V. O. Klyuchevsky about the Novgorod pyatins
The [Novgorod] pyatinas were as follows: to the north-west of Novgorod, between the Volkhov and Luga rivers, the Votskaya pyatina stretched towards the Gulf of Finland, which got its name from the Finnish tribe Vodi, or Voti, who lived here; to the northeast, to the right of the Volkhov, the Obonezhskaya pyatina went far to the White Sea on both sides of Lake Onega; to the southeast, between the rivers Mstoyu and Lovat, stretched the Derevskaya pyatina; to the south-west, between the rivers Lovatyu and Luga, on both sides of the Shelon River, there was the Shelon Pyatina; at the departure, beyond the pyatinas of Obonezhskaya and Derevskaya, the pyatina of Bezhetskaya stretched far to the east and southeast, which got its name from the village of Bezhichi, which was once one of its administrative centers (in the present Tver province). This pyatina captured the northern part of the current Tver province, the western - Yaroslavl and the southeastern corner of Novgorod. This fifth division of the Novgorod region appears already in the documents of the Moscow time, from the end of the 15th century, but is unknown from the monuments of free Novgorod. According to these monuments, the Novgorod region has long been divided into districts that bore the same name with five; only they were called not pyatinas, but lands, in the XII century. - in rows: Votskaya land, Obonezhsky and Bezhetsky row or simply Shelon, Trees. An obscure trace of the fifth or corresponding division of years 50 before the fall of Novgorod is found in the life of St. Varlaam Vazhsky, compiled at the end of the 16th century, where we read: "It was then (about 1426) that the Great Novgorod was divided by lots, even five five were called." Probably, Moscow, not liking to break the local antiquity, kept the ready-made regional division in Novgorod as well. A feature of the fifth division of the Novgorod region was that all the fifths, except for Bezhetskaya, began right at Novgorod itself or, like Derevskaya, not far from it and ran in all directions in the form of expanding radial stripes. So, the Derevyanitsky churchyard of the Obonezhskaya Pyatina was two versts from Novgorod, and the Spassky churchyard of the same Pyatina was 700 versts, on Vygoozero, near the White Sea. Only in Bezhetskaya Pyatina, according to the books of the 16th century, the nearest churchyard was 100 versts from Novgorod. This suggests that the districts, sooner or later called Pyatin, consisted of the oldest and closest possessions to Novgorod and gradually expanded.
Map of Novgorod land with indication of five
S. F. Platonov about the Novgorod pyatins
... Around Novgorod lay vast expanses of land that belonged to Novgorod and were called "the land of St. Sophia". This land was divided into pyatins and regions. The number of pyatins corresponded to the number of [Novgorod] ends. To the northeast of Novgorod, on both sides of Lake Onega, lay the Obonezh pyatina; to the north-west, between Volkhov and Luga, - Vodskaya; to the southeast, between Msta and Lovat, is the Derevskaya patch; to the southwest, on both sides of the Shelon River, - Shelonskaya, and finally, in the southeast, the five Bezhetskaya stretched. The suburbs of Novgorod were located in the pyatinas: Pskov, Izborsk, Velikie Luki, Staraya Russa, Ladoga, etc. The suburbs were dependent on Novgorod, took part in its affairs and were called to the Novgorod veche; of these, only Pskov in the XIV century. achieved state independence and began to be called the "younger brother of Novgorod".
The most extensive Russian possession in the specific era was Novgorod land, which included the suburbs of Novgorod - Pskov, Staraya Russa, Velikiye Luki, Torzhok, Ladoga, vast northern and eastern territories, where mainly Finno-Ugric tribes lived. By the end of the XII century. Novgorod belongs to Perm, Pechora, Ugra (a region on both slopes of the Northern Urals). In the Novgorod land there was a hierarchy of cities. Novgorod dominated. The remaining cities had the status of suburbs.
Novgorod dominated the most important trade routes. Merchant caravans from the Dnieper went along the Lovat across Lake Ilmen along the Volkhov to Ladoga: here the path forked along the Neva to the Baltic, to Sweden, Denmark, to the Hansa - the 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, Lubeck, on about. Gotland. Inexhaustible and diverse forest resources made Novgorod merchants attractive 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 turned out to be dependent on neighboring principalities - suppliers of bread. However, it does not follow from this that the rural population was not engaged in arable farming. Hundreds of smerds, engaged in rural labor, lived in the vast possessions of the Novgorod boyars. Cattle breeding, horticulture 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 other natural resources, they went to the forest thickets and the polar tundra. The Novgorodians forced the native tribes of Izhora, Karel, Vod, Pechera, Yugra, and Em to pay tribute. The tributary relations were hardly overly burdensome, as a rule, they were of a peaceful nature and trade exchange began with the payment of tribute.
Archaeological excavations have revealed a multi-meter cultural layer in the center of the city. By the XIII century. it was a large, well organized and fortified city. Its population consisted of artisans of various specialties. The craft character of the city is reflected in its toponymy, hence the names of the streets Shchitnaya, Goncharnaya, Kuznetskaya, etc.
Researchers have not come to a consensus on whether Novgorod artisans had workshops similar to those in Western Europe. There is no doubt, however, that some rudiments of associations along professional lines existed. This made it easier to engage in crafts and made it possible to defend corporate interests.
Trade and craftsmen made up the bulk of the population of Novgorod. Their strength was in their numbers and unity. The voice of the lower classes was well heard at the city assembly, and the ruling elite could not ignore this. 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 the tribute in the Novgorod land was administered not by the princes, but by the boyars.
Quite quickly, a large landownership developed in the North-West of Russia. 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 extensive 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 from participation in trade operations became the main sources of the boyars' well-being.
Another feature of the Novgorod boyars is their corporatism. Unlike other lands, in independent Novgorod the boyar title was hereditary. The princes, having lost the opportunity to form the local elite and endow it with land holdings, lost an effective lever of influence on the ruling class. The isolation of the Novgorod boyars made him 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-Yar origin in Novgorod included the so-called live people. This rather heterogeneous grouping included large and small landowners. Somewhat infringed in their legal status - not all positions were available to them - to live and people did not play an independent role and usually joined the boyar groups.
The boyars, living people, merchants, trade and craft people, communal farmers made up the free population of the Novgorod land. Slaves and serfs were dependent.
Unlike North-Eastern Russia, where the monarchical beginning took over, Novgorod history is marked by the further development of veche institutions that proved their viability.
Novgorod has become characteristic vocation prince to reign. Relations with the prince were formalized by an agreement, the violation of which entailed his exile. The prince had no right to own estates and even more so to grant villages and villages to his entourage. Even the residence of the prince was moved outside the citadel, to Gorodische. This extraterritoriality is a kind of confirmation of the foreignness of princely power in relation to Novgorod institutions.
At the same time, the Novgorodians could not completely do without the prince. In the view of the people of that time, the prince was a military leader, a defender of the frontiers. A professional warrior, he appeared in Novgorod with his squad, for which war was a common thing. In the words of V. O. Klyuchevsky, the prince was necessary as a "hired watchman." In addition, the prince was the addressee of the tribute that Novgorod received from the conquered lands. He also resolved many lawsuits, was the highest court. In real life, the prince acted as a symbol of the unity of the republic, equalized it in communication with the surrounding principalities, where their Ruriks were sitting.
From the 14th century Novgorod veche preferred to choose the owner of the grand prince's label as their prince. Since most often these were Tver princes, and then Moscow princes, they sent their governors to the city. At the same time, all traditions were respected - the princes pledged to keep "Novgorod in the old days, without offense", Novgorodians - to accept and obey the princely governors. In practice, the princes, called upon to protect the integrity of the republic, did not miss the opportunity to tear away one or another volost. The initiative was made by Ivan Kalita, who tried to annex the Dvina land to the Moscow principality. A sharp struggle went on for the cities of Volok, Torzhok, Vologda.
Princes usually did not linger on Gorodische. For 200 years, from 1095 to 1304, the change of princely power occurred 58 times!
The Novgorod political system is a kind of federation of self-governing communities and corporations - Novgorod sides and streets, the supreme body for which was veche - people's assembly. Veche called and expelled the princes, I approve 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 Trade. The sides, in turn, were divided into ends. Novgorod ends - administrative and political units of the city (Slavensky, Nerevsky, Lyudin, Zagorodsky, Carpenter) had the right to collect konchanskoe veche; Konchansky elders filed claims against the executive branch and determined how to fight for their interests. At the city veche, the ends acted as a kind of "parties". Veche democracy assumed the adoption of a decision according to the old expression "everyone will agree on one speech." Novgorod letters gained strength when they were sealed with the seals of the ends. The Novgorod militia consisted of military detachments that arose on the basis of the ends. The ends, in turn, were divided into streets with their elected street elders.
At the city assembly, the highest officials of the republic were elected - posadnik, thousand, lord (archbishop). The institution of posadniks occupied a central place in the executive branch. In the Novgorod Republic, this position was elective. Posadniks controlled the activities of the prince, and domestic and foreign policy was concentrated in their hands. Posadnikov were chosen from boyar families.
The position of the mayor was temporary. 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 districts of the city that stood behind them to influence the affairs of the republic.
The functions of the thousandth included control over the collection of taxes, participation in the commercial court, leadership of the militia of the city and the district. The Archbishop of Novgorod possessed not only ecclesiastical, but also secular power. Under his chairmanship, a meeting of posadniks was held.
Veche republican order permeated the entire structure of Novgorod. However, veche democracy should not be exaggerated. 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. Veche orders were strong in Vyatka, which testified that in the national history there were not only autocratic development prospects. However, when the time came for the gathering of lands, Novgorod and Pskov, torn apart 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 Russia. The successful functioning of the Novgorod Republic depended on the consent of its constituent parts. 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 specific Russia.
Internal clashes in Novgorod were caused by various reasons. Most often, the struggle was around the institute of posadnichestvo. Each of the warring parties pursued the goal of keeping an influential position for their protege. The consequence was a frequent change of princes associated with one or another posadnik, and the posadniks themselves. This brought destabilization to the inner life of the city. Gradually, a tradition began to form in Novgorod when the veche "parties" avoided entering into an agreement with the princes.
The Novgorod veche, as the supreme body of democracy, was able to control the activities of the posadniks. In 1209, the veche came together against the abuses of members of the elected community administration, headed by the posadnik Dmitry Miroshkinich. The latter was not supported even by the Nerevsky end, of which he was a protege.
From the second half of the XIII century. oligarchic tendencies grew noticeably in the political life of Novgorod. This, in particular, found expression in the appearance of a boyar territorial-representative council under the posadnik, from which the posadnik was elected for a year. Such a system restrained political rivalry between Konchan representatives and strengthened the position of the Novgorod boyars.
The politics of the upper classes more than once caused the "black people" to act. The uprising of 1418 went beyond dissatisfaction with one unpopular boyar. Under the blows of the veche bell, the rebels rushed to Prusskaya Street, where the Novgorod aristocracy settled. Boyars with serfs met the inhabitants 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 transferred to the mainstream of the trial, in which the clergy acted as an arbitrator.
The Novgorod Republic, especially during its heyday, played a huge role in Russian history. The city became one of the largest and most beautiful cities of medieval Europe. Severe and majestic Novgorod architecture amazed contemporaries. But Novgorod was not only majestic. Its political and military strength 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.
The territory of the Novgorod land took shape gradually. Its center was the ancient region of the settlement of the Slavs, located in the basin of Lake Ilmen and the rivers - Volkhov, Lovat, Msta and Mologa. The extreme northern point was the city of Ladoga - a strong fortress at the mouth of the Volkhov.
In the future, this ancient region was overgrown with new territories, some of which organically merged with the original core of the Novgorod land, others constituted a kind of colony of Novgorod.
B XII - XIII centuries. Novgorod owned lands in the north along Lake Onega, the basin of Lake Ladoga and the northern shores of the Gulf of Finland. In the west, Novgorod fortified itself in the Peipsi land, where the city of Yuryev (Tartu), founded by Yaroslav the Wise, became its stronghold. But the growth of Novgorod's possessions was especially rapid in the northeast direction, where Novgorod owned a strip of land stretching to the Urals and beyond the Urals.
The Novgorod lands proper were divided into five large areas of pyatins, corresponding to the five ends (districts) of Novgorod. Ha northwest of Novgorod, towards the Gulf of Finland was the Vodskaya pyatina, it covered the lands of the Finnish
C [C () GO of the Vod tribe; to the south-west, on both sides of the Shedon River - the Shelon Pyatina; to the southeast, between the rivers Dostoyu and Lovatio - Derevskaya pyatina; to the north-east to the White Sea but both sides of Lake Onega - Onega Pyatina; behind the Derevskaya and Onega pyatins, to the southeast, there was the Bezhetskaya pyatina.
In addition to the pyatins, a huge space was occupied by Novgorod volosts - Zavolochye, or Dvina land - in the area of the Northern Dvina. Perm land - along the Vychegda and its tributaries, on both sides of the Pechora - the Pechora region, to the east of the Northern Urals - ІOgra, to the north, within the Onega and Ladoga lakes - Korela, finally, on the Kola Peninsula - the so-called Tersky coast.
The population of the Novgorod land was mainly engaged in agriculture, primarily agriculture, which formed the basis of the Novgorod economy. The Novgorod boyars and the clergy had extensive estates. Merchant land ownership was also developed here.
In the agriculture of the Novgorod patches, the arable system prevailed, the undercut was preserved only in the extreme northern regions. In view of the unfavorable soil and climatic conditions, the yields were not high, therefore, despite the widespread use of agriculture, it still did not cover the needs of the Novgorod population in bread. Part of the grain had to be imported from other Russian lands, mainly from Rostov-Suzdal and Ryazan. In lean years, which were not uncommon in the life of the Novgorod land, the import of grain acquired decisive importance.
Along with agriculture and cattle breeding, the population of Novgorod land was engaged in various crafts: hunting for fur and sea animals, fishing, beekeeping, salt mining in Staraya Pycce and Vychegda, iron ore mining in Votskaya Pyatina. In the center of the Novgorod land - Novgorod and its suburbs - Pskov Craft and trade flourished. Novgorod has long been famous for its artisans, carpenters, potters, blacksmiths, gunsmiths, besides, shoemakers, cobblers, felters, bridgers and many other craftsmen of various specialties lived in it. Novgorod carpenters V Shisysy to work in Kyiv and became so famous for their ІSK Usstvom that the term "Novgorod" often meant - "Carpenter".
Domestic and foreign trade was of great importance in the economy of Novgorod. The most important trade routes of that time passed through Novgorod from Northern Europe to the Black Sea basin and from the countries of the West to the countries of Eastern Europe. This has long contributed to the development of crafts and trade in it.
Entrepreneurial Novgorod merchants already in the 10th century. sailed in their fragile boats on the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks", reaching the shores of Byzantium. A wide exchange existed between Novgorod and the European states. At first, Novgorod was connected with the island of Gotland, a major trading center of North-Western Europe. In Novgorod itself there was a Gothic court - a trading colony surrounded by a high wall, with barns and houses for living foreign merchants. Close trade ties were established in the second half of the 12th century. Novgorod with the Union of North German cities (Hansa). A new German trading yard was built in Novgorod, a new trading colony grew. Foreign merchants were inviolable on the territory of these trading colonies. A special charter "Skra" regulated the life of the trading colony.
Cloth, metals, weapons and other goods were sent to Novgorod from abroad. Linen, hemp, linen, lard, wax, etc. were brought from Novgorod to different countries. The role of Novgorod as an intermediary in the exchange between the West and the East was significant. Eastern goods for Europe went along the Volga to Novgorod, and then to Western countries. Only the Tatar-Mongol yoke and the rule of the Golden Horde undermined this intermediary significance of Novgorod.
An equally important role for Novgorod was played by trade within the Novgorod Republic itself and with North-Eastern Russia, from where it received the bread it needed. The need for bread always made Novgorod cherish its relations with the Vladimir-Suzdal princes.
Numerous and strong Novgorod merchants had their own organizations similar to Western European merchant guilds. The most powerful of them was the so-called "Ivanovo Sto" which had great privileges. It elected five elders from its midst, who, together with the thousandth, were in charge of all commercial affairs and the merchant court in Novgorod, established weights, measures of length and observed the correctness of the trade itself.
The structure of the Novgorodian economy determined its social and political system. The ruling class in Novgorod were secular and spiritual feudal lords, landowners and wealthy Novgorod merchants. In the hands of the Novgorod boyars and the church were extensive land holdings.
One of the foreign travelers - JIa-nua - testifies that in Novgorod there were such lords who owned lands for hundreds of miles. An example is the boyar surname Boretsky, who owned vast territories along the White Sea and the Northern Dvina.
"Golden Gate" in Vladimir-on-Klyazma. HP in.
In addition to the boyars and the church, there were also large landowners in Novgorod who were engaged in various trades. These are the so-called "living people".
The owners of estates exploited the labor of feudal dependent people - “ladles”, “guarantors”,
"old people". The main form of exploitation of the feudal-dependent population in the Novgorod land was the collection of dues. The feudal lord's own household here did not reach large sizes, and it was mainly serfs who worked in it.
Large feudal lords were masters of the situation not only in their estates, but also in the city. Together with the merchant elite, they formed an urban patriciate, in whose hands was the economic and political life of Novgorod.
The features of the socio-economic development of Novgorod led to the establishment in it of a special political system, different from other Russian lands. Initially, the governor-princes, sent by the unidentified Kievan princes, sat in Novgorod. They appointed posadniks and tysyatskys. But the strong Novgorod boyars and wealthy townspeople were more and more reluctant to submit to the henchmen of the Kyiv prince. In 1136, the Novgorodians revolted against Prince Vce- in the lod and, says the chronicler, “planted Prince Vsevolod in the episcopal court with his wife and children, mother-in-law and guards, day and night. 30 husband for a day with weapons. Then
Vsevolod was sent to Pskov. Since that time, a new political order has been established in Novgorod.
Veche, the people's assembly, became the supreme body in Novgorod. The veche was usually convened by a posadnik or a thousand. It was convened on the trading side of the Yaroslavl courtyard by the ringing of a veche bell. B the ends were sent biryuchi and podvoisky to call the people to the veche gathering. All free people, men, could participate in the veche. Veche had great powers. It elected the posadnik, the tysyatsky, who had previously been appointed prince, the bishop of Novgorod, declared war, made peace, discussed and approved legislative acts, tried the posadniks, tysyatsky, sotsky, for the crimes, concluded agreements with foreign powers. The veche, finally, invited the prince, and sometimes expelled him (“showed him the way”), replacing him with a new one.
Executive power in Novgorod was concentrated in the hands of the posadnik and the thousand. The posadnik was elected for an indefinite period, he controlled the prince, monitored the activities of the Novgorod authorities, in his hands was the supreme court of the republic, the right to dismiss and appoint officials. In case of military danger, the posadnik went on a campaign as an assistant to the prince. By order of the posadnik, the veche, which he headed, gathered by ringing the bell. The posadnik received foreign ambassadors and, in the absence of the prince, commanded the Novgorod army. Tysyatsky was the first assistant to the mayor, he commanded separate detachments during the war, and in peacetime he was in charge of commercial affairs, a merchant court.
In favor of the posadnik and the thousandth was the so-called poralie, i.e. known income from the plow; this income served the posadnik and the thousandth as a certain salary.
The political life of Novgorod was greatly influenced by the bishop of Novgorod, and from 1165 by the archbishop. In his hands was the church court, he was in charge of relations between Novgorod and foreign states, and most importantly, he was the largest of the Novgorod feudal lords.
With the expulsion of Prince Vsevolod from Novgorod in 1136, the Novgorodians did not completely eliminate the prince, but the significance and role of the prince in Novgorod changed dramatically. The Novgorodians now elected (invited) this or that prince for themselves at a veche, concluding a “row” agreement with him, which severely limited the rights and scope of the prince’s activities. The prince could not declare war or make peace without an agreement with the veche. He did not have the right to acquire land in Novgorod possessions. He could collect tribute, but only in certain volosts assigned to him. For all his activities, the prince was under the control of the posadnik. In short, the Novgorod prince was a "fed" prince. He was only a military specialist who was supposed to be at the head of the Novgorod army during a military danger. Judicial and administrative functions were taken away from him and transferred to the initial people - townsmen and thousands.
The princes of Novgorod, as a rule, were the princes of Vladimir and Suzdal, the most powerful of the Russian princes. They persistently sought to subjugate Veliky Novgorod to their power, but the latter resolutely fought for its liberties.
The defeat of the Suzdal troops in 1216 on the Lipitsa River ended this struggle. Novgorod finally turned into a feudal boyar republic.
Established in Novgorod and separated from it in the XIV century. The Pskov veche system lasted until they were annexed to Moscow.
It should be noted that the veche system in Novgorod was by no means a rule of the people. In fact, all power was in the hands of the Novgorod elite. Next to the veche, the Novgorod leaders created their own aristocratic body - the council of gentlemen. It included sedate (i.e. acting) posadnik and thousand, former posadniks and thousand, elders of the Novgorod ends. The archbishop of Novgorod was the chairman of the council of gentlemen. The council of gentlemen met in the chambers of the archbishop and preliminarily decided all the cases that were submitted to the veche meeting. Gradually, the council of masters began to replace the decisions of the veche with their decisions.
The people protested against the violence of the masters. Veche life of Novgorod knows more than one example of a clash between the feudal nobility and the general population.
By the middle of the 12th century, 15 small and large principalities were formed in Kievan Rus. By the beginning of the 13th century, their number increased to 50. The collapse of the state had not only a negative (weakening before the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols), but also a positive result.
Russia in the period of feudal fragmentation
In some principalities and estates, the rapid growth of cities began, trade relations with the Baltic states and the Germans began to form and develop. Changes in local culture were also noticeable: chronicles were created, new buildings were erected, and so on.
Large regions of the country
The state had several large principalities. Such, in particular, can be considered Chernihiv, Kiev, Seversk. However, the largest were considered three in the southwest, Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal principalities in the northeast. These were the main political centers of the state of that time. It is worth noting that they all had their own distinctive features. Next, let's talk about what were the features of the Novgorod principality.
General information
The origins from which the development of the Novgorod principality began are still not entirely clear. The oldest mention of the main city of the region dates back to 859. However, it is assumed that at that time the chroniclers did not use weather records (they appeared by the 10-11th century), but collected those legends that were most popular among the people. After Russia adopted the Byzantine tradition of compiling legends, the authors had to compose stories, independently estimating dates, before the start of weather records. Of course, such dating is far from accurate, so it should not be completely trusted.
Principality "Novgorod land"
What this region was like in means "the new one was called fortified settlements surrounded by walls. Archaeologists found three settlements located on the territory occupied by the Novgorod principality. The geographical position of these areas is indicated in one of the chronicles. According to information, the region was located on the left bank of the Volkhov ( where the Kremlin is now).
Over time, the settlements merged into one. The inhabitants built a common fortress. She received the name of Novgorod. Researcher Nosov developed the already existing point of view that Gorodische was the historical predecessor of the new city. It was located somewhat higher, not far from the sources of the Volkhov. Judging by the chronicles, Gorodishe was a fortified settlement. The princes of the Novgorod principality and their governors stayed in it. Local historians even expressed a rather bold assumption that Rurik himself lived in the residence. Considering all this, it can be fully argued that the Novgorod principality originated from this settlement. The geographical location of the Settlement can be considered an additional argument. It stood on the Baltic-Volga route and was considered at that time a fairly large trade, craft and military administrative center.
Characteristics of the Novgorod principality
In the first centuries of its existence, the settlement was small (by modern standards). Novgorod was completely wooden. It was located on two sides of the river, which was a rather unique phenomenon, since usually the settlements were located on a hill and on one bank. The first inhabitants built their houses near the water, but not close to it, because of the fairly frequent floods. The streets of the city were built perpendicular to the Volkhov. A little later, they were connected by "breakthrough" lanes that ran parallel to the river. The walls of the Kremlin rose from the left bank. At that time it was much smaller than the one that stands in Novgorod now. On the other side in the Slovenian village there were estates and a princely court.
Russian chronicles
The principality of Novgorod is mentioned in the records quite a bit. However, this little information is of particular value. In the chronicle, dated 882, it is told about from Novgorod. As a result, two large East Slavic tribes united: the Polyans and the Ilmen Slavs. It was from that time that the history of the Old Russian state began. Records from 912 indicate that the principality of Novgorod paid the Scandinavians 300 hryvnias a year for maintaining peace.
Recordings of other peoples
The principality of Novgorod is also mentioned in Byzantine chronicles. So, for example, Emperor Constantine VII wrote about the Russians in the 10th century. The Novgorod principality also appears in the Scandinavian sagas. The earliest legends appeared from the time of the reign of the sons of Svyatoslav. After his death, a struggle for power broke out between his two sons Oleg and Yaropolk. In 977, a battle took place. As a result, Yaropolk defeated Oleg's troops and became the Grand Duke, having planted his posadniks in Novgorod. There was also a third brother. But fearing to be killed, Vladimir fled to Scandinavia. However, his absence was relatively short. In 980, he returned to the Novgorod principality with hired Vikings. Then he defeated the posadniks and moved to Kyiv. There, Vladimir overthrew Yaropolk from the throne and became the prince of Kyiv.
Religion
The characterization of the Novgorod Principality will be incomplete if we do not talk about the significance of faith in the life of the people. In 989 a baptism took place. First it was in Kyiv, and then in Novgorod. Power was strengthened by the Christian religion and its monotheism. The church organization was built on a hierarchical basis. It has become a powerful tool for the formation of Russian statehood. In the year of baptism, Joachim the Korsunian (a Byzantine priest) was sent to Novgorod. But, I must say that Christianity did not immediately take root. Many residents were in no hurry to part with the faith of their ancestors. According to archaeological excavations, many pagan rites survived until the 11th-13th centuries. And, for example, Maslenitsa is celebrated today. Although this holiday is given a somewhat Christian coloring.
Yaroslav's activities
After Vladimir became the prince of Kyiv, he sent his son Vysheslav to Novgorod, and after his death - Yaroslav. The name of the latter is associated with an attempt to get rid of the influence of Kyiv. So, in 1014, Yaroslav refused to pay tribute. Vladimir, having learned about this, began to gather a squad, but in the course of preparation he suddenly died. Svyatopolk the Accursed ascended the throne. He killed his brothers: Svyatoslav Drevlyansky and later canonized as saints Gleb and Boris. Yaroslav was in a rather difficult position. On the one hand, he was absolutely not opposed to seizing power in Kyiv. But on the other hand, his squad was not strong enough. Then he decided to address the people of Novgorod with a speech. Yaroslav called on the people to seize Kyiv, thus returning back to himself everything that was taken in the form of tribute. The inhabitants agreed, and after some time in the battle near Lyubech, Svyatopolk was defeated on his head and fled to Poland.
Further developments
In 1018, together with the retinue of Boleslav (his father-in-law and the King of Poland), Svyatopolk returned to Russia. In the battle, they thoroughly defeated Yaroslav (he fled with four combatants from the field). He wanted to go to Novgorod and then planned to move to Scandinavia. But the residents did not let him do it. They cut down all the boats, collected money and a new army, enabling the prince to continue to fight. At this time, confident that he was sitting firmly enough on the throne, Svyatopolk quarreled with the Polish king. Deprived of support, he lost the battle on Alta. Yaroslav, after the battle, let the Novgorodians go home, giving them special letters - "Pravda" and "Charter". According to them they had to live. During the following decades, the principality of Novgorod also depended on Kyiv. First, Yaroslav sent his son Ilya as governor. Then he sent Vladimir, who in 1044 founded the fortress. The following year, at his behest, construction began on a new stone cathedral instead of the wooden St. Sophia Cathedral (which burned down). Since that time, this temple has symbolized Novgorodian spirituality.
Political system
It developed gradually. There are two periods in history. In the first there was a feudal republic, where the prince ruled. And in the second - the management belonged to the oligarchy. During the first period, all the main organs of state power existed in the Novgorod principality. The Boyar Council and the Veche were considered the highest institutions. The executive power was vested in the thousand and princely courts, the posadnik, elders, volostels and volost administrators. Veche was of particular importance. It was considered the supreme power and had more power here than in other principalities. The veche resolved issues of a domestic and foreign policy nature, expelled or elected a ruler, townsman and other officials. It was also the highest court. Another body was the Council of Boyars. The entire city government system was concentrated in this body. The Council was attended by eminent boyars, elders, thousands, posadniks, the archbishop and the prince. The power of the ruler himself was significantly limited in functions and volume, but at the same time, of course, it occupied a leading place in the governing bodies. At first, the candidacy of the future prince was discussed at the Council of Boyars. After that, he was invited to sign a treaty letter. It regulated the legal and state status and duties of the authorities in relation to the ruler. The prince lived with his court on the outskirts of Novgorod. The ruler had no right to legislate, to declare war or peace. Together with the mayor, the prince commanded the army. The existing restrictions did not allow the rulers to gain a foothold in the city and put them in a controlled position.
