Who are the boyars? This is the highest estate that existed in Russia from the 10th to the 17th century. Grand and specific princes also belonged to the privileged class.
The emergence of boyars
In the hierarchical ladder, the boyars took a leading role immediately after the Grand Duke, participated along with him in the management of the state.
This estate stood out in the 9th century, when the formation of the Old Russian state began. Among them, during the 10-11 centuries, princely and zemstvo boyars separately existed. The former were also called princely men, and the latter were called city elders. It was the latter who were the descendants of the tribal nobility. When in the 11th century the princes were given land, they merged with the Zemsky boyars, becoming a single estate.
Princes and boyars in state affairs in the 12-15 centuries
Since the boyars were vassals of the prince, their duties included service in his army. But they had many privileges: they had the right to leave to another prince; absolute power and domination in the territory of their estates; their vassals.
The fragmentation of Russia, which took place in the 12-15 centuries, entailed the weakening of princely power. At the same time, there was an increase in the economic power of the boyar estate, and an increase in its political influence.
For example, in the 13th century on the territory of the Galicia-Volyn principality and on Novgorod lands, the boyars took control of state affairs, which was carried out on the so-called councils. Due to the strong influence of this estate, the Chernigov, Polotsk-Minsk, Murom-Ryazan principalities did not have powerful princely power.
The rivalry of the princes with the boyars, estates
To weaken the influence of the boyars, the princes resorted to the help of serving boyars and nobles.
When, starting from the second half of the 14th century, the princely power began to strengthen again, the so-called good boyars appeared. Their powers included managing the branches of the palace economy.
Who are the good boyars? This is a horse, falconer, cupcock, etc. Also included were the voivode, in the management of which there were separate territories that went into their feeding.
The formation of a centralized state entailed the restriction of the rights of the boyars, which consisted of narrowing the scope of immunity, restricting and abolishing the right to leave to another prince by the end of the 15th century. The social status of the estate has changed.
The distribution of power in the 15-17 centuries
Who are the boyars since the 15th century? Now this is the highest rank among the service people in the country. The presence of such a title meant that a person could participate in the activities of the Boyar Duma, this gave the right to be considered the highest duma rank. The boyars, as a rule, were now in the main administrative, judicial, and military posts and stood at the head of orders.
The patrimonial boyars, who continued to resist the regime of the newly formed centralized state, lost many socio-economic and political privileges. All sorts of protests and speeches were immediately suppressed. The boyar aristocracy was severely affected by the oprichnina Ivan IV.
With the advent of the Romanov throne, the distribution of influence among the estates has changed dramatically. Now serviceable boyars and nobles of the 17th century have become economically stronger, while many noble dynasties have been cut short. It is for these reasons that the class distinctions between the nobles and the nobility gradually began to disappear. And when the local and patrimonial land ownership, according to the order of 1714, united, they were completely unofficially united into the concept of "landowner". Later, this term was modified into the word "bar", or "master".
In 1682, localism was abolished, and now the boyars are less and less involved in government affairs. And in the beginning of the 18th century Peter I completely abolished the title of boyar.
The life of the boyars and nobles
The nobles and boyars of the 17th century in Russia, as already mentioned, began to unite in one estate.
If we talk about life, then from the remaining artifacts of those times, we can conclude that in the noble and noble estates there were a lot of weapons and silver items, expensive jewelry and interior items. By the 17th century, many estates turned into feudal castles, in which from 60 to 80 people could live.
The appearance of the first truly chic estates for those times dates back to 10-11 centuries. Gradually, some of them went bankrupt in the process of various reforms. The owners launched their estates. But representatives of enterprising families, who managed to preserve wealth and territories, surrounded their estates with high walls by the 16th and 17th centuries, turning them into real castles.
Gen. Boyars and nobles in the 17th century
The gradual penetration of the European model of life into materially secure estates has led to increased concern for the comfort of life. But how else to understand who such boyars and nobles are? The highest financially secure estates showed this as soon as they could: various cutlery and napkins, individual dishes and tablecloths began to appear on the tables. Now each member of the family had a separate room. Especially wealthy dynasties used dishes made of faience, tin and copper.
Representatives of the famous surnames of that time (Golitsyns, Naryshkins, Odoevskys, Morozovs and others) decorated their large stone houses according to the latest European fashion: on the walls are expensive wallpapers, carpets and leather; mirrors and paintings; a large number of light sources, in particular chandeliers and decorative candles.
Both masters and servants began to dress in a European manner: light expensive fabrics, loose fit, jewelry made of gold and silver embroidery and precious stones. Despite the fact that European dresses were the exception rather than a permanent occurrence in Russia in the 17th century, the privileged estates largely began to follow the trends of Western fashion.
Another new element in the life of wealthy boyars and nobles became hobbies. Playing chess, attending concerts and other entertainments have become an integral part of the life of the rich. They traveled in light carriages with springs and servants on the heels, wore wigs, and men began to shave their faces.
The Posad elite lived more modestly. Her representatives dressed in cloth, furniture and utensils were not so expensive. But in their life there was a desire for comfort. In the rooms one could see paintings, clocks, mirrors. Reception of guests was carried out in special ceremonial halls.
The nobles tried to copy the royal chambers, of course, not with a royal gloss, but still. In their mansions there were windows with mica, furniture made of carved wood, carpets on the floors.
Who are the boyars in Wallachia and Moldova?
On the territory of Wallachia and Moldova, this feudal class took shape in the 14th century. A certain classification was observed inside it. The clan nobles were the owners of the towers (patrimonial estates), and the local nobles owned the estates. Over time, the differences between them began to blur. As part of the boyars of independent Romania of the 19th century, immigrants from large merchants and officials appeared. In these territories, the liquidation of the boyars as a class occurred only on March 22, 1945 in the process of implementing the law on agrarian reform.
The terms "boyars" and "nobles" in the history textbook
Who are the boyars and nobles? A historical definition provides a clear and concise answer to this question.
The nobles are representatives of the privileged estate that arose in feudal society.
Boyars are representatives of the upper stratum of feudal society, which existed from the 10th to the 17th centuries on the territory of Kievan Rus, Moscow Principality, Bulgaria, the Moldavian Principality, Wallachia, from the 14th century in Romania.