The term "Novgorod Rus", as a rule, is applicable to the historical period when Novgorod was politically independent, and there was a medieval republic in it. This city and the lands subordinated to it remained a unique corner among other East Slavic principalities. It has its own power structure, culture, education and even language.
The origins of independence
Ancient Russia arose in 882, after the Novgorod prince Oleg captured Kyiv and made it his capital. Since then, the northern political center began to play a secondary role for some time. But even despite this, it was here that the governor-princes appeared, who then seized the central power and also went to rule in Kyiv (Vladimir Svyatoslavovich and Yaroslav the Wise).
The situation changed dramatically when the unified Russian state was divided into several independent principalities. All of them were ruled by members of the Rurik dynasty. This led to the emergence and disappearance of alliances, the unification of destinies, mutual claims and bloodshed. Against the backdrop of these events, Veliky Novgorod also could not help thinking about its own independence.
Historians agree that the period of governorship on the banks of the Volkhov ended in 1136. Then, according to the decision of the veche, Prince Vsevolod Mstislavovich was expelled, who fled during the battle at Zhdana Mountain against the troops of Yuri Dolgoruky. The cowardice of the Kyiv appointee led, firstly, to the fact that he was left without inheritance, and secondly, to the fact that an independent Novgorod Rus arose.
Government
Starting from 1136, the inhabitants of Novgorod chose their own princes, not paying attention to the ladder law and other principles of inheritance adopted in most Russian principalities. Posadniks and thousand members had significant weight in decision-making. These were boyars from aristocratic families who had achieved success in public service. They were elected by the veche.
Novgorod Rus could not live in a normal mode without a thousand. The person in this position was responsible for all trade in the city. He was in charge of the arbitration court, where merchant disputes were resolved, often with foreigners. The well-being of the city directly depended on trade with Europe. It was he who was the gate of the entire East Slavic region, from where rare furs of squirrels, martens, sables and other expensive goods came to the west.
Also, at the veche, the tysyatsky represented the interests of the small estate boyars and the so-called black people, who were full of Novgorod Russia. These were the poor and ordinary city dwellers who did not have any privileges. Often, in order to become a posadnik (essentially, a mayor), it took some timework for the thousandth. Since the 14th century, the importance of the position has increased even more due to the fact that it was she who began to bestow the boyar title.
Culture
The medieval culture of Novgorod Rus differed markedly from the culture of its neighbors. Modern science knows a lot about it due to the fact that here, in the north, much more monuments of a bygone era have been preserved. Archaeologists, linguists, ethnographers and other scientists continue to study with interest the legacy that Novgorod Rus left behind. The features of development, in short, helped the culture of the city to rise to the same level with Western European centers. Some researchers even claim that Novgorod is one of the northern cradles of the Renaissance.
The inhabitants of the republic were great connoisseurs of art. This is evidenced by a huge number of unique buildings. Most of them survived due to the fact that the Mongol-Tatar hordes did not get here. Regular invasions of the steppes often devastated Vladimir Rus, where entire cities had to be rebuilt. In the second half of the 13th century, some crafts were even forgotten due to the death of specialists and craftsmen.
Chronicles - this is another phenomenon that distinguishes Novgorod Russia. The features of development, in short, led to the fact that the authors of the chronicles in their documents not only described the events, but also touched on the topics of the life of the inhabitants and the external appearance of the city. Southern neighbors did not have this style.
Painting
More than half of the monuments of medieval Russian painting was preserved by Novgorod Rus. The peculiarities of the development of the region attracted talented artists from all Slavic regions. They aspired to the banks of the Volkhov for the sake of freedom and a quiet life that would allow them to create fruitfully.
The painting of Novgorod Rus even surpassed the Western one. In Europe, cathedrals in the Gothic and Romanesque styles were almost not decorated with frescoes. In Novgorod churches, a huge number of mosaics on a variety of biblical subjects have been preserved. Local painting experienced its heyday in the XIV century, when even guests from Italy and Byzantium were surprised at it.
Unfortunately, this whole art school is a thing of the past. She disappeared after the annexation of the republic to Moscow. The princes did everything to decapitate Novgorod Rus. Features of development made the northern cathedrals richer and more beautiful than Moscow ones. At the same time, the local aristocracy was proud and distinctive. All this irritated the central government. In the 15th-16th centuries, under various pretexts, several fatal pogroms were carried out. The most terrible blow was the terror of the guardsmen of Ivan the Terrible. After that, the Novgorod school of art gradually faded and died.
Architecture
Like painting, the architecture of Novgorod Rus is known for its originality in relation to Vladimir, Suzdal, Kyiv, etc. The best carpenters lived in the north, skillfully working with different types of wood. Throughout Russia, it was the Novgorodians who were the first to master stone as a building material.material.
In 1044 a citadel appeared here, and a year later - the church of Hagia Sophia. All these masterpieces of architecture were made of stone and have survived to this day. The talent of the Novgorod craftsmen was also expressed in the leading positions in the field of engineering. The stone bridge across the Volkhov was the largest in Europe for a long time, and its construction was carried out according to a unique technique.
Novgorod architecture was born as a synthesis of several styles. It traces elements of European, Byzantine and actually Russian style. Greek influences came to the city along with the Orthodox faith. The European school took root in the republic thanks to active cooperation with Western merchants and the Hanseatic League. Having absorbed a little of everything, local craftsmen created their own recognizable handwriting. The monuments of Novgorod Rus have been preserved largely due to the fact that the architects built from reliable materials.
Birch bark letters
Birch bark letters, which modern archaeologists continue to find, are a huge storehouse of knowledge about the life that Novgorod Rus led. In short, they help to lift the veil of secrecy over the way of life and habits of the then inhabitants of the republic, long gone.
Often letters are private letters or business documents. Deals were fixed on them and love confessions were written. Archaeologists even managed to find comic messages, which are unique monuments of folklore.
Education
The presence of the aboveletters indicates that the absolute majority of the inhabitants were literate. The rulers of Novgorod Rus tried to develop education. For example, it was here that Yaroslav the Wise opened the first school, which trained church and state specialists.
Extensive connections with European trading cities allowed we althy boyars to send their children there. It is known for certain that Novgorod youths studied at the universities of Italian Bologna and German Rostock.
Novgorod in the XII-XIII centuries
The eventful history of Novgorod Rus is divided into several periods. In the XII century, this republic often became a bone of contention between different Rurikovichs. The connection between southern and northern Russia was still strong, so Kyiv, Chernigov and even Polovtsian armies often appeared on Novgorod soil.
In the XIII century there was a Tatar-Mongol invasion. The hordes of Batu destroyed many cities of eastern and southern Russia. The army of nomads was even going to go to Novgorod, but thought better of it in time and did not go further than Torzhok, turning towards Chernigov. This saved the inhabitants from ruin and death. However, Novgorod did not escape the fate of paying tribute to the Horde.
The main figure in the history of the republic of that period was Alexander Nevsky. At a time when almost all of Russia was groaning from the invasion of the steppes, Novgorod had to face another threat. She was the German Catholic military orders - the Teutonic and Livonian. They appeared in the B altics and threatened the republic for two centuries. Alexander Nevsky smashed them intoduring the Battle of the Ice in 1242. In addition, a couple of years before that, he defeated the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva.
The End of Novgorod Russia
With the growth of the Moscow Principality, Novgorod had to balance between Moscow and its foreign policy opponents. The aristocracy did not want to obey the descendants of Ivan Kalita. Therefore, the Novgorod boyars tried to establish allied relations with Lithuania and Poland, despite the fact that these states had nothing to do with Russian culture and nation.
In the middle of the 15th century, Vasily II the Dark managed to legally secure the republic's vassal dependence on Moscow. His son Ivan III wanted to finally conquer Novgorod. When the veche decided to go for rapprochement with the Polish king, the Moscow prince declared war on the disobedient. In 1478 he annexed Novgorod to the Moscow principality. This was one of the most important steps in the creation of a unified Russian national state. Unfortunately, the policy of the princes and kings led to the fact that the former leading position of Novgorod in trade and culture was lost over time.
