Posad population is an estate that was formed around the XV-XVI centuries. in medieval Russia. This term was called the category of people who lived in the suburbs and engaged in trade, crafts and crafts. In terms of their legal status, they formally remained free, since they were not personally dependent, such as serfs, but were forced to bear a number of duties in favor of the state. In this work, we will give a brief description of this estate, which played an important role in the socio-economic life of the country.
Formation
Posad population came along with the development of cities. The heyday of the latter in Russia falls on the XVII century - the time of formation of the all-Russian market. It was during this period, according to the definition of most historians, that trade and craft began to play a prominent role in the economic life of the country.
Commodity circulation took on a broader scale than during the period of fragmentation, when there were no economic ties between the individual principalities. With the growth of the city, the urban population also took shape. When cities were converted from security fortresses into trade and craft centers to cents, merchants, bourgeoisie, peasants began to settle in their vicinity, who later united into a community.
Control
It was governed by an elected zemstvo headman, whose candidacy was to be approved by a majority of its members. As a rule, this was a competent person, actively participating in the life of the posad. He represented the interests of people before the state. Also, the urban population elected his assistant - the person who was in charge of tax collection.
Despite the existence of the right of self-government, the inhabitants of the towns were controlled by the royal governor, who represented the supreme power. The peculiarity of the administration of the suburbs was that their residents were also forced to participate in public service, but this was not a privilege, but another duty, since participation in tax collections, litigation took them time and detached from their main occupations, but in no way paid.
Sloboda
The posad population in the 17th century was not homogeneous. Some residents preferred to settle in the so-called white settlements, which were exempted from state taxes. No wonder they were richer and more developed. These settlements were under the auspices of a wealthy privileged landowner, who had immunity, which saved his possession from state interference. On the contrary, the black settlements bore the brunt of state duties. Therefore, the urban population in the 17th century, who lived in their territories, often complained to the petition that they had to bear state tax. As a result, the authorities took active measures in order to limit the transition of people to white settlements.
Relations with the state
The life of the townspeople was determined by royal decrees. Until the middle of the XVII century, it was regulated by the Judicial Code of 1550, adopted during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. There were also numerous royal decrees concerning the private aspects of society. In 1649 they were brought together in the Cathedral Code, created under Alexei Mikhailovich.
This document finally attached the residents of the posad to their place of residence. One of its provisions was that trade and craft were privileges for city dwellers, but at the same time they were charged with paying taxes to the treasury. Thus, the life of the urban population was strictly regulated by the official authorities, which were interested in regular tax revenues.
Classes
The population of the suburbs was mainly engaged in craft and trade. Most merchants had their own shops, for the holding of which they contributed a certain amount to the treasury. Artisans of various specialties lived in the cities, from skilled and pottery craftsmen to goldsmiths. However, it should be noted that the peasants who lived in the countryside often lived in the village , and even the traders and artisans themselves often kept small land plots. The life of the urban population in the 17th century as a whole proceeded peacefully.
Residents rarely participated directly in the uprisings, of which there were so many in that century. However, they were not passive and often supplied rioters with money and food. Fairs were often held in cities, which attracted a large number of people. This suggests that the level of trade development was quite high.
Men's clothing
Despite the fact that the life of the urban population in the 17th century was closely connected with the development of cities, which, as you know, have always been a conductor of new trends, the population lived according to old patriarchal traditions that did not change for decades or even centuries. This is very well seen in the appearance of people.
The posad population in their everyday life, in principle, differed little from the peasants. The men's suit was also based on a shirt and ports. However, since the merchants had more funds, they could afford some additional things.
A zipoon was worn over the shirts, which was customary to embroider with patterns. Clothing of the urban population, however, was simple. They wore a caftan on top of the zipoon. Rich people decorated their fur coats with fabrics.
Women costume
It was based on the same design as the men's suit. The main attribute was a shirt that fell below the knees. Top girls put on a sundress. Depending on the financial situation of women, they sewed it from different materials. The peasant women made clothes from a simple rough canvas; those who were richer used brocade or silk. Front dress was decorated with beautiful embroidery. In the cold season, women wore murderers, which also rested on their shoulders on special loops. The wives of wealthy merchants trimmed it with expensive fabrics and rims. In the intermediate seasons, women wore a summer - a wide closed dress with large wedge-shaped sleeves. The main headdress was the kokoshnik, which was lined with pearls. In winter, girls wore fur hats.
Life
The everyday life of the townspeople was closely connected with his activities, which determined the daily routine, especially the residents. The base of any courtyard was a hut, and in the XVII century there were such houses that brought smoke out through the chimney. The main place of trade was a shop. Here merchants and ordinary traders kept their goods.
Of great importance were fairs. They were held regularly and served as the focus of the economic life of cities. There were fairs of all-Russian significance (for example, Makaryevskaya). Interesting facts of everyday life include the fact that his whole life was based on the rules of Domostroy - a set of instructions on the routine of home life, which was drawn up in the 16th century. Its author prescribes following the old patriarchal traditions that ensured the strength of the family and the prosperity of the economy.
Dwellings
The life of the Posad population, on the one hand, was not much different from the peasant population in the sense that the majority of the population led about the same way of life, with the only difference being that they were engaged not in agriculture, but in trade and craft. However, the rich and prosperous elite in their lifestyle was close to the noble nobility. Nevertheless, the basis of housing was a hut - simple among ordinary people and built in imitation of the towers - among wealthy people. The courtyard was considered the main territorial unit, where, in addition to the hut, there were numerous outbuildings - crates, pantries, warehouses, where goods and household items were stored in chests.
The shop in which the posad people were trading was put out - that is, in the direction of the street. Domestic utensils, in principle, were the same for all sections of the urban population. However, wealthy people bought more expensive dishes, had precious jewelry, and could afford foreign goods. Literate merchants had books, which indicates the rise of culture.