Chronicle writing in Novgorod has a long tradition dating back to the 11th century and continuing for seven centuries. Documents written by ancient authors have become the most important sources for studying the history of the socio-political development of this vast region.
Beginning of chronicle
The Novgorod chronicles that have come down to us are conditionally designated by five numbers. Each of them has several lists, called izvods. For example, the Novgorod First Chronicle in its early edition covers the period from the beginning of the 13th century to the forties of the 14th century. It has survived in the form of a small parchment list, not exceeding a quarter of a standard page, and consisting of one hundred and sixty-nine leaves.
The later edition is a somewhat supplemented revision, and the events set forth in it cover a more extended historical stage, stretching until the thirties of the XV century. In addition to a brief edition of Russkaya Pravda, a unique collection of the 11th century containing an exposition of the legal norms of Kievan Rus, it contains a number of othermonuments of ancient Russian lawmaking. The Novgorod Chronicle of the younger version, as well as its later version, is kept in the collection of the Synodal Department of the State Historical Museum.
Accepted sequence of the Novgorod chronicles
It should be noted that the conditional serial numbers of the annals were given on the basis of the dating of the events presented in them, and not the order in which the texts themselves were written. For example, the chronology of events contained in the Novgorod Chronicle of the first edition and the second edition following it has a direct continuation in the fourth chronicle, also preserved in several editions.
The chronicler narrates in it about the events that took place up to the forties - fifties of the XV century, and in separate lists made from it, a later period is also covered. Many researchers tend to believe that a significant part of it is a reworking of the Novgorod-Sofia Code, which has not survived to this day, and is referred to in other historical documents as the Sophia First Chronicle.
The Fifth Novgorod Chronicle
Studying the material contained in the chronicle conventionally designated as the fifth number, it is easy to see that it is nothing more than a somewhat revised and partly supplemented version of the fourth chronicle, which was discussed above. The description of historical events ends in 1446.
Chronicle telling about the times of Ivan the Terrible
Novgorod chronicles, which have the second and third serial numbers, are nevertheless writtenmuch later than the fourth and fifth. This is clearly evidenced by the linguistic analysis of the text. Comparison with other historical documents shows that the second chronicle contains a large number of borrowings from various other chronicles compiled in Novgorod.
Having come down to us in a single list, part of which, according to researchers, is irretrievably lost, it contains a significant number of interesting facts related to the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Of particular value is information relating to the Livonian wars and the Kazan campaign.
Evidence of church and national life
The third chronicle that followed it preserved for us extensive information on the history of the religious life of Novgorod, and in particular on the construction of temple buildings in it. This document is an invaluable material for the study of ancient Russian architecture of the Late Middle Ages. Like some other Novgorod chronicles, the document is known in several editions, and if the main edition brings the description of events to 1675, then they are continued further in separate lists.
In addition to the above monuments, published in our time and made available to the general public, there are also a large number of other historical documents that are similar in nature to the Novgorod-Sofia group. These include, in particular, the so-called sixth Novgorod Chronicle. Unlike their predecessors, along withdescribing the events that took place directly in the city, it contains a significant amount of national materials relating to the history of the entire state.
Priceless monuments of antiquity
Many unpublished historical monuments, to one degree or another, supplement the materials set forth in the main six codes mentioned above. In general, the Novgorod chronicles are among the most numerous and capacious in content in Russian chronicles. Many monuments of ancient writing, compiled in other regions of Ancient Russia, bear the imprint of their influence.
