Government Novgorod Republic

medieval walls of novgorod kremlin late 15th century. kokui tower (left) dates 17th century; name of swedish origin.

the city state of novgorod had developed procedures of governance held large measure of democratic participation far in advance of rest of europe. people had power elect city officials , had power elect , fire prince. chronicle writer goes on describe “town meeting” these decisions have been made, included people social classes ranging posadniki (magistrates), chernye liundi (literally, black folks) or lowest class. precise constitution of medieval novgorodian republic uncertain, although traditional histories have created image of highly institutionalized network of veches (public assemblies) , government of posadniks (mayors), tysyatskys ( thousandmen, head of town militia, later judicial , commercial official), other members of aristocratic families, , archbishops of novgorod.

some scholars argue archbishop head of executive branch of government, although difficult determine exact competence of various officials. possible there council of lords (Совет Господ) headed archbishop , met in archiepiscopal palace (and in palace of facets after 1433), more jonas granberg has called doubt whether such body ever existed; argues is, in fact, invention of historians reading sparse sources.

the (at least nominal) executives of novgorod princes of novgorod, invited novgorodians neighboring states, though power waned in 13th , 14th centuries. unclear if archbishop of novgorod real head of state or chief executive of novgorod republic, in case remained important town official. in addition overseeing church in novgorod, headed embassies, oversaw court cases of secular nature, , carried out other secular tasks. however, archbishops appear have worked boyars reach consensus , never acted alone. archbishop not appointed, elected novgorodians, , approved metropolitan bishop of russia. archbishops richest single land-owners in novgorod, , made money off court fees, fees use of weights , measures in marketplace, , through other means.

the veche in novgorod,

by vasily khudyakov

another important executive novgorod posadnik, chaired veche, co-chaired courts prince, oversaw tax collection , managed current affairs of city. of prince s major decisions had approved posadnik. in mid-14th century, instead of 1 posadnik, veche began electing six. these 6 posadniks kept status lifetimes, , each year elected among chief stepennoy posadnik. precise makeup of veche uncertain, although appears have comprised members of urban population, of free rural population. whether democratic institution or 1 controlled boyars has been hotly debated. posadniks, tysiatskys, , bishops , archbishops of novgorod elected or @ least approved veche.

tradespeople , craftsmen participated in political affairs of novgorod great. traditional scholarship argues organized 5 kontsy (ends) - konets (конец; pl. концы) in russian - i.e., boroughs of city lived in; each end organized streets in lived. ends , streets bore names indicating trades concentrated in parts of city (there carpenter s end , potters end, example). trade groups had sotnyas (сотни, or hundredmen) (see ivan’s hundred, thought have been first russian guild, although there no evidence of guilds existing in rus such in, say, low countries, germany, france, or england).

novgorod within kievan rus prior independence.

like of rest of novgorod s medieval history, precise composition of these trade or crafts organizations uncertain , ought not confused more organized guilds (or later unions) of western europe. quite possible ends , streets neighborhood administrative groups rather guilds or unions . street organizations known build churches in neighborhoods , have buried dead of neighborhoods during outbreaks of plague, beyond activities uncertain. ivan s hundred, exact nature not known. organized around church of st. john forerunner on opoki, north of marketplace, , each member had pay entrance fee of bolt of ypres cloth (from flanders) archbishop. tysyatsky arbitrated disputes between members. other that, activities of ivan s hundred unknown.

streets , ends may have taken part in political decision-making in novgorod in support of boyar factions or protect interests. merchant elders noted in treaties , other charters, hundred of these charters exist. half dozen date 12th century, while after 1262. difficult determine novgorod s political structure due paucity of sources.

the prince, while status in novgorod not heritable , power reduced, remained important figure in novgorodian life. of around 100 princes of novgorod, many, if not most, invited in or dismissed novgorodians. @ least of them signed contract called r ad (ряд), protected interests of novgorodian boyars , laid out prince s rights , responsibilities. r ads have been preserved in archives describe relationship of novgorod twelve invited princes: 5 of them tver , 4 moscow, , 3 lithuania.

first , foremost among prince s functions, military leader. patronized churches in city , held court, although presided on namestnik or lieutenant when absent city. posadnik had present in court , no court decision made without approval. also, without posadnik s approval prince neither give out novgorod lands nor issue laws. besides, prince not own land in novgorod , not himself collect taxes novgorod lands. lived money given him city.

according several r ads, prince not extradite or prosecute novgorodian outside of novgorodian land. princes had 2 residences, 1 on marketplace (called yaroslav s court, after yaroslav wise), , (Городище / riurkovo gorodische) several miles south of market side of city.

the administrative division of novgorod republic not known; country divided several tysyachas (in core lands of country) , volosts (lands in east , north being colonised or paid tribute). city of novgorod , vicinity, few other towns, not part of of those. pskov achieved autonomy novgorod in 13th century; independence confirmed treaty of bolotovo in 1348. several other towns had special status owned jointly novgorod , 1 of neighbouring states.

the leaders of rus during 15th century after mongol yoke had serious decision make. either change mongol style of ruling , lean towards governance resembling novgorod elections , full societal involvement, or continue follow mongol style of ruling. examples of form of governance can seen in of court practices adopted new government. practice of chelobitie, literally meaning, beat one’s head against ground. way great khans demanded rus leaders come before them, , practice continued. next , striking similarity between these 2 systems of governments emphasis on autocratic, militarized state. when novgorod contemplated switching catholicism, force tsar s hand, @ least point of view. in treaty between novgorod , lithuania, city of novgorod agreed pay taxes lithuania, ivan saw threat security.please specify treaty, ivan can seen in response given take on lithuania.

“lithuania had right share of tax revenue collected towns on novgorodian side of border. new muscovite appointed governor not allow king casimir’s agents across collect fees due.”