In ancient Russia, the law was represented by the norms of customary law. There were no written collections containing them. The law was an oral set of legal norms. International agreements and between princes were oral. The first written documents of international law that have survived to this day were the treaties between Russia and Byzantium.
Rus and Byzantium
Until the end of the first millennium, the law in Russia was oral, there were no written rules of law. The first written treaties appeared precisely because of the difficult relations with Byzantium, the successor of Roman law, where there were developed principles and norms that became the basis of legal relations in any civilized state.
There has always been mutual interest between Russia and Byzantium. Treaties between Russia and Byzantium were concluded, despite the fact that their main points of contact are military clashes, but it was they who gave rise to and aroused interest in each other, mutual respect. We see this from the contracts that were drawn up after the nextmilitary clash. After reading them, it is impossible to notice where the loser is and where the winner is. It was during the times of military clashes that treaties between Russia and Byzantium were signed, thanks to them relations were built in the future, in which trade and cultural ties developed.
The points of interaction between the interests of the two states were mainly along the coast of the Black Sea and the Crimea, where Byzantium had territories under its control. Russia needed access to the southern seas for the further development of trade. Frequent campaigns of Russian squads to the south were associated with the expansion of trade routes. A number of clauses included in the treaties between Russia and Byzantium were devoted to trade relations.
Formation of the state of Byzantium
At the end of the 4th century, the Great Roman Empire gradually fell into decay. From the west, it was besieged by numerous tribes of barbarians, who destroyed the great civilization with their raids. But the far-sighted Roman emperor Constantine, back in the 4th century, moved the capital of the state to the eastern part of the empire, to the city of Constantinople he founded, which was located on the shores of the Bosphorus Bay on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium. This move essentially split the empire in two.
Rome was ruled by its rulers, but Constantinople remained the main city of the empire. By the end of the 5th century, almost the entire territory of the Western part of Europe was captured by the German barbarians. The western part of the Roman Empire could not resist them either. Tribes of Germanic barbarians captured and sacked Rome. State and ancientcivilization has come to an end.
During the sack of Rome by the barbarians, Byzantium was a very powerful empire, which was also attacked by conquerors, including squads of Russian princes. After each campaign, a written agreement between Russia and Byzantium was drawn up. Byzantium by the end of the first millennium was a powerful empire, capable of recapturing part of the lands of the western Roman Empire and holding them for more than two centuries. A prosperous state contributed to the construction of new cities, with beautiful palaces and temples. He was destined to stand for more than ten hundred years, increasing and preserving the legacy of the great Roman Empire.
Byzantium is the successor of Rome
The ancient state of Byzantium, in its essence, is the cultural successor and civilizational successor of the Great Roman Empire - the second Rome. Most of its population are Greeks, who led the empire to Christianity. It continued to develop and flourish. Byzantium has made an invaluable contribution to the world development of mankind. It was an enlightened Christian state. Scientists, musicians, poets, philosophers and lawyers lived and worked here.
Roman law was preserved by Byzantium. It not only survived, but continued to develop and also concerned relations with other countries, evidence of this is the treaties of Russia with Byzantium. One of the most important achievements of the empire was the systematization and streamlining (codification) of Roman law. That is, all text documents were rightfully revised, systematized by chapters, parts,paragraphs, articles. In this state, the law exists today in all civilized countries.
Russian campaigns against Byzantium
Byzantium flourished. The western cities of the Roman Empire were destroyed by the barbarians. The cities that were part of Byzantium continued their peaceful development. Much attention was paid to trade. The famous route from the Varangians to the Greeks passed through Byzantium. Not surprisingly, the state was constantly under attack from the barbarians, who tried to take possession of the we alth of the empire.
Ancient Russia was no exception, whose campaigns against Byzantium were, first of all, not for the purpose of annexing new lands, but it was interested precisely in trade relations and receiving rich tribute. At that time, Byzantium was the center of Christianity, and Russia was a pagan country of barbarians. Although the Russian squads went on a campaign for tribute, Byzantium tried in every possible way to improve its relations with the northern country. After campaigns, successful or unsuccessful, another treaty was signed between Russia and Byzantium.
Treaties
Byzantium was of interest to Russia. And, above all, as a highly developed state formation. At the same time, Russia was beneficial to Byzantium. Many Slavs and northern Scandinavians served in the Byzantine army. They were excellent warriors: brave and hardy. Byzantium had a great influence on the countries of Eastern Europe, including Russia. Relations between the two countries could be judged by the agreements concludedbetween them. The clauses of the contracts de alt with vital issues that help build difficult relationships.
The first 5 treaties of Russia and Byzantium have reached our time. They are a translation from Greek into Old Slavonic and are contained in the oldest manuscript, The Tale of Bygone Years. These are the very first treaties of Russia. Byzantium had a great positive influence on the process of the formation of the state and the principles of law of the northern neighbor. Treaties are considered to be the fundamental premises of the early written sources of Russian law.
Treaty of 907
The first written treaty between Russia and Byzantium was signed in 907. But not all scientists think the same way. Some researchers tend to assume that it originated as a preparatory document. Like it or not, it is not possible to confirm or refute one of the opinions.
Treaty of 911
It was concluded on September 2 and marked the most successful campaign of Prince Oleg's squad against Byzantium.
What caused the conclusion of the treaty between Russia and Byzantium? First of all, it was needed to establish good-neighborly relations, to resolve the issue of trade, shipping, those issues that so often arise when people living in the two countries communicate. The treaty shows that the prince sent ambassadors who were instructed, first of all, to assure the Greek kings Leo, Alexander and Constantine of sincere friendship and good neighborliness. Next, the points discussed in detail the pressing issues relating to relationsbetween two countries and people involved in certain events on the territory of Russia or Byzantium.
Treaty of 945
Prince Igor concluded an agreement between Russia and Byzantium after his crushing defeat in the campaign of 945. This agreement practically copied all the clauses of the 911 agreement. In addition, new paragraphs and amendments to the previously existing ones were introduced into it. So, for example, in the contract of 911, a clause was introduced to provide Russian merchants with benefits when visiting Byzantium. In the agreement of 945, an amendment was made that this would be carried out if they had special princely letters. The list of benefits has been significantly reduced.
Since the signing of the treaty, Russia was ordered not to lay claim to Byzantium's possessions in the Crimea. In addition, Russia was not allowed to leave ambushes at the mouth of the Dnieper River and was ordered to help Byzantium during the conduct of hostilities.
Russian-Byzantine war of 970-971
The essence of the military conflict was as follows, during the reign of Prince Svyatoslav, in 969, the Bulgarian-Byzantine conflict took place. Ambassadors of Byzantium with considerable gifts were sent to the Russian prince in order to persuade the ruler to punish the Bulgarian Tsar Peter. Prince Svyatoslav with his retinue advanced towards Bulgaria, which he conquered and began to rule it.
But then the Russian prince, together with the Bulgarians, went against Byzantium. The war lasted until June 21, 971, when the last battle took place, which endedto no avail. In Constantinople, it was restless, an attempted coup was made. The Russian army was exhausted and lost many dead. As always, part of the top Bulgarians went over to the side of the Greeks.
Treaty of 971
Svyatoslav turned to Emperor John Tzimiskes with a proposal to conclude peace, in which he put forward favorable conditions for the Russians, including the restoration of former relations with Byzantium. The emperor agreed to everything without hesitation. The agreement upheld all the conditions of the previous document, and Prince Svyatoslav promised never to fight against Byzantium, not to incite other states to war against it and to become an ally of the great empire.
Treaty of 1046
10 years later, in 981, the Russian Prince Vladimir took Chersonese, married the Emperor's daughter, Princess Anna, and Russia was baptized. Russia became a reliable ally of Byzantium. Under the emperor, a Russian military corps is serving, a Russian monastery appears on Athos. But in 1043, tension again reigned between the two states, which led to a new campaign of Russian squads on sea boats to Tsargrad. A hurricane and the so-called "Greek fire" of the Byzantines led to the death of the naval squad.
According to some reports, in 1044 the Russians took Chersonese, in 1046 Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich married the daughter of Emperor Constantine Monomakh and a peace treaty was concluded between Russia and Byzantium.
