The state system of Ancient Russia had a special institution subordinate to it, which was built on the system of local self-government. This structure was created similarly to the Western European fief-office - an administrative, appointed position in the province. Appointments "to places" took place "from above", by special order of the king or prince. Feeding in Russia is an analogue of fief-office, in which, instead of money, the state provided other forms of remuneration for service.
Local authorities
In specific times, the Russian state organized local governments under the leadership of volosts and various governors sent from the capital by special order. Their labor was paid locally, although an indication of the amount of remuneration was usually issued in the royal chambers. The feeding system in Ancient Russia implied that such temporary representatives of the tsarist government would be supported by local authorities. Along with money allowance, they were given food, horses, servants, and funds for their maintenance. Feeding in Ancient Russia is primarily a real opportunity for a person in the public service to support himself and his family, using only his official powers and the rights granted by the princely, and later - the tsarist government
.
Formation of Viceroyalty
The constant presence of governors in county towns was not initially required, but sometimes the maintenance was so impressive that gradually the governors indicated their stay at the duty station as permanent. Accordingly, their term in the service of the prince also increased - which means that feeding increased. In Ancient Russia, this occupation was found attractive not only by representatives of the local population, but also by foreigners. Representatives of the younger genera of well-known European surnames did not shy at all to be governors in Russia - this occupation allowed them to return to their homeland as a well-to-do person.
Moscow Russia
During the time of Muscovy, the system of local self-government continued to be governed by governorship. As before, governors and volosts disposed of local authorities, adjudicated and collected taxes. Feeding in Muscovite Russia called the content of such visiting servants. The place of service of the governor was usually located in the center of the county. Here he repaired the court and the council for all administrative cases within the city and the outskirts, and also adjudicated criminal cases within the small counties, which the Russian state was so rich in. In the county borders, the governor was in charge of the military forces, an arsenal and strategically important objects - bridges, dams, etc.
Governors
Representatives of well-known surnames were usually chosen to governors, often this post passed from father to son. For example, the well-known genus of the Protasievs has governed in the Meshchersky region for almost two centuries - from the beginning of the 15th to the end of the 16th century. This noble surname, along with the names of other governors, is known in Russia in a series of prominent statesmen and associates of the tsar. All these honorary titles would not have been possible without a strong material rear, most of which were rich offerings by local authorities. Thus, feeding in Russia called a pretty decent position with inexhaustible sources of income, which could guarantee a comfortable life for several generations.
Volost
Volosts held the court and the council independently of the governor, they had separate counties in their subordination, but the list of cases under their jurisdiction was different. Usually they examined petty offenses, economic disputes, considered administrative misconduct. Unlike the governors, representatives of the unnamed boyars or impoverished nobles became volosts. At the beginning of their career, the biographies of volosts are full of posts of tyuns, clerks, clerks, city clerks. That is, their social level was an order of magnitude lower than that of the governors. Nevertheless, feeding in Ancient Russia not only helped them cope with the problem of living, but also made it possible to get rich at the expense of local authorities.
Usually, work in local government was considered as a position that allows you to have a good income. Feeding in Russia is a source of unjust enrichment for many nobles who were not eager to fulfill their immediate duties. Instead, they sent to the places of their servants - tyuns and closers. They were also subject to feeding. In Russia, this occupation was so attractive that serious bribes were given for the post of tyun. Tiuns had the right to administer justice and disassemble cases on behalf of the governor, in fact, they directly performed his duties and had a good deal of money.
Income from feeding
The list of feeding incomes consisted of several parts. A certain proportion of feeding was collected locally in money, but mainly feeding in Russia is a portion of natural products. It was going to feed two or three times a year, on major church holidays - Easter, Peter's Day, Christmas. Entry feeding was also known - they were usually greeted with a new governor in the county. The collection was carried out by specially appointed people, who were usually selected from local ones. They were appointed posts of Sotsk and elders. Usually these officials, in addition to collecting feeds, collected taxes on the ground, and also forced the local population to perform various duties.
Abolition of feeding
At the beginning of its development, the Russian state consisted of small principalities, the size of which was small, and the judicial and administrative activities of local authorities were all in plain sight. Ancient laws and customs were still strong, and ordinary people could always complain to the prince about the arbitrariness of his slaves or change their place of residence, moving from a negligent ruler to another principality. But when the collection of lands around Moscow was almost completed and the centralization of power became strong, ordinary people had a hard time. It was then that the proverb arose: "To God is high, but far to the king." The system of governorship practically ceased to fulfill its duties, which its representatives had to fulfill for feeding. In Russia, this concept quickly became synonymous with bribes and extortion. The scale of corruption has taken such proportions that the central government seriously thought about the reform of local self-government.
The organization of local self-government became possible thanks to the reform of Ivan the Terrible. One of its main stages was the transfer of more powers to the voivodship administration bodies. Gradually, the volosts and governors disappeared, and the feeding system ceased to function with them.