Ladder law in historiography is one of the systems of succession in monarchies. Most often, this term is used in relation to medieval Russia during the period of feudal fragmentation.
The origin of the system
The generic principle of inheritance (or in other words, the “ladder system”) appeared within the Rurikovich dynasty. At first, Russia was a single centralized state with a center in Kiev. It appeared in 882, when Oleg combined the new southern capital with Novgorod the Great. Subsequently, the princes ruled, living on the banks of the Danube. With each generation, the number of Rurikovich men (brothers, thoroughbreds, etc.) grew.
In the X century, Svyatoslav sent his younger sons as governors to other cities of the country. This practice has survived under his successors. At the same time, this led to troubles and internecine wars. The young princes did not want to be dependent on Kiev and either captured the city themselves or declared their own independence. However, each time such a separatist war ended in the same way: one of the contenders won, repressed his rivals and reunited the state. This was not a ladder system, but only its beginnings.
Compromise
The heyday of the ancient Russian state fell on the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, who died in 1054. Like his ancestors, he again sent the younger sons to the governors (to Novgorod, Pereyaslavl, etc.). And, of course, because of this, another conflict began. The descendants of Yaroslav could not decide with the help of a weapon which of them was right, and therefore all gathered together at the congress in Lyubec. This happened in 1097. By this time, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Yaroslav were already arguing for power. It was at this meeting that the ladder system was adopted.
A compromise was reached due to the fact that the economy and well-being of the country were undermined by constant wars. In addition, the Slavs were threatened by an external enemy. They were Polovtsy — wild nomads who lived in the steppes south and east of Russia. They regularly organized predatory campaigns in peaceful cities, robbed or levied tribute. To confront them, the strength of one small principality was clearly not enough. The state ceased to be whole, it began to resemble a patchwork quilt, where each “piece” pursued its own interests.
The main persons at the congress were Svyatoslav Izyaslavovich (Prince of Kiev), Vladimir Monomakh (Prince of Pereyaslavl) and Oleg Svyatoslavovich (Prince of Chernigov). They were constantly at odds with each other. Nevertheless, they managed to agree. The new ladder system of inheritance adopted by the parties stipulated binding rules for all rulers.
Key features
Princes were recognized equal. Each of them received the inheritance that he inherited from his own father. In essence, this meant recognition of the independence of the provincial centers from Kiev. At the same time, the prince, who was the eldest in the dynasty, was to rule in the “mother of Russian cities”. This meant that after Svyatopolk the power should have passed to Vladimir Monomakh (his cousin), which happened in 1113. This was the unit-ladder system. Kiev passed from an older brother to a younger one. Further, the children of the first were to rule, followed by their cousins, etc. This system was unstable. Often illegitimate applicants rebelled against elders. Sometimes they succeeded.
Another interesting rule that distinguished the ladder system of inheritance was the rogue tradition. So called the representatives of the Rurik dynasty, whose fathers did not live up to their turn to reign in Kiev (or any other city). Often such outcasts were hired to serve other rulers or became adventurers. Some were given special new appropriations for feeding, which only increased the number of politically educated entities within Russia.
Similarity to Senorate
It is worth noting that such orders in Russia were not unique. In many European countries in the Middle Ages, this principle was popular, as a good way to resolve disputes between powerful relatives. There they called this system a lord. The only difference was that the Russian state later entered the stage of fragmentation, which means that it later overcame it.
Russia and the ladder system
Also in Lyubec, the princes agreed that now together they would fight against the Polovtsy and send their squads to the common army. By and large, this was the only positive outcome of the Lubech Congress in 1097.
In the future, every year the gap between the center in Kiev and the provinces became more and more noticeable. An unstable ladder system of power transfer has become one of the key reasons for this process. Kiev finally lost its leadership position after it was captured by the army of Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1168. At the same time, the Vladimir-Suzdal prince did not stay on the Dnieper, but put his ally there. This finally confirmed the new order of things - Kiev ceased to be the capital of Russia.
The fragmentation led to a cultural gap between the northern and southern cities. In the early years, when there was a ladder system (the definition was especially popular among historians in the 19th century), this was not so noticeable. However, the Mongol invasion and the emergence of a powerful Lithuanian state completely stopped any ties between the steppe south and forest north.
Reasons for the appearance
A discussion often arises: what is a ladder system? This is a tragic accident or a regularity. A comparative analysis of Russia and the European monarchies of the Middle Ages shows that rather it is a logical development of events in the context of history. In England, France, and especially in Germany, the same fragmentation was associated with the transfer of land for feeding. It is not necessary to think that the inheritance was given to a particular prince - there was always a squad behind him, which in each principality was a support and a core of power.
It was this estate (in other words, future boyars) that stood behind the emergence of independence in the provincial principalities. Ladder law was not the only way to get rid of dependence on a conditional “center”. In the Russian north (Novgorod, Pskov) until the XV – XVI centuries. There was a veche and the format of the republic. Citizens of these cities enjoyed special liberties. Their independence from the princes was made possible thanks to wealth (due to trade with Western neighbors), as well as cultural exchange with the same Europeans (for example, with members of the Hanseatic League).
Disclaimer of ladder law
Ladder law survived the era of Mongol rule over Russia. It was supplemented by the tradition of receiving labels for reigning from the khans (then, too, as a rule, the choice was usually in favor of the elders). At the same time, it was not Kiev, which fell into decay, that became the apple of contention , but Vladimir-on-Klyazma.
When the Russian principalities united around Moscow (the 15th century), the rulers of the Kremlin abandoned the disastrous practice of inheritance. Power has become autocratic and sovereign. Brothers and other male relatives became governors or nominal governors in the province.