Creation of the Galician-Volyn principality. Portal "Lawyer" - Your success in study and work

The Galicia-Volyn principality was formed in 1199 as a result of the capture of Galich by Roman Mstislavovich Volynsky. Before this, the two principalities existed separately. The state existed until the end of the 14th century, when it was captured by Lithuania and Poland.

Between West and East

The location of the Galician-Volyn lands turned them into a connecting link between Western Europe and Russia. This feature led to the instability of the state - its territory was constantly claimed by neighbors who wanted to take advantage of natural advantages.

At the same time, this geographical position of the Galicia-Volyn principality was favorable for trade. During the heyday of the state, it was the largest supplier of bread to Europe, and had more than 80 cities, which was quite a lot by the standards of that time.

Nature and territories

The territory of the Galicia-Volyn principality was located in the valleys of the Western Bug, San, Danube, and Dniester rivers. Thanks to this location, it was possible to access the Black Sea. Initially, these lands were inhabited by tribal unions of Ulichs, Volynians, White Croats, Tiverts, and Dulebs. The Principality bordered on Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, the Teutonic Order, Berlady (after Mongol invasion- Golden Horde), and from the Russian lands - with the Kyiv, Turovo-Pinsk and Polotsk principalities. The borders were unstable. The reason was both strife between Russian princes and frequent conflicts with southern and western neighbors. For a long time, the principality was directly dependent on the Golden Horde.

The natural and climatic conditions were favorable. In general, they corresponded to the classics middle zone Europe. Significant areas of black soil in the western Bug region contributed to the development of agriculture. There were significant forest reserves (part of the Carpathians also belonged to the principality). Natural conditions stimulated not only agriculture, but also various crafts - hunting, fishing, beekeeping.

Administrative nuances

In addition to the Galician and Volyn territories themselves, the principality also owned the Terebovlyan, Kholmsky, Lutsk, and Belz lands. A significant part of them was annexed during the reign of Daniil Romanovich (1205-1264), both military and peacefully (for example, the prince inherited the Lutsk lands).

The capital of the united principality is Galich, although the Volyn prince stood at the origins of the unified state. Later, the functions of the capital were partially transferred to Lvov (also built by Daniil Romanovich and named after the prince’s son).

Unlike Novgorod, all other Russian lands of this time were feudal monarchies led by princes, but everywhere they had their own characteristics.

In the extreme southwest of Ancient Rus' there were Galician and Volyn lands: Galician - in the Carpathian region, and Volyn - adjacent to it on the banks of the Bug. Both Galician and Volyn, and sometimes only Galician land, were often called Chervona (i.e., Red) Russia, after the city of Cherven in Galicia. Thanks to the exceptionally fertile black soil Here feudal land ownership arose relatively early and flourished. It is for South-Western Rus' that the boyars are especially characteristic and therefore powerful, often opposing themselves to the princes. Numerous forestry and fishing industries were developed here, and skilled artisans worked. Slate whorls from the local town of Ovruch were distributed throughout the country. Salt deposits were also important for the region. The Volyn land with its center in Vladimir Volynsky began to separate itself before everyone else.

In the Galicia-Volyn principality, the prince was considered a sacred person, “a ruler given by God,” the owner of all the land and cities of the principality, and the head of the army. He had the right to give plots to his subordinates for service, as well as to deprive them of lands and privileges for disobedience. Princely power was inherited by the eldest son. Vassal dependence between members of the princely family came from eldership, but was formal, since each princely possession had sufficient independence.

IN government affairs the prince relied on the boyars, the local aristocracy. They were divided into “old” and “young”, who were also called “best”, “great” or “deliberate”. The great senior boyars made up the administrative elite and the “senior squad” of the prince. They owned “Batkovshchina” or “dednitstva”, ancient family lands, and new land plots and cities granted from the prince. Their sons "youths", or junior boyars, constituted " junior squad"of the prince and served at his court as close "yard servants".

The prince united in his hands the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, and also had a monopoly on the right to conduct diplomatic relations. Trying to become an absolute “autocrat,” the prince was constantly in conflict with the boyars, who sought to maintain their independence and turn the monarch into their own political instrument. The strengthening of princely power was also hampered by the duumvirates of princes, the fragmentation of principalities and the intervention of neighboring states. Although the monarch had the right to make decisions on his own, he sometimes convened boyar “dumas” to resolve the most important issues and problems.

The Galician boyars - “Galician men” - opposed the strengthening of the prince’s power here. Despite the contradictions among themselves, the boyars showed solidarity in defending their power functions from the encroachment of the prince and developing cities. Relying on their economic and military power, the boyars successfully resisted attempts to strengthen the power of the prince. Actually supreme body The power here was the council of boyars, which included the most noble and powerful boyars, bishops and senior officials. The council could invite and remove princes, controlled the administration of the principality, and princely charters were not issued without its consent. These meetings acquired a permanent character from the 14th century, finally blocking the “autocracy” of the prince, which was one of the reasons for the decline of the Galician-Volyn principality

The struggle between the prince and the boyars was carried out with varying degrees of success, but as a rule, power in the principality was controlled by the boyars. If the princes turned out to be strong-willed natures and began to exterminate the boyar “sedition,” then the boyars betrayed national interests and invited hordes of Polish and Hungarian conquerors to Volhynia and Galicia. Yaroslav Osmomysl, Mstislav Udaloy, Roman Mstislavovich, and Daniil Romanovich went through this. For many of them, this struggle ended in their death, organized precisely by the boyars, who did not want to strengthen the princely power. In turn, when the upper hand was on the side of the princes, they mercilessly exterminated the boyar families, relying on the support of the cities that were suffering from the “whims” of the boyars.

The structure of cities in the XII - XIII centuries was the same as in other lands of Kievan Rus - with the advantage of the boyar-patrician elite, with a division into taxation units - hundreds and streets, with a city council - the veche. During this period, the cities belonged directly to the princes or boyars.

Cities become an important component in the struggle for power, showing their will at city councils. The boyars also played the main role in such a meeting, but they were opposed by the townspeople. The boyars nominated a speaker from among themselves and called on them to support the decision they had made. Without the support of the “nationwide multitude of people,” the city’s owners could not resist the princely power, but often the “black people” rebelled against the rulers of the veche, rejecting their power and the suburbs (cities subordinate to the older city). The veche firmly and for a long time gained a foothold in the Western Russian lands, helping the prince to resist the fight against the nobility.

But the support of the cities could not always sway the Galician boyars. In 1210, one of the boyars, Volodislav Kormilichich, even became a prince for some time, which was a complete violation of all the customs that then existed in the Russian land. This is the only case of a boyar's reign.

The strife led to the actual fragmentation of the Galician-Volyn principality into a number of separate small fiefs, constantly at war with each other. Polovtsian, Polish, and Hungarian troops helped their rivals by robbing, enslaving, and even killing the local population. The princes of other lands of Rus' also interfered in Galician-Volyn affairs. And yet, by 1238, Daniil managed to deal with the boyar opposition (it was not without reason that one of his confidants advised: “If you don’t crush the bees, don’t eat the honey.” He became one of the most powerful princes of Rus'. Kyiv also obeyed his will. In 1245 Daniil Romanovich defeated the combined forces of Hungary, Poland, Galician boyars and Principality of Chernigov, thereby completing the struggle to restore the unity of the principality. The boyars were weakened, many boyars were exterminated, and their lands passed to the Grand Duke. However, Batu's invasion, and then the Horde yoke, disrupted the economic and political development of this land.

GALICY-VOLYNIAN priNCIPALY

VLADIMIRO-SUZDAL PRINCIPALITY

The Vladimir-Suzdal principality is regarded as a classic example of a Russian principality of the period feudal fragmentation. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, it occupied a vast territory of northeastern lands - from the Northern Dvina to the Oka and from the sources of the Volga to the confluence of the Oka and the Volga. Moscow arose on the territory of the principality, which eventually became the capital of a great state.

Secondly, it was to the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality that the grand-ducal title passed from Kyiv. All Vladimir-Suzdal princes, descendants of Monomakh - from Yuri Dolgoruky (1125-1157) to Daniil of Moscow (1276-1303) - bore the title of grand duke. This placed the Vladimir-Suzdal principality in a special central position in comparison with other Russian principalities of the period of feudal fragmentation.

Thirdly, The metropolitan see was moved to Vladimir. After the destruction of Kyiv by Batu in 1240, the Greek Metropolitan Joseph was replaced by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1246 as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Kirill, Russian by birth. In his travels around the dioceses, Kirill clearly gave preference to North-Eastern Rus'. And Metropolitan Maxim, who followed him, in 1299, “not tolerating Tatar violence,” left the metropolis in Kyiv. In 1300 he finally “sat in Volodymyr and with all his clergy.” Maxim was the first of the metropolitans to appropriate the title of Metropolitan of “All Rus'”.

Note that on the territory of the principality are Rostov the Great and Suzdal - two of the oldest Russian cities, the first of which is mentioned in the chronicle in 862, the second in 1024. From ancient times, these important northeastern Russian centers were given by the great princes of Kyiv as appanages to their sons . Initially, the principality was called Rostov-Suzdal. In 1108, Vladimir Monomakh founded the city of Vladimir on Klyazma, which became part of the Rostov-Suzdal principality, in which Vladimir’s eldest son, Yuri Dolgoruky, occupied the grand princely throne. After the death of Yuri Dolgoruky, his son Andrei Bogolyubsky (1157–1174) moved the capital from Rostov to Vladimir. From then on, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality began.

It should be said that the Vladimir-Suzdal principality maintained its unity and integrity for a short time. Soon after its rise under the Grand Duke Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest (1176–1212), it began to split into small principalities. At the beginning of the 13th century. The Principality of Rostov separated from it in the 70s. In the same century, under the youngest son of Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky, Daniil, the Moscow principality became independent.

The economic state of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality reached its peak in the second half of the 12th and early 13th centuries. under the Grand Dukes Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest. His power was symbolized by two magnificent churches erected in Vladimir in the second half of the 12th century - the Assumption and Demetrius Cathedrals, as well as the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, built on the eastern approaches to Vladimir. The erection of such architectural structures was possible only with a well-established economy.

Russian people migrating from the south settled on land that had long been inhabited by Finnish tribes. However, the Russians did not oust ancient population edges, mostly coexisted peacefully with him. The matter was made easier by the fact that the Finnish tribes did not have their own cities, and the Slavs built fortified cities. In total, in the XII–early XIII centuries. about a hundred cities were built, which became centers of higher culture.

The structure of the feudal class in the Vladimir-Suzdal principality differed little from that of Kyiv. However, here a new category of small feudal lords appears- the so-called "children of the boyars».

In the 12th century. a new term appears "nobles"- the lowest part of the military service class. In the XIV century. They received land (estates) for their service and began to be called “landowners.” The ruling class also included the clergy.

Political system The Vladimir-Suzdal principality was early feudal monarchy with strong grand ducal power. Thus, already the first Rostov-Suzdal prince Yuri Dolgoruky is characterized as a strong monarch who managed to conquer Kyiv in 1154, where he placed his son Andrei Bogolyubsky on the throne, who, however, escaped from there a year later. In 1169, Andrei Bogolyubsky again conquered Kyiv, but did not remain on the Kiev throne, but returned to Vladimir, where he managed to subjugate the Rostov boyars, for which he was described in Russian chronicles as an “autocrat” of the Vladimir-Suzdal land. His reign lasted until 1174.

As noted earlier, after the death in 1212 of Vsevolod the Big Nest, who took the Vladimir-Suzdal throne in 1176, the principality began to split into a number of smaller ones, but the Vladimir throne throughout the XIII-XIV centuries. nevertheless, it was traditionally regarded as the grand ducal, first throne even at the time of the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

The Grand Dukes of Vladimir relied in their activities on the squad, with the help of which the military power of the principality was created. From the squad, as in Kyiv times, a council was formed under the prince. It included representatives of the clergy, and after the transfer of the metropolitan see to Vladimir, the metropolitan himself. The council concentrated the reins of government the entire Vladimir-Suzdal principality, it included governors-combatants who ruled the cities.

The Grand Ducal Palace was managed by a butler, or “dvorsky,” who was the second most important person in the state apparatus.

Ipatiev Chronicle mentions tiuns, swordsmen and children, who were also among the princely officials. It's obvious that The Vladimir-Suzdal principality inherited from Kievan Rus palace-patrimonial management system. Local government was concentrated in the hands of governors stationed in cities and volostels in rural areas. The governing bodies also administered justice in the lands under their jurisdiction.

Before the transfer of the metropolitan see to Vladimir, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality had several dioceses headed by archbishops or bishops. Candidates for bishops were elected at councils of the highest clergy with the participation of the Grand Duke and were ordained by the metropolitans. Dioceses were divided into districts headed by church foremen. The lowest unit of church organization were parishes led by priests. The “black” clergy included monks and nuns, headed by monastery abbots. Monasteries were often founded by princes.

Sources of law

Unfortunately, the sources of law of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality have not reached us, but there is no doubt that it contained national legislative codes of Kievan Rus. Legal system consisted of sources of secular law and church legal sources. The most important source of law remained “Russian Truth”, which came to us in large number lists compiled in the Vladimir-Suzdal principality in the 13th–14th centuries, which indicates its wide distribution in North-Eastern Rus'.

All-Russian statutes of the first Christian princes were also in effect- “The Charter of Prince Vladimir on tithes, church courts and church people”, “The Charter of Prince Yaroslav on church courts.” They also came down in a large number of lists compiled in the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Probably the Grand Dukes of Vladimir specified general provisions These statutes applied to specific dioceses, but there is no doubt that their general provisions were unshakable. They acquired particular significance after the transfer of the metropolitan see to Vladimir.

GALICY-VOLYNIAN priNCIPALY

The southwestern principalities of Rus' - Vladimir-Volyn and Galicia, which united the lands of the Dulebs, Tiverts, Croats, Buzhans, became part of Kievan Rus at the end of the 10th century. under Vladimir Svyatoslavich. However politics of the greats Kyiv princes regarding Volyn and Galicia did not find support among the local landed nobility, and already from the end of the 11th century. the struggle for the separation of these lands began, although the Volyn land traditionally had close ties with Kyiv.

In Volyn until the middle of the 12th century. there was no own dynasty of princes. As a rule, it was directly ruled from Kyiv or sometimes by Kyiv proteges.

The formation of the Galician principality began in the second half of the 11th century. This process is connected with the activities of the founder of the Galician dynasty, Prince Rostislav Vladimirovich, grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. The heyday of the Principality of Galicia occurred during the reign of Yaroslav Osmomysl (1153–1187), who resolutely resisted the Hungarians and Poles who were pressing on him and waged a fierce struggle against the boyars. With the death of his son Vladimir Yaroslavich, the Rostislavich dynasty ceased to exist.

In 1199. Vladimir-Volynsky Prince Roman Mstislavich took possession of the Galician principality and united the Galician and Volyn lands into a single Galician-Volyn principality. Its center was Galich, then Kholm, and from 1272 Lvov. The victorious campaigns of Roman's squads against Lithuania, Poland, Hungary and the Polovtsians created high international authority for him and the principality. After the death of Roman (1205), the western lands of Rus' again entered a period of unrest and princely-boyar civil strife. The struggle of the feudal groups in the western lands of Rus' reached its greatest severity under the young sons of Roman Mstislavich - Daniil and Vasilka. The Galician-Volyn principality broke up into appanages - Galician, Zvenigorod and Vladimir ( with centers in Galich, Zvenigorodka and Vladimir-Volynsky). This made it possible for Hungary, where young Daniel was raised at the court of King Andrew II, to constantly interfere in Galician-Volyn affairs, and soon to occupy Western Russian lands. The boyar opposition was not so organized and mature as to turn the Galician land into a boyar republic, but it had enough strength to organize endless conspiracies and riots against the princes.

Shortly before the invasion of Batu's hordes, Daniil Romanovich managed to overcome the opposition from the powerful Galician and Volyn boyars and in 1238 entered Galich in triumph. In the fight against the feudal opposition, power relied on the squad, city leaders and feudal service lords. The masses strongly supported Daniel's unifying policy. In 1239, the Galician-Volyn army captured Kyiv, but the success was short-lived.

Hoping to create, with the help of his father, an anti-Horde coalition on a European scale, Daniil Romanovich agreed to accept the royal crown offered to him. The coronation took place in 1253 during campaigns against the Lithuanian Yatvingians in the small town of Dorogichina near the western border of the principality. The Roman Curia also turned its attention to Galicia and Volhynia, hoping to spread Catholicism to these lands.

In 1264, Daniil Romanovich died in Kholm. After his death, the decline of the Galicia-Volyn principality began, breaking up into four appanages. In the XIV century. Galicia was captured by Poland, and Volyn by Lithuania. After the Union of Lublin in 1569, the Galician and Volyn lands became part of a single multinational Polish-Lithuanian state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Feature social structure of the Galicia-Volyn principality was what was created there a large group of boyars, in whose hands almost all land holdings were concentrated. However, the process of formation of large feudal land tenure did not happen the same way everywhere. In Galicia, its growth outpaced the formation of the princely domain. In Volyn, on the contrary, along with boyar land tenure, domain land ownership received significant development. This is explained by the fact that it was in Galicia that economic and political background faster growth of large feudal landownership. The princely domain began to take shape when the predominant part of the communal lands was seized by the boyars and the circle of free lands for the princely domains was limited. In addition, the Galician princes, trying to enlist the support of local feudal lords, distributed part of their lands to them and thereby reduced the princely domain.

Most An important role among the feudal lords of the Galician-Volyn principality was played by the Galician boyars - “the men of Galicia”. They owned large estates and dependent peasants. In sources of the 12th century. the ancestors of the Galician boyars act as “princely men.” The strength of this boyars, who expanded the boundaries of their possessions and conducted large-scale trade, continuously increased. There was a constant struggle within the boyars for lands and power. Already in the 12th century. “Men of Galicia” oppose any attempts to limit their rights in favor of princely power and growing cities.

Another group consisted of service feudal lords, the sources of land holdings of which were princely grants, boyar lands confiscated and redistributed by the princes, as well as unauthorized seizures of communal lands. In the vast majority of cases, they held land conditionally while they served, i.e. for service and under the condition of service. Serving feudal lords supplied the prince with an army consisting of feudal-dependent peasants. The Galician princes relied on them in their fight against the boyars.

The ruling class of the Galicia-Volyn principality also included large church nobility in the person of archbishops, bishops, abbots of monasteries and others, who also owned vast lands and peasants. Churches and monasteries acquired mainly land holdings through grants and donations from princes. Often, like princes and boyars, they seized communal lands, and turned peasants into monastic or church feudal-dependent people.

The bulk of the rural population in the Galicia-Volyn principality were peasants. Both free and dependent peasants were called smerds. The predominant form of peasant land ownership was communal, later called “dvorishche”. Gradually the community broke up into individual households.

The process of the formation of large land holdings and the formation of a class of feudal lords was accompanied by an increase in the feudal dependence of the peasants and the emergence of feudal rent. Labor rent in the 11th–12th centuries. gradually replaced by product rent. The amount of feudal duties was set by the feudal lords at their own discretion.

The brutal exploitation of peasants intensified the class struggle, which often took the form of popular uprisings against the feudal lords. Such a mass uprising of peasants was, for example, the uprising in 1159 under Yaroslav Osmomysl.

Serfdom in the Galicia-Volyn principality was preserved, but the number of serfs decreased, many of them were planted on the land and merged with the peasants.

In the Galicia-Volyn principality there were over 80 cities, including the largest - Berestye (later Brest), Vladimir (later Vladimir-Volynsky), Galich, Lvov, Lutsk, Przemysl, Kholm.

The largest group of the urban population were artisans. Jewelry, pottery, blacksmithing and glass-making workshops were located in the cities. They worked both for the customer and for the market, internal or external. The salt trade brought great profits. Being a large commercial and industrial center, Galich quickly acquired the significance of a cultural center. The famous Galician-Volyn Chronicle and other written monuments of the 12th–13th centuries were created there.

Feature The Galician-Volyn principality was that for a long time it was not divided into appanages and that power, essentially, was in the hands of the large boyars.

Thus, since the Galician-Volyn princes did not have broad economic and social base, their power was fragile.

However, it was inherited. The place of the deceased father was taken by the eldest of the sons, whom his other brothers were supposed to “honor in their father’s place.” Significant political influence the widow-mother used it in front of her sons. But, despite the system of vassalage on which relations between members of the princely domain were built, each princely domain was politically largely independent.

The Galician boyars played a major role in political life countries. It even controlled the princely table - it invited and removed princes. The history of the Galicia-Volyn principality is full of examples when princes who lost the support of the boyars were forced to leave their principalities. The forms of struggle of the boyars against unwanted princes are also characteristic. They invited Hungarians and Poles against them, put to death unwanted princes (this is how the princes Igorevich were hanged in 1208), and removed them from Galicia. There is a known fact when the boyar Volodislav Kormilchich, who did not belong to the dynasty, proclaimed himself a prince in 1231. Often, representatives of the ecclesiastical nobility were at the head of boyar revolts directed against the prince. In such a situation The main support of the princes were the middle and small feudal lords, as well as the city elite.

The Galician-Volyn princes still had certain administrative, military, judicial and legislative powers. In particular, they appointed officials in cities and towns, endowing them with land holdings under the condition of service, and were formally the commanders-in-chief of all armed forces. At the same time, each boyar had his own military militia, and since the regiments of the Galician boyars often outnumbered the prince’s, in case of disagreement, the boyars could argue with the prince, using military force.

The supreme judicial power of the princes in case of disagreements with the boyars passed to the boyar elite. Finally, the princes issued letters concerning various issues of government, but they were often not recognized by the boyars.

The boyars exercised their power with the help of the council of boyars. Its members included the largest landowners, bishops and persons holding the highest government positions. The composition, rights, and competence of the council were not determined. The boyar council was convened, as a rule, on the initiative of the boyars themselves.

The prince did not have the right to convene a council at his own request, and could not issue a single state act without his consent. The council zealously protected the interests of the boyars, even interfering in the prince's family affairs. Thus, this body, not being formally the highest authority, actually ruled the principality. Since the council included boyars who occupied the largest administrative positions, the entire state administrative apparatus was actually subordinate to it.

From time to time, under emergency circumstances, in order to strengthen their power, the Galician-Volyn princes convened a veche, but it did not have special influence. Small merchants and artisans could be present, however, the decisive role was played by the top feudal lords.

The Galician-Volyn princes took part in all-Russian feudal congresses. Occasionally, congresses of feudal lords were convened, relating only to the Galicia-Volyn principality. So, in the first half of the 12th century. A congress of feudal lords took place in the city of Shartse to resolve the issue of civil strife over the volosts between the sons of the Przemysl prince Volodar Rostislav and Vladimirk.

It is noteworthy that In the Galicia-Volyn principality, palace-patrimonial administration arose earlier than in other Russian lands. In the system of this administration, the courtier, or butler, played a significant role. He was basically in charge of all issues relating to the prince's court, he was entrusted with the command of individual regiments, and during military operations he protected the life of the prince.

Among the palace ranks there are mentioned a printer, a steward, a cup keeper, a falconer, a hunter, a stable keeper, etc.. Printer was in charge of the princely chancellery, was the custodian of the princely treasury, which at the same time was also the princely archive. In his hands was the princely seal. Stolnik was in charge of the prince's table, served him during meals, and was responsible for the quality of the table. Chashnichy He was in charge of the side forests, cellars and everything that related to the supply of drinks to the princely table. In charge falconer There was falconry and bird hunting. Hunter was in charge of hunting the beast. Main function stable boy was reduced to serving the princely cavalry. Numerous princely key holders acted under the control of these officials. The positions of butler, printer, steward, groom and others gradually turned into palace ranks.

Territory Galicia-Volynsky The principalities were initially divided into thousands and hundreds. As the thousand and sotskys with their administrative apparatus gradually were part of the palace-patrimonial apparatus of the prince, instead of them positions arose voivode and volostels . Accordingly, the territory of the principality was divided into voivodeships and volosts. IN communities elected elders who were in charge of administrative and minor judicial matters.

Posadniks were appointed and sent directly to the cities by the prince. They not only had administrative and military power, but also performed judicial functions and collected tributes and duties from the population.

Legal system The Galician-Volyn principality was not much different from the legal systems that existed in other Russian lands during the period of feudal fragmentation. The norms of “Russian Pravda,” only slightly modified, continued to apply here. The Galician-Volyn princes also issued their own legal acts. Among them, a valuable source characterizing the economic relations of the Galician principality with Czech, Hungarian and other merchants is the Charter of Prince Ivan Rostislavich Berladnik in 1134, which established a number of benefits for foreign merchants. Around 1287, the Manuscript of Prince Vladimir Vasilkovich was published, concerning the rules of inheritance law in the Vladimir-Volyn principality. The document talks about the transfer by Prince Vladimir of the right to exploit feudal dependent population heirs and management of villages and cities. Around 1289, the Charter of the Volyn prince Mstislav Daniilovich was published, characterizing the duties that fell on the shoulders of the feudal-dependent population of Southwestern Rus'.

The collapse of Kievan Rus was a natural result of its economic and political development. Its causes were rooted in the production and social relations of that time, which developed on the basis of the rise of productive forces in agriculture and crafts. The closed nature of the subsistence economy led to the strengthening of the independence of individual principalities, and hence to a change in their political orientation towards secession. Local economic interests gave rise to a desire to break away from the power of the Grand Duke. The role of the political center from Kyiv is transferred to the localities: the main city of one or another appanage principality begins to play this role. The rise of these centers gave rise to a certain aggressiveness towards their neighbors. The loss of state unity objectively led to princely civil strife. Each local prince sought to expand his possessions and obtain the title of Grand Duke.

In the middle of the 12th century, Kievan Rus split into principalities: Kiev, Galicia, Volyn, Smolensk, Pereyaslav, Vladimir-Suzdal, etc. These principalities-lands, in turn, consisted of smaller principalities or volosts. On appanage principalities The system of suzerainty-vassalage was transferred.

Each principality (land) had its own characteristics of political development. Feudal republics were formed in Novgorod and Pskov, strong princely power won in the Vladimir-Suzdal land, and the boyar aristocracy traditionally had a significant influence on the government in the Galicia-Volyn land.

Let's go back to those times when both Volyn and the Galician land were not dependent on Kyiv. It should be noted that Volyn statehood was older than Kiev, and the unification of Ukrainian tribes began with it. It was a rich land located on trade routes in Western Europe. It was annexed by Vladimir to the Kyiv state with campaigns of 981 and 993. Around the same time, the Galician land was annexed to Kyiv.

Volyn and Galician lands were of great importance for the development of the economy of Kievan Rus. After nomadic tribes blocked the route to Crimea, the Carpathian region became the only source of salt supply. In addition, the main trade routes to the west passed through the Volyn and Galician lands, which made them one of the main links in European trade of that time.

During the era of the collapse of Kievan Rus in XII-- In the 12th century, the processes of allocating individual lands were completed. Kyiv turned from the capital of Rus' into the “capital” city of the Kyiv land.

Except Principality of Kyiv, on the territory of South-Western Rus' in the 12th century, independent Chernigov, Novgorod-Seversk, Pereyaslavl, Volyn and Galician principalities appeared, between which the internecine struggle did not subside.

Galician land separated from Kyiv in 1097 year. The dynasty of the great-grandsons of Yaroslav the Wise, the princes of Rostislavich, was formed here. The unification of the Galician lands was carried out by the outstanding statesman Vladimirko (1124-1152). Galich became the capital of the principality in 1141. But its highest power Principality of Galicia reached during the reign of Vladimir's son, Prince Yaroslav Osmomysl (1152-1187). The author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” characterized the Galician prince this way: “He sits high on his gold-forged throne, propping up the Hungarian mountains with his iron regiments - blocking the way for the king, he closed the gates to the Danube.” Yaroslav had allied treaties with Hungary, Poland and Germany. In order to strengthen the alliance with Yuri Dolgoruky, he married his daughter Olga.

His deputy, Vladimirko II, did not get along with the boyars and turned to the Hungarian king Bela III for help. In 1188, Bela proclaimed himself king of Galicia, and Vladimir II was imprisoned. This was the first foreign occupation of Galicia, which set a precedent for many years. Over time, Vladimir II, with the help of the Germans and Poles, managed to regain lost power. But after his death in 1199, the Principality of Galicia was annexed to Volyn and lost its independence.

The Volyn principality was formed during the reign of the great-grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, Mstislav Izyaslavich.

Good neighborly relations have always existed between the Galician and Volyn lands, which was manifested primarily in economic ties. These factors, as well as the need to jointly resist aggression from Hungary and Poland, created the preconditions for the unification of neighboring lands into a single principality.

As a result of these processes, a strong political organization appeared in the west of Ukraine - the Galician-Volyn principality, which continued the traditions of Russian-Ukrainian statehood for almost a hundred years.

The Galicia-Volyn principality reached its greatest power during the reign of Roman Mstislavich (1170-1205). He made the middle and small boyars and the urban population his support. Thanks to the new policy, he managed to pacify the boyar elite and carry out a number of events that raised the international authority of the state. Roman carried out several successful campaigns against Lithuania, and in 1196 he annexed the land of the Lithuanian Yatvingian tribe to his principality. In 1202, he took possession of Kiev, but, unlike his father and grandfather, he did not move there, but remained in Volyn. Roman also became famous in the wars against the Polovtsy, who at that time constantly attacked Rus'. Twice - in 1202 and 1203 - he led the united campaigns of the Ukrainian princes against the Polovtsians. Materials from one of the Polish chronicles indicate that Roman “in a short time became so exalted that he ruled almost all the lands and princes of Rus'.” Roman Metislavovich died during the campaign against Poland on June 19, 1205.

After the death of Roman, the boyars of the Galicia-Volyn land, taking advantage of the early childhood of his sons Daniel and Vasilko, tried to strengthen their power. However, the environment of the boyars was not homogeneous, and this led to a confrontation between the boyars - large landowners, on the one hand, and the boyars - moderately prosperous and small - on the other. The boyar elite, who concentrated enormous land wealth in their hands, tried to establish the unlimited power of the aristocracy. Moderately prosperous and small boyars and the urban population were supporters of the unification of lands under the rule of the Grand Duke and advocated the strengthening of this power. Civil strife began, in which the Chernigov-Seversk princes took part. Poland and Hungary intervened in these civil strifes.

The opposition to the princely power in Galicia was especially strong. However, the boyar opposition here was not united. Some of the boyars supported the princes Igorevich (the sons of Igor, the hero of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”), and some were favorable to Hungary. First, the Igorevichs seized power, then Galicia was occupied by Hungary. In 1211, the brothers, taking advantage of the population's dissatisfaction with the Hungarian occupation, returned to Galicia, executing more than 500 boyars “for treason.” This action, in turn, alienated the Galician boyars from the Igorevichs. With the help of Hungarian troops and Volyn boyars, young Daniel was placed on the princely throne. However, his reign did not last long. After a series of reshuffles, the princely throne was taken by the boyar Vladislav Kormilchich - the only fact in the history of Ukraine when a representative of a non-princely family came to power.

In 1214, Hungary and Poland agreed on the dismemberment of the Galician-Volyn principality: Hungary captured Galicia, and Przemysl was transferred to the Krakow prince Leshko. The latter supported the sons of Roman, and in 1215, with the consent of Leshka, Daniil and Vasilko received their father's estate - Vladimir.

The period of 1205-1245 is extremely interesting and important for understanding the general conditions for the flourishing of Russo-Ukrainian statehood. It is necessary to name those who, in difficult times for Ukraine, were faithful to the princely throne and saved Roman’s inheritance for his sons.

First of all, this is Roman’s wife, Princess Anna, who for 14 years took care of filial rights and waged an intense struggle with the Galician boyars. She became the second woman after Princess Olga who “left a deep mark in the history of Ukraine.

Another very important feature of this period is the devotion of the Volyn boyars to the princely power, thanks to which it was possible to save for the sons of Roman

Volyn. For 40 years, the Volyn land remained a reliable support for the Romanovichs: Vasilko was under the supervision of the boyars there, and Daniil was saved after failures in Galich. Volyn warriors gave their lives more than once, liberating Galich from the Hungarians.

In 1219, the Galicians themselves opposed the Hungarian occupation. The boyars invited Mstislav Udatny to the Galician throne - Prince of Novgorod, who reigned in Galich in 1228.

Meanwhile, Daniil and Vasilko united all the lands of the Volyn principality. In 1230, Daniel's struggle for Galicia began.

Lithuania, Poland, Austria, and the Prussian Order of Crusaders also took part in these wars. The result of the struggle depended on the position of the Galicians themselves and, above all, the urban population. Finally, in 1238, the “city men”, contrary to the will of the boyars, opened the gates of Galich to Daniil. But his claims did not end there. In 1239, Daniel took possession of Kyiv. Then another five years passed in Daniel’s struggle with Hungary for Galicia. And only Daniel’s decisive victory in the summer of 1245 near Yaroslav, where the troops of the Hungarians and the Galician boyars who were favorable to them were defeated, put an end to the 40-year war for the liberation of Volyn and Galicia from foreign occupation. The unity of the Galicia-Volyn principality was restored.

The southwestern principalities of Rus' - Vladimir-Volyn and Galicia, which united the lands of the Dulebs, Tiverts, Croats, Buzhans, became part of Kievan Rus at the end of the 10th century. under Vladimir Svyatoslavich. However, the policy of the great Kyiv princes regarding Volyn and Galicia did not find support among the local landed nobility, and already from the end of the 11th century. The struggle for the isolation of these lands began, although the Volyn land traditionally had close ties with Kyiv.

In Volyn until the middle of the 12th century. there was no own dynasty of princes. As a rule, it was directly ruled from Kyiv or at times Kyiv proteges sat at the Vladimir table.

The formation of the Galician principality began in the second half of the 11th century. This process is associated with the activities of the founder of the Galician dynasty, Prince Rostislav Vladimirovich, grandson of Yaroslav the Wise.

The heyday of the Principality of Galicia occurred during the reign of Yaroslav Osmomysl (1153-1187), who gave a decisive rebuff to the Hungarians and Poles who were pressing on him and waged a fierce struggle against the boyars. With the death of his son Vladimir Yaroslavich, the Rostislavich dynasty ceased to exist, and in 1199, the Vladimir-Volyn prince Roman Mstislavich took possession of the Galician principality and united the Galician and Volyn lands into a single Galician-Volyn principality. Its center was Galich, then Kholm, and from 1272 Lvov. The victorious campaigns of Roman's squads against Lithuania, Poland, Hungary and the Polovtsians created high international authority for him and the principality.

After the death of Roman (1205), the western lands of Rus' again entered a period of unrest and princely-boyar civil strife. The struggle of the feudal groups in the western lands of Rus' reached its greatest severity under the young sons of Roman Mstislavich - Daniil and Vasilka.

The Galician-Volyn principality broke up into appanages - Galician, Zvenigorod and Vladimir. This made it possible for Hungary, where young Daniel was raised at the court of King Andrew II, to constantly interfere in Galician-Volyn affairs, and soon to occupy Western Russian lands. The boyar opposition was not so organized and mature as to turn the Galician land into a boyar republic, but it had enough strength to organize endless conspiracies and riots against the princes.

Hoping to create an anti-Horde coalition on a European scale with the help of the pope, Daniil Romanovich agreed to accept the royal crown offered to him by Innocent IV. The coronation took place in 1253.

during campaigns against the Lithuanian Yatvingians in the small town of Dorogichina near the western border of the principality. The Roman Curia turned its attention to Galicia and Volhynia, hoping to spread Catholicism to these lands. In 1264, Daniil Romanovich died in Kholm. After his death, the decline of the Galicia-Volyn principality began, breaking up into four appanages.

In the XIV century. Galicia was captured by Poland, and Volyn by Lithuania. After the Union of Lublin in 1569, the Galician and Volyn lands became part of a single multinational Polish-Lithuanian state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Social system. A feature of the social structure of the Galicia-Volyn principality was that a large group of boyars was created there, in whose hands almost all land holdings were concentrated. However, the process of formation of large feudal land ownership did not proceed equally everywhere. In Galicia, its growth outpaced the formation of the princely domain. In Volyn, on the contrary, along with boyar land tenure, domain land ownership received significant development. This is explained by the fact that it was in Galicia that the economic and political prerequisites for a more rapid growth of large feudal landownership matured earlier than in Volyn. The princely domain began to take shape when the predominant part of the communal lands was seized by the boyars and the circle of free lands for the princely domains was limited. In addition, the Galician princes, trying to enlist the support of local feudal lords, distributed part of their lands to them and thereby reduced the princely domain.

The most important role among the feudal lords of the Galician-Volyn principality was played by the Galician boyars - “Galician men”. They owned large estates and dependent peasants. In the source

Nikahs of the 12th century the ancestors of the Galician boyars act as “princely men.” The strength of this boyars, who expanded the boundaries of their possessions and conducted large-scale trade, continuously increased. There was a constant struggle within the boyars for lands and power. Already in the 12th century. “Galician men” oppose any attempts to limit their rights in favor of princely power and growing cities.

Another group consisted of service feudal lords, whose sources of land holdings were princely grants, boyar lands confiscated and redistributed by the princes, as well as unauthorized seizures of communal lands. In the vast majority of cases, they held land conditionally while they served, i.e. for service and under the condition of service. Serving feudal lords supplied the prince with an army consisting of feudal-dependent peasants. The Galician princes relied on them in their fight against the boyars.

The ruling class of the Galicia-Volyn principality also included large church nobility in the person of archbishops, bishops, abbots of monasteries and others, who also owned vast lands and peasants. Churches and monasteries acquired land holdings through grants and donations from princes. Often they, like princes and boyars, seized communal lands, and turned peasants into monastic or church feudal dependent people.

The process of the formation of large land holdings and the formation of a class of feudal lords was accompanied by an increase in the feudal dependence of the peasants and the emergence of feudal rent. Labor rent in the XI-XII centuries. gradually replaced by product rent. The amount of feudal duties was set by the feudal lords at their own discretion.

Serfdom in the Galicia-Volyn principality was preserved, but the number of serfs decreased, many of them were planted on the land and merged with the peasants.

In the Galicia-Volyn principality there were over 80 cities, including the largest - Berestye (later Brest), Vladimir, Galich, Lvov, Lutsk, Przemysl, Kholm.

The largest group of the urban population were artisans. Jewelry, pottery, blacksmithing and glass-making workshops were located in the cities. They worked both for the customer and for the market, internal or external. The salt trade brought great profits. Being a large commercial and industrial center, Galich quickly acquired the significance of a cultural center. The famous Galician-Volyn chronicle and other written monuments of the 12th-13th centuries were created there.

State system. The peculiarity of the Galicia-Volyn principality was that for a long time it was not divided into appanages. After the death of Daniil Romanovich, it split into Galician and Volyn lands, and then each of these lands began to split up in turn. Another special feature was that power was essentially in the hands of the large boyars.

Since the Galician-Volyn princes did not have a broad economic and social base, their power was fragile. It was passed down through generations. The place of the deceased father was taken by the eldest of the sons, whom his other brothers were supposed to “honor in their father’s place.” The widow-mother enjoyed significant political influence under her sons. Despite the system of vassalage on which relations between members of the princely house were built, each princely possession was politically largely independent.

Although the princes expressed the interests of the feudal lords as a whole, they nevertheless could not concentrate the fullness of state power in their hands. The Galician boyars played a major role in the political life of the country. It even controlled the princely table - it invited and removed princes. The history of the Galicia-Volyn principality is full of examples when princes who lost the support of the boyars were forced to leave their principalities. The forms of struggle of the boyars against unwanted princes are also characteristic. They invited Hungarians and Poles against them, put to death unwanted princes (this is how the princes Igorevich were hanged in 1208), and removed them from Galicia (in 1226). There is a known case when the boyar Volodislav Kormilchich, who did not belong to the dynasty, proclaimed himself a prince in 1231. Often, representatives of the ecclesiastical nobility were at the head of boyar revolts directed against the prince. In such a situation, the main

Chapter 5. Rus' during the period of feudal fragmentation

§ 3. Galicia-Volyn principality

The main support of the princes were the middle and small feudal lords, as well as the city elite.

The Galician-Volyn princes had certain administrative, military, judicial and legislative powers. In particular, they appointed officials in cities and towns, endowing them with land holdings under the condition of service, and were formally the commanders-in-chief of all armed forces. But each boyar had his own military militia, and since the Galician boyars’ regiments often outnumbered the prince’s, in case of disagreement, the boyars could argue with the prince using military force. The supreme judicial power of the princes in case of disagreements with the boyars passed to the boyar elite. Finally, the princes issued letters concerning various issues of government, but they were often not recognized by the boyars.

The boyars exercised their power with the help of the boyar council. Its members included the largest landowners, bishops and persons holding the highest government positions. The composition, rights, and competence of the council were not determined.

The boyar council was convened, as a rule, on the initiative of the boyars themselves. The prince did not have the right to convene a council at his own request, and could not issue a single state act without his consent. The council zealously protected the interests of the boyars, even interfering in the prince's family affairs. This body, while not formally the highest authority, actually governed the principality. Since the council included boyars who occupied the largest administrative positions, the entire state administrative apparatus was actually subordinate to it.

The Galician-Volyn princes from time to time, under emergency circumstances, convened a veche in order to strengthen their power, but it did not have much influence. Small merchants and artisans could be present, but the decisive role was played by the top feudal lords.

In the Galicia-Volyn principality, palace-patrimonial administration arose earlier than in other Russian lands. In the system of this administration, the courtier, or butler, played a significant role. He was in charge of basically all matters relating to the court

prince, he was entrusted with the command of individual regiments; during military operations he protected the life of the prince.

Among the palace ranks, mention is made of a printer, a steward, a cup keeper, a falconer, a hunter, a stable keeper, etc. The printer was in charge of the princely office and was the custodian of the princely treasury, which at the same time was also the princely archive. In his hands was the princely seal. The steward was in charge of the prince's table, served him during meals, and was responsible for the quality of the table. Chashnichiy was in charge of the side forests, cellars and everything related to the supply of drinks to the princely table. The falconer was in charge of bird hunting. The hunter was in charge of hunting the beast. The main function of the groom was to serve the princely cavalry. Numerous princely key holders acted under the control of these officials. The positions of butler, printer, steward, groom and others gradually turned into palace ranks.

The territory of the Galicia-Volyn principality was initially divided into thousands and hundreds. As the thousand and sotskys with their administrative apparatus gradually became part of the palace-patrimonial apparatus of the prince, the positions of governors and volostels arose in their place. Accordingly, the territory of the principality was divided into voivodeships and volosts. The communities elected elders who were in charge of administrative and minor judicial matters.

Right. The legal system of the Galicia-Volyn principality was not much different from the legal systems that existed in other Russian lands during the period of feudal fragmentation. The norms of Russian Truth, only slightly modified, continued to apply here.

The Galician-Volyn princes, of course, also issued their own acts. Among them, a valuable source characterizing the economic relations of the Galician principality with Czech, Hungarian and other merchants is the charter of Prince Ivan Rosti-slavich Berladnik in 1134. It established a number of benefits for foreign merchants. Around 1287, the Manuscript of Prince Vladimir Vasilkovich was published, concerning the rules of inheritance law in the Vladimir-Volyn principality. The document says-

Chapter 5. Rus' during the period of feudal fragmentation

about the transfer by Prince Vladimir of the right to exploit the feudally dependent population to the heirs. At the same time, it provides materials for studying the management of villages and cities. Around 1289, the Charter of Volyn Prince Mstislav Daniilovich was published, characterizing the duties that fell on the shoulders of the feudally dependent population of Southwestern Rus'.

tttnChapter 6. MONGOL-TATAR STATES

ON THE TERRITORY OF OUR COUNTRY

tttk During the period of fragmentation in Rus', the development of the early feudal state continued. Relatively centralized Ancient Rus' breaks up into a mass of large, medium, small and tiny states. In their political forms, even small feudal estates are trying to copy the Kiev state.

During this period, it appears fundamentally new form government - republic. The Novgorod and Pskov feudal republics are widely known. Less known is Vyatka, a colony of Novgorod that arose at the end of the 12th century. on the Mari and Udmurt lands, which became an independent state and existed until the end of the 15th century.1

All the considered feudal powers are united, in principle, by a single legal system, which is based on an epoch-making legal act - the Russian Truth. Not a single principality is creating a new law that can at least to some extent replace the Russian Truth. Only its new editions are being formed. Only in feudal republics (and this is not accidental) do new major legislative acts arise.

The feudal fragmentation of Rus', like other regions of the country, was an inevitable stage in the development of the state. But this inevitability cost our people dearly. In the 13th century Mongol-Tatar hordes fell on Rus'.