There is a historical hypothesis that Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich finally plunged Russia into the darkness of serfdom by issuing a document called "Decree on Lesson Years". He almost completely deprived the peasants of the right to liberation, turning people into dumb slaves, a kind of analogue of working cattle. Nevertheless, the text of the “commandment” itself has been lost, and information about its content is extremely scarce. Historians have been arguing about the most plausible version of events for centuries.
Officially adopted concept
According to the history books, the "Decree of Lesson Years" was signed in 1597, December 4 of the Julian calendar. The emergence of this legal norm was caused by the critical situation that had arisen in the state. Prior to this, exactly one hundred years the law was in force, according to which, during the week before November 26 (the church holiday of St. Yuri) and seven days after this date, each serf could withdraw from his status by declaring his desire and paying the owner the ransom sum (“old”) into the silver ruble. The price was considerable for those times, but the peasants who aspired to freedom tried to accumulate it. This phenomenon has become widespread. Moreover, oftenhaving managed to raise money, some serfs simply fled. According to the officially adopted version, the "Decree on Lesson Years" forbade the peasants to leave the landowners. But his reactionary essence was not limited to this. It was not enough just to escape from the hateful owner. The "Decree on Lesson Years" established a specific search period during which the master could return his serf - five years.
"Decree" version and its variants
The lack of documentary evidence for a historian is about the same as for a physicist - the discrepancy between the experimental results of his theoretical concept. There are two main versions of the description of the process of enslavement of the Russian peasantry. According to the first (called "decree"), it happened strictly in accordance with the legal norms of the sixteenth century. The “Decree on Lesson Years” was signed, and from that moment on … But this theory also has its ramifications. According to V. N. Tatishchev, this document had already existed since 1592, and its author was not Fyodor Ioannovich, but Boris Godunov. The paper was lost and could not be found. But she was.
The considered "specified version" is certainly plausible, but it suffers from a common flaw characteristic of many historical theories. It is built solely on logical messages, and is not supported by anything other than them. There must be a decree, and that's it. Where he is is another question. You never know what can happen to paper in more than four centuries…
Was itDecree?
The influence of the "Decree" on the change in public life in the country can be judged by the fact that the name of the document was practically not mentioned in the petitions of the landowners for the return of their "property". It would seem quite logical, demanding to find and deliver a runaway serf, to refer to the royal “Decree on Lesson Years”. Is not it? After all, then the petition acquires the character of not just a personal request, but a petition for compliance with the law. But the landowners did not refer to the royal charter, preferring to get by with more abstract formulations.
Here's to you, grandmother, and St. George's Day
At present, the only written document confirming the existence of the Tsar's will materialized on paper can be a letter from the Novgorod monks, in which they refer to a certain decree, according to which there is "no way out" for peasants and beavers. At the same time, both the date and the author of the legislative act remain unknown. It is difficult to unambiguously attribute its creation to Tsar Fedor. Firstly, during the years of his reign, the “gray regent” Godunov actually led the country, and it was he who could put forward this legislative initiative. Secondly, there are quite real reasons to believe that the document itself appeared five years earlier, and then was destroyed (perhaps deliberately) by Boriska himself (or at his order). Thirdly, it is quite possible that the "reserved decree" was adopted by Ivan Vasilyevich, but entered into force somewhat later. Despite all these versions, the fact remains: St. George's Day was destroyed at the end of the 16th century, andpeasants have lost the rights they previously enjoyed.
