Novgorod Land

Novgorod Land was one of the centers of formation of the Old Russian state. It was in the Novgorod Land that the Rurikovich dynasty began to reign, and a state formation arose, which in historiography was named Novgorod Russia, Upper Russia, Povolkhov Russia, from which it is customary to begin the history of Russian statehood.

11th century

At the end of the 9th – beginning of the 10th centuries (in chronicles dating to 882), the center of the Rurikovich state moved from Novgorod to Kiev. In the 10th century, Ladoga was attacked by the Norwegian jarl Eric. In 980, Novgorod Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich (the Baptist), at the head of the Varangian squad, overthrew the Kiev Prince Yaropolk. In the 990s, Novgorod refused to convert to Christianity, and stood up for its faith with the supreme magician over the Slavs Bogumil Solovey and tysyatskiy Ugonay. Novgorod was baptized by force with "fire and sword": many Novgorodians were killed, and the whole city burned down. In 1015–1019, Prince of Novgorod Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise overthrew the Kiev Prince Svyatopolk the Accursed. The Novgorodians supported Yaroslav during the war, and after his victory in the war, Yaroslav awarded them and gave Novgorod the "Truth" and the "Charter" – a letter. Subsequently, in their letters on which the princes who sat in Novgorod kissed the cross, Novgorodians pointed to the letter of Yaroslav as a prototype. Also under Yaroslav, Detinets and Saint Sophia Cathedral were built. In honor of the prince in Novgorod founded the University named after Yaroslav the Wise.[18][19]

In 1032, in a campaign on the Iron Gate, the Novgorodians were headed by the governor Uleb.[20] In 1020 and 1067, Novgorod Land was attacked by the Polotsk Izyaslavichs.

In the 11th century, the governor – the son of the Kiev prince – still had great powers. In the same period, the institute of posadniks appeared, who ruled in Novgorod at a time when its prince was not there (like Ostromir) or the prince was a minor, as in 1088, when Vsevolod Yaroslavich sent his grandson Mstislav (son of Vladimir Monomakh) to reign in Novgorod. In 1095, the Novgorodians, dissatisfied with the absence of their prince Davyd Svyatoslavich, returned Mstislav, and seven years later they opposed the attempt of the Kiev prince to replace Mstislav with his son. By the 11th century, historians attribute the emergence of republican authorities (veche, prince, posadnik).[18][19]

In the second decade of the 12th century, Vladimir Monomakh strengthened the central authority in Novgorod Land. In 1117, without taking into account the opinion of the Novgorod community, Mstislav was recalled to the south by his father, and Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich was seated on the throne of Novgorod. Some boyars opposed this decision of the prince, in connection with which they were called to Kiev and thrown into prison.

After the death of Mstislav the Great in 1132 and the deepening tendencies of political fragmentation, the prince of Novgorod lost the support of the central government. In 1134, Vsevolod was expelled from the city. Returning to Novgorod, he was forced to conclude a "row" with the Novgorodians, limiting his authority. On January 26, 1135, the army of Novgorod, led by Vsevolod and Izyaslav Mstislavich, lost the Battle of Zhdanaya Mountain to the army of Suzdal Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. On May 28, 1136, in connection with the dissatisfaction of Novgorod with the actions of Prince Vsevolod, he was taken into custody, and then expelled from Novgorod.

In 1136, after the expulsion of Vsevolod Mstislavich, republican rule was established on Novgorod Land. Svyatoslav Olgovich, the younger brother of Vsevolod of Chernigov, the main ally of the Mstislavichs and rival of the then Kiev prince, Yaropolk from the House of Monomakh, became the first prince independently called upon by the Novgorodians. As a rule, a representative of one of the two warring princely groups was invited to Novgorod either immediately after his allies occupied key positions in Southern Russia, or before that. Sometimes the Novgorodians helped their allies to take these positions, as, for example, in 1212.

The greatest threat to Novgorod independence was posed by the princes of Vladimir (who achieved the strengthening of personal power in their principality after the defeat of the old Rostov–Suzdal boyars in 1174–1175), since they had an effective lever of influence on Novgorod. They captured Torzhok several times and blocked the supply of food from their "lower" lands.

The Novgorodians also made campaigns in North–Eastern Russia, in particular, under the leadership of Vsevolod Mstislavich, they fought at Zhdanaya Mountain on January 26, 1135, and in 1149, together with Svyatopolk Mstislavich, ravaged the surroundings of Yaroslavl and left because of the spring flood, also as part of the struggle against Yuri Dolgoruky.

In 1170, immediately after the capture of Kiev by the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky and his allies, the Suzdalites undertook a campaign against Novgorod, in which Roman Mstislavich, the son of the prince expelled from Kiev, was located. The Novgorodians managed to win the defensive battle and defend their independence, the enemy suffered huge losses by the prisoners.

From 1181 to 1209, with intervals of 1184–1187 and 1196–1197, the Vladimir–Suzdal dynasty was in power in Novgorod, from 1197 its rule was continuous.[21]

In the early spring of 1209, the Toropets prince Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny took possession of Torzhok, captivating not only the local posadnik and several merchants, but also a group of noblemen of Novgorod prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, the youngest son of Vladimir prince Vsevolod the Big Nest. After that, he sent a letter to Novgorod:

"I bow to Saints Sofya and the tomb of my father and all Novgorodians; I came to you when I heard violence from the prince, and we pity my fathers."

Apparently, Mstislav relied on some serious forces in Novgorod, because, having learned about the capture of Torzhok, Vsevolod the Big Nest sent his eldest son Konstantin against him. However, the Novgorodians arrested their current prince Svyatoslav (brother of Constantine) and expressed support for the new chosen one, confirming the right to "liberty in the princes". In this way, the safety of Mstislav was guaranteed, after which Konstantin was forced to stop in Tver, and his elderly father, who avoided military conflicts at sunset, agreed with the usurper and recognized him as the legitimate ruler of Novgorod.

The Toropetsky prince did not have influential patrons, any powerful personal authority or wealth. However, he proved himself in military affairs. The Novgorod Chronicle speaks of him in an extremely positive way: fair in court and punishment, a successful commander, attentive to the concerns of people, and noble lack of money.

In Novgorod, Mstislav showed decisiveness and initiative in internal affairs: he replaced the posadniks and the archbishop, launched active construction in the city and the posad, undertook the reconstruction of defensive structures on the southern approaches to his land: the fortress walls of the Velikiye Luki adjacent to Toropets were updated, and administrative reform was carried out border lands: Velikiye Luki were united with Pskov at hand of brother Mstislav, Vladimir.

After that, Pskov becomes responsible for the borders of Novgorod from the south (Polotsk, Lithuania) and the west (Estonia, Latgale), and also controls the border regions of Southern Estonia (Ugandi, Waiga and partly Sakala) and Northern Latgale (Talava, Ochela). The lands of Northern Estonia (Vironia), Vody, Izhora and Karelia depart to Novgorod.

Thus, the administrative–political, defensive, and commercial significance of Pskov begins to grow in the process of transforming the Baltic states from a backward pagan province into an important point in Western European trade, church, and military expansion. This led to the allocation of a separate prince for Pskov during the reign of Mstislav Mstislavich in Novgorod.[21] He also led a new wave of Russian resistance to the crusaders in the Baltic states.

The father of the Novgorodian prince Mstislav Rostislavich the Brave, who reigned in Novgorod for less than a year and was buried in Saint Sophia Cathedral (1180), was remembered for his victorious campaign against the Chud at the head of the 20,000 troops in 1179. Therefore, Mstislav Udatny began his military campaigns with a similar operation.

At the end of 1209, he made a brief raid into Estonian Vironia, returning with rich booty, and in 1210 made a large campaign against the Chud, capturing the Bear's Head. He took from the Estonians not only a tribute, but also a promise to be baptized into Orthodoxy. He first used Christianity as an additional measure to strengthen his power, which previously was done only by the Catholic colonialists. However, the Orthodox priests were not as mobile as the Catholic ones, and the prince's initiative was not continued: instead of the Orthodox, priests from Riga came to the Estonians and thus the Bear's Head (Odenpe) later became one of the lands of the Riga bishopric.

Dissatisfied with the passivity of the church, in January 1211, Mstislav achieved the removal from service of Archbishop Mitrofan, having proposed in its place the mnikh of the Khutynsky monastery, a representative of the influential boyar clan Anthony (Dobrynya Yadreikovich), who later was an ardent supporter of preaching and missionary work on the frontiers of Russia.[21]

In 1210, the Germans, who were attacked by the Curon in the south and tried not to get involved in the ethnic massacre of Ests and Letts, tried to protect themselves from the north and signed a peace treaty with Polotsk, promising to pay the "Livonian" tribute. At the same time, peace was concluded with Novgorod, according to which Mstislav shared the spheres of influence with Riga Bishop Albert, taking into account that most of Estonia (Sakala, Gerven, Garia, Ryavala and Primorye (German: Maritima or Wiek, Vic; Estonian: Läänemaa, Läänemaa), Rotalia (Rotalia, Estonian: Ridala) and Sontagana (Sontagana; Estonian: Soontagana) remained not yet subjugated by the Russians and especially the Germans. The parties left them at the mercy of the winner. At the same time, Novgorod was assigned rights to the northern regions of Latgale (Talava and Ochela) and to Estonian lands along Lake Peipsi: Vironia, Waiga, Ugandi. The rights of the Riga bishop were recognized in Livonia, Lower Dvina and Latgale (without Atzele and Talava). The agreement was secured by the first Russian–German matrimonial alliance – the marriage of the niece of Mstislav, the daughter of Pskov Prince Vladimir Mstislavich, and Theodorich – the younger brother of Bishop Albert.

At the same time, recognizing the rights of Riga to the lands in the Dvina (possibly also Kukenois and Gerzike), Mstislav aggravated the position of Prince of Polotsk Vladimir, who lost the support of his compatriots from Novgorod and Pskov. However, to elevate the role of Novgorod and Pskov in trade, this was beneficial.[21]

In 1216, when the brother of Vladimir Prince Yaroslav organized an economic blockade of Novgorod, Novgorodians, with the help of Smolensk princes, intervened in the power struggle between the Suzdal princes, as a result of which the Vladimir prince was overthrown. However, at the beginning of the 13th century, German Catholic orders (the Order of the Swordsmen and the Teutonic Order) completed the subordination of the Baltic tribes, who had previously paid tribute to Novgorod and Polotsk, and reached the borders of the Russian lands themselves. Pskov and Novgorod for a successful fight against them began to need an ally, ready to provide military assistance if necessary. But help did not always come on time, both because of the remoteness of Vladimir from the northwestern borders of Russia, and because of disagreements between the Novgorod nobility and the princes of Vladimir. The more dangerous position of Pskov gave rise to disagreements between Pskov and Novgorod. The Pskovites demanded from Novgorodians and Vladimirites either decisive successes in the Baltic campaigns, or peace with the Order. Pskov often received princes expelled by the Novgorodians.

During the Mongol invasion of Russia, Novgorod lands were only partially ruined (Volok Lamsky, Vologda, Bezhetsk, Torzhok). Various versions call the main reasons for the Mongols' refusal to march on Novgorod itself the upcoming spring thaw (after the capture of Torzhok on March 5) or the high losses of the Mongols at the earlier stages of the campaign, in the struggle against the Ryazan and Vladimir principalities. On July 15, 1240, Alexander Yaroslavich defeated the Swedes on the Neva, on April 5, 1242, the Teutons on the ice of Lake Peipsi, and in 1257–1259 he established his influence in Novgorod, threatening its with a Tatar pogrom. In 1268, the Teutons were defeated in the fierce Battle of Rakovor.

At the beginning of the 14th century, a struggle between the Tver and Moscow princes unfolded over the Novgorod princedom. The Golden Horde, trying to prevent a noticeable advantage of one Russian prince over another, supported Moscow in this struggle, the Novgorod nobility sympathized with the Moscow princes. Mikhail Tversky's attempt to subjugate Novgorod by force was unsuccessful, the campaign was unsuccessful.

In 1326, in Novgorod, Bishop Moses, Posadnik Olfromey and Tysyatsky Ostafy signed the "Distinguishing (Runic) Charter" on spheres of influence on the Kola Peninsula with the ambassador of the King of Norway, Sweden and Goth Magnus VII Gakon, according to which all rights to the lands of the Kola Peninsula departed Novgorod Republic.

Beginning in the 1330s, when Moscow and Vilno became the main centers of Russian lands, Novgorodians began to call for reigning of Lithuanian princes as well. Legally, the independence of Pskov was approved in 1348 (the Treaty of Bolotovo).

According to one version, reflected in primary sources, the Novgorodians participated in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.

In 1392, in Novgorod, a delegation of Vendian cities officially signed Niebur's Peace.[22]

In 1440, the Novgorod Judicial Charter was drafted (supplemented in 1471).

In 1446, famine in Novgorod; the master of the Livonian Order arranges a blockade of hungry Novgorod, conspiring with Lithuania, the Swedes, Norwegians, Denmark, the Hansa, Prussia, sends a fleet to blockade the mouth of the Neva.

In 1449, Moscow entered into an Eternal Peace with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, delimiting zones of influence in Russia. In 1453, Dmitry Shemyaka, a rival of the Moscow prince Vasily the Blind, was poisoned in Novgorod, and in 1456, the Novgorodians were forced to conclude a Treaty of Yazhelbitsy with Moscow, according to which the powers of the Moscow prince in Novgorod affairs were significantly expanded.

In 1470, the Kiev Metropolitan Gregory the Bulgarian was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Dionysius VI, which marked the departure of the Orthodox of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the union with Catholic Rome. The Novgorodians turned to Gregory to send them a new archbishop. In 1471, the troops of Ivan III made their first campaign against Novgorod and won the Battle of Shelon, and in 1478 it was finally annexed to the Moscow Principality.

Having conquered Novgorod in 1478, Moscow inherited its former political relations with its neighbors. The legacy of the independence period was the preservation of diplomatic practice, in which the northwestern neighbors of Novgorod – Sweden and Livonia – maintained diplomatic relations with Moscow through the Novgorod governors of the Grand Duke.

In territorial terms, Novgorod Land in the era of the Tsardom of Russia (16th–17th centuries) was divided into 5 pyatins: Vodskaya, Shelonskaya, Obonezhskaya, Derevskaya and Bezhetskaya. The smallest units of the administrative division at that time were pogosts, which determined the geographical location of villages, counted the population and their taxable property.

On March 21, 1499, the son of Tsar Ivan III Vasily was declared Grand Prince of Novgorod and Pskov. In April 1502, the Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir and All Russia autocrat, that is, he became co–ruler of Ivan III, and after the death of Ivan III on October 27, 1505 – the sole monarch.

Ivan Vasilievich IV (1533–1584)

Novgorod Land on the Dutch map of Muscovy – the maximum (in size) of the Grand Duchy. 1593

In 1565, after Tsar Ivan the Terrible divided the Russian State into oprichnina and zemshchina, the city became part of the latter.[23][24] Huge damage to Novgorod was caused by the oprichnina pogrom, which was perpetrated in the winter of 1569/1570 by an army personally led by Ivan the Terrible. The reason for the pogrom was the denunciation and suspicions of treason (as modern historians suggest, the Novgorod conspiracy was invented by the favorites of Ivan the Terrible, Vasily Gryazny and Malyuta Skuratov). All cities were looted on the road from Moscow to Novgorod, on the way Malyuta Skuratov personally strangled Metropolitan Philip in the Tver Youth monastery. The number of victims in Novgorod was more than 27 thousand people (in 1546 there were 35 thousand people in the city). In Novgorod, the pogrom lasted 6 weeks, thousands of people were tortured and drowned in Volkhov. The city was plundered. The property of churches, monasteries and merchants was confiscated.

In Vyborg in 1609, the government of Vasily Shuisky concluded the Vyborg Treaty with Sweden, according to which Korel Uyezd was transferred to the Swedish crown in exchange for military assistance.

In 1610, Ivan Odoevsky was appointed governor of Novgorod.

In 1610, Tsar Vasily Shuisky was overthrown and Moscow swore allegiance to Prince Vladislav. In Moscow, a new government was formed, which began to swear royal and other cities of the Russian state. Ivan Saltykov was sent to Novgorod to be sworn in and to guard against the Swedes who had appeared in the north and from thieves' gangs at that time. The Novgorodians, and probably led by Odoevsky, who was constantly in good relations with the Metropolitan Isidor of Novgorod, who had a great influence on the Novgorodians, and, apparently, who had respect and love among the Novgorodians, agreed not earlier to let Saltykov in and swear allegiance to the prince until they will receive from Moscow a list of approved crucifix letters; but they received an oath only after they took a promise from Saltykov that he would not bring the Poles with him to the city.

Soon in Moscow and throughout Russia a strong movement arose against the Poles; at the head of the militia, which set out to expel the Poles from Russia, became Prokopy Lyapunov, together with some other persons, formed the provisional government, which, having entered into government of the country, began sending out and the governor in the cities.

In the summer of 1611, Swedish general Jacob Delagardi with his army approached Novgorod. He entered into negotiations with the Novgorod authorities. He asked the governor whether they are enemies to the Swedes or friends and whether they want to comply with the Vyborg treaty concluded with Sweden under Tsar Vasily Shuisky. The governors could only answer that it depends on the future king and that they have no right to answer this question.

The Lyapunov government sent the governor Vasily Buturlin to Novgorod. Buturlin, arriving in Novgorod, began to behave differently: immediately began negotiations with Delagardi, offering the Russian crown to one of the sons of King Charles IX. Negotiations began that dragged on, but meanwhile, Buturlin and Odoevsky got into a feud: Buturlin did not allow cautious Odoevsky to take measures to protect the city, Delagardi allowed, under the pretext of negotiations, to cross the Volkhov and approach the most suburban Kolmovsky monastery, and even allowed Novgorod trading people supply the Swedes with various supplies.

The Swedes realized that it seemed to them a very convenient opportunity to seize Novgorod, and on July 8 they had an attack that was only reflected because the Novgorodians had time to burn the posads surrounding Novgorod in time. However, the Novgorodians did not last long in the siege: on the night of July 16, the Swedes managed to break into Novgorod. Their resistance was weak, since all the military men were under the command of Buturlin, who, after a short battle, retired from the city, robbing the Novgorod merchants; Odoevsky and Metropolitan Isidore locked themselves in the Kremlin, but, having no military supplies or military men at their disposal, they had to enter into negotiations with Delagardi. An agreement was concluded under which Novgorodians recognized the Swedish king as their patron, and Delagardi was admitted to the Kremlin.

By the middle of 1612, the Swedes occupied all of Novgorod Land, except for Pskov and Gdov. Unsuccessful attempt to take Pskov. The Swedes ceased hostilities.

Prince Pozharsky did not have enough troops to fight simultaneously with the Poles and Swedes, so he began negotiations with the latter. In May 1612, Stepan Tatishchev, ambassador of the Zemstvo government, was sent from Yaroslavl to Novgorod with letters to Metropolitan Isidor of Novgorod, Prince Ivan Odoyevsky, and Jacob Delagardi, Commander of the Swedish Forces. The government asked Metropolitan Isidor and Boyar Odoevsky how they were doing with the Swedes? The government wrote to Delagardi that if the king of Sweden gives his brother to the state and christens him in the Orthodox Christian faith, then they are glad to be on the same council with the Novgorodians. Odoevsky and Delagardi replied that they would soon send their ambassadors to Yaroslavl. Returning to Yaroslavl, Tatishchev announced that there was nothing to be expected from the Swedes. Negotiations with the Swedes about Karl–Philippe's candidate for Moscow's kings became a reason for Pozharsky and Minin to convene the Zemsky Cathedral.[25] In July, the promised ambassadors arrived in Yaroslavl: hegumen of the Vyazhitsky monastery Gennady, Prince Fyodor Obolensky, and out of all the pyatins, from the noblemen and from the townspeople – by person. On July 26, Novgorodians appeared before Pozharsky and stated that "the prince is now on the road and will soon be in Novgorod". The ambassadors' speech ended with the sentence "to be with us in love and unity under the hand of one sovereign".

Then from Yaroslavl to Novgorod a new embassy of Perfiliy Sekerin was sent. He was instructed, with the assistance of Novgorod Metropolitan Isidore, to conclude an agreement with the Swedes "so that the peasantry would be quiet and at peace". It is possible that in connection with this, the question of the election of the king of the Swedish royal, recognized by Novgorod, was raised in Yaroslavl. However, the royal election in Yaroslavl did not take place.

In October 1612, Moscow was liberated and it became necessary to choose a new sovereign. From Moscow to many cities of Russia, including Novgorod, letters were sent on behalf of the liberators of Moscow – Pozharsky and Trubetskoy. At the beginning of 1613, the Zemsky Sobor was held in Moscow, at which a new Tsar, Mikhail Romanov, was elected.

On May 25, 1613, an uprising began against the Swedish garrison in Tikhvin. The rebellious posad people recaptured the fortifications of the Tikhvin Monastery from the Swedes and withstood the siege in them until mid–September, forcing the Delagardi troops to retreat. With a successful Tikhvin uprising, the struggle for the liberation of Northwest Russia and Novgorod begins, culminating in the signing of the Stolbovsky Peace Treaty in 1617.

The Swedes left Novgorod only in 1617, in a completely ruined city only a few hundred inhabitants remained. During the events of the Time of Troubles, the borders of Novgorod Land were significantly reduced due to the loss of lands bordering Sweden on the Treaty of Stolbovo of 1617.

• Novgorod Governorate

In 1708, the territory entered the Ingermanland (from 1710 – Saint Petersburg Governorate) and Arkhangelogorod Governorates, and from 1726 the Novgorod Governorate was allocated, in which there were 5 provinces: Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, Belozerskaya and Velikolutskaya.