassadors. If the prince was absent, the armed forces were subordinate to the mayor. As for Tysyatsky, he was an assistant mayor. He commanded separate units during the war. In peacetime, the thousand was responsible for the state of trade affairs and the merchant court.
The clergy in Novgorod was headed by a bishop. Since 1165, the archbishop became the head of the Novgorod clergy. He was the largest of the Novgorod landowners. The ecclesiastical court was under the jurisdiction of the archbishop. The archbishop was a kind of minister of foreign affairs - he was in charge of relations between Novgorod and other countries.
However, after 1136, when Prince Vsevolod was expelled, the Novgorodians elected a prince for themselves at a veche. Most often he was invited to reign. But this reign was greatly limited. The prince did not even have the right to buy this or that plot of land with his own money. The mayor and his people watched all his actions. The duties and rights of the invited prince were stipulated in the agreement concluded between the veche and the prince. This agreement was called “nearby”. According to the agreement, the prince had no administrative power. In essence, he was supposed to act as commander-in-chief. However, he personally could not declare war or make peace.
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For his service, the prince was allocated funds for his “feeding”. In practice, it looked like this: the prince was allocated an area (volost) where he collected tribute, which was used for these purposes. Most often, the Novgorodians invited the Vladimir-Suzdal princes, who were considered the most powerful among the Russian princes, to reign. When the princes tried to break the established order, they received a worthy rebuff.
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The danger to the liberties of the Novgorod Republic from the Suzdal princes passed after in 1216 the Suzdal troops suffered a complete defeat from the Novgorod troops on the Lipitsa River. We can assume that from that time the Novgorod land turned into a feudal boyar republic.
In the 14th century, Pskov split off from Novgorod. But in both cities the veche order lasted until they were annexed to the Moscow Principality. There is no need to think that an idyll was realized in Novgorod, when power belongs to the people. There should be no democracy (power of the people) in principle. Now there is not a single country in the world that could say that power in it belongs to the people. Yes, people take part in elections. And this is where the power of the people ends. So it was then, in Novgorod. Real power was in the hands of the Novgorod elite. The cream of society created a council of gentlemen. It included former administrators (mayors and tysyatsky stars of the Novgorod districts-ends), as well as the current mayor and tysyatsky. The council of gentlemen was headed by the Novgorod archbishop. The council met in his chambers when matters needed to be resolved. At the meeting, ready-made decisions were made, which were developed by the council of gentlemen. Of course, there were cases when the veche did not agree with the decisions proposed by the council of gentlemen. But there were not many such cases.
PRINCIPALITY OF NOVGOROD - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "NOVGOROD PRINCIPALITY" 2017, 2018.
The most extensive Russian possession in the appanage era was the Novgorod land, which included the suburbs of Novgorod - Pskov, Staraya Russa, Velikiye Luki, Torzhok, Ladoga, vast northern and eastern territories, where predominantly Finno-Ugric tribes lived. By the end of the 12th century. Novgorod belongs to Perm, Pechora, Yugra (the region on both slopes of the Northern Urals). In the Novgorod land there was a hierarchy of cities. Novgorod occupied the leading position. The remaining cities had the status of suburbs.
Novgorod dominated the most important trade routes. Merchant caravans from the Dnieper walked along the Lovat through Lake Ilmen along the Volkhov to Ladoga: here the path forked along the Neva to the Baltic, to Sweden, Denmark, to the Hansa - a trade union of North German cities; along the Svir and Sheken - to the Volga to the northeastern principalities, to Bulgaria and further to the east. In the city there were foreign trading yards - "German" and "Gothic". In turn, Novgorod merchants had courts in many principalities and countries - in Kyiv, Lübeck, on the island. Gotland. Inexhaustible and diverse forest resources made Novgorod merchants tempting partners. Particularly strong trade relations existed with the Hansa.
The harsh climate and poor soils did not contribute to the development of agriculture in the Novgorod land. In lean years, it found itself dependent on neighboring principalities - suppliers of grain. It does not follow from this, however, that rural population did not engage in arable farming. In the vast domains of the Novgorod boyars lived hundreds of smerds engaged in agricultural labor. Cattle breeding, vegetable gardening and horticulture were relatively developed. Nature itself, with its numerous rivers and vast forests, encouraged Novgorodians to engage in crafts. For fur, fish tooth (walrus bone), wax and others natural resources went to the thickets of the forest and the polar tundra. The Novgorodians forced the aboriginal tribes Izhora, Karela, Vod, Pechera, Yugra, and Em to pay tribute. Tributary relations were hardly overly burdensome; as a rule, they were peaceful and with the payment of tribute, trade exchanges began.
Archaeological excavations have revealed a multi-meter cultural layer in the city center. By the 13th century. it was a large, well-organized and fortified city. Its population consisted of artisans various specialties. The craft character of the city was reflected in its toponymy, hence the names of the streets Shchitnaya, Goncharnaya, Kuznetskaya, etc.
Researchers have not come to a consensus whether Novgorod artisans had workshops like Western European ones. There is no doubt, however, that some beginnings of associations along professional lines existed. This made it easier to practice the craft and allowed them to defend corporate interests.
Trade and craft residents made up most population of Novgorod. Their strength lay in their numbers and unity. The voice of the lower classes was clearly heard at the city meeting, and the ruling elite could not help but take this into account. Nevertheless, Novgorod merchants and artisans did not have real power. The leading positions in the political life of the city were occupied by the boyars.
Historically, the Novgorod boyars managed to maintain their isolation and relative independence. Thus, the study of birch bark letters allowed historians to assume that tribute in the Novgorod land was administered not by princes, but by boyars.
Quite quickly, large land ownership developed in the North-West of Rus'. Moreover, we are talking about boyar land ownership, since with the acquisition of independence, the Novgorodians did not allow the emergence of princely land ownership. Other boyar possessions were so vast that they surpassed the principalities. The boyars themselves preferred to live in the city. Thus, the interests of the city and the Novgorod boyars were closely intertwined. Feudal exploitation and profits received from participation in trade operations became the main sources of welfare for the boyars.
Another feature of the Novgorod boyars is their corporate spirit. Unlike other lands, in independent Novgorod the boyar title was hereditary. The princes, deprived of the opportunity to form the local elite and endow it with land holdings, lost effective leverage over the ruling class. The isolation of the Novgorod boyars made it little dependent on the prince; 30-40 boyar clans occupied leading positions in the life of the city, monopolizing the highest government positions. The growing role of the boyars was so great that many researchers define the Novgorod Republic as boyar
The feudal lords of non-boyar origin in Novgorod included the so-called live people. This rather heterogeneous group included large and small landowners. Somewhat disadvantaged in their legal status- not all positions were available to them - people did not play in real life independent role and usually joined the boyar groups.
The boyars, living people, merchants, trade and craft people, community farmers made up the free population of the Novgorod land. The dependents were slaves and stinkers.
Unlike North-Eastern Rus', where the monarchical principle took over, Novgorod history marked further development Veche institutions that have proven their viability.
It has become typical for Novgorod vocation prince to reign. Relations with the prince were formalized by an agreement, the violation of which entailed his expulsion. The prince did not have the right to own estates, much less grant villages to his entourage. Even the prince’s residence was moved outside the boundaries of Detinets, to Gorodishche. This extraterritoriality is a kind of confirmation of the foreignness of the princely power in relation to Novgorod institutions.
At the same time, the Novgorodians could not completely do without the prince. In the minds of people of that time, the prince was a military leader, a defender of borders. A professional warrior, he appeared in Novgorod with his squad, for whom war was a common thing. According to V. O. Klyuchevsky, the prince was needed as a “hired watchman.” In addition, the prince was the recipient of the tribute that Novgorod received from the conquered lands. He also resolved many litigations and was the highest court. In real life, the prince acted as a symbol of the unity of the republic, equalizing it in communication with the surrounding principalities, where their Rurikovichs sat.
Since the 14th century The Novgorod veche preferred to choose the holder of the grand ducal label as its prince. Since most often these were Tver and then Moscow princes, they sent their governors to the city. At the same time, all traditions were observed - the princes pledged to keep “Novgorod in the old days, without offense”, the Novgorodians - to accept and obey the princely governors. In practice, the princes, called upon to protect the integrity of the republic, did not miss an opportunity to tear away this or that volost. The initiative was made by Ivan Kalita, who tried to annex the Dvina land to the Moscow principality. There was a sharp struggle for the cities of Volok, Torzhok, and Vologda.
Princes usually did not stay at the Settlement. Over the course of 200 years, from 1095 to 1304, changes in princely power occurred 58 times!
Novgorodskaya politic system- this is a kind of federation of self-governing communities and corporations - Novgorod sides and streets, the highest body for which was veche - people's assembly. The veche summoned and expelled princes, ratifying decisions that were of vital importance for the city.
The Volkhov River divided Novgorod into two sides - the left-bank Sofia and the right-bank Torgovaya. The sides, in turn, were divided into ends. Novgorodskie ends - administrative and political units of the city (Slavensky, Nerevsky, Lyudin, Zagorodsky, Plotnitsky) had the right to collect their own Konchansky veche; Konchan elders formalized claims against the executive branch and determined ways to fight for their interests. At the city meeting, the ends acted as original “parties”. Veche democracy presupposed decision-making according to the old expression “everyone will agree on one speech.” Novgorod charters gained strength when they were sealed with the seals of the ends. The Novgorod militia consisted of military detachments that arose from the ends. The ends, in turn, were divided into streets with their elected street elders.
At the city meeting, the highest officials of the republic were elected - mayor, thousand, ruler (archbishop). The central place in the executive power was occupied by the institution of mayors. In the Novgorod Republic this position was elective. The posadniks controlled the activities of the prince; the internal and foreign policy. Posadniks were chosen from boyar families.
The post of mayor was temporary. The two acting posadniks were called sedate posadniks. At the end of the term, they gave up their seats. Over time, the number of posadniks increased - this reflected the acute internal struggle in the city, the desire of each of the boyar groups and the city districts behind them to influence the affairs of the republic.
The functions of the thousand included control over the collection of taxes, participation in the commercial court, and leadership of the militia of the city and district. The Novgorod archbishop possessed not only church, but also secular power. A meeting of mayors was held under his chairmanship.
The veche republican order permeated the entire structure of Novgorod. However, we should not exaggerate veche democracy. It was limited primarily by the boyars, who concentrated executive power in their hands and led the veche.
Novgorod was not alone. Freed from its dependence, Pskov created its own sovereign Pskov feudal republic. The veche order was strong in Vyatka, which indicated that in Russian history there were not only autocratic development prospects. However, when the time came to gather lands, Novgorod and Pskov, torn by internal contradictions, could not resist the strong monarchical power.
The political history of Novgorod is different from the political history of North-Eastern or Southern Rus'. The successful functioning of the Novgorod Republic depended on the consent of its components. Even after major social upheavals, Novgorodians found ways to gain stability. Along with the boyar groups and clans, ordinary Novgorodians, “black people,” took part in political processes, and the voice of the latter was much more significant in comparison with other regions of appanage Rus'.
Internal clashes in Novgorod were caused by for various reasons. Most often, the struggle was around the institution of posadnichestvo. Each of the warring parties pursued the goal of retaining an influential position for their protege. The consequence was frequent change princes associated with one or another mayor, and the mayors themselves. This brought destabilization into the internal life of the city. Gradually, a tradition began to form in Novgorod when the veche “parties” avoided entering into agreements with the princes.
Novgorod veche, how supreme body democracy, turned out to be able to control the activities of the mayors. In 1209, the veche jointly opposed the abuses of members of the elected communal administration, headed by the mayor Dmitry Miroshkinich. The latter was not supported even by the Nerevsky End, whose protégé he was.
From the second half XIII V. oligarchic tendencies were noticeably growing in the political life of Novgorod. This, in particular, found expression in the appearance of a boyar territorial representative council under the mayor, from which the mayor was elected for a period of one year. Such a system restrained political rivalry between Konchan representatives and strengthened the position of the Novgorod boyars.
The policy of the top leaders has more than once caused the “black people” to speak out. The uprising of 1418 went beyond discontent with one unpopular boyar. To the sound of the veche bell, the rebels rushed to Prusskaya Street, where the Novgorod aristocracy settled. The boyars and their slaves met the residents of the Trade Side with weapons. Then the common people of the Sofia side joined the latter. Only the intervention of the Novgorod ruler stopped the bloodshed. The dispute was brought to the mainstream judicial trial, in which the clergy acted as a third party.
The Novgorod Republic, especially during its heyday, played a huge role in Russian history. The city has become one of the largest and beautiful cities medieval Europe. The harsh and majestic architecture of Novgorod amazed contemporaries. But Novgorod was not only majestic. Political and military force its nature was such that, as an outpost of the Russian land on its western borders, it repelled the aggression of the German knights, which threatened the loss of national identity.