When it comes to slavery and slaves, the first association that arises is a slave society in ancient Rome and Greece. Immediately before the eyes stand the images of Spartacus and other gladiators. However, slaves were in Russia, and this is by no means serfs. They were originally called the word "serf". These were people who had absolutely nothing. Therefore, they had to bend their backs in front of the owner and fulfill all his whims for the sake of a piece of bread. Such relations between the master and the servant-slave were in a feudal society. Their owner could “plant” on the ground, and then he turned into a serf.
In Russia, a slave is either a captured soldier of the enemy army, or a person who owes a large sum and is unable to pay off. This status was also acquired after marriage or marriage to a slave. Since 1722, all the slaves began to be called serfs. This, in principle, has not changed anything in their lives. They could be sold, bought, donated, etc.
Serf in Russia
Part of the population of feudal Russia from the 10th to the 18th century, who did not own shelter and any property and who had to perform any work on the economy of his feudal lord, was called slaves to maintain his life. During wars, especially internecine wars, conducted with the aim of appropriating other people's property and conquering new territories, these people automatically turned into slaves. Captured people and cattle were considered by the conquerors as the most valuable prey. Each landowner had huge free territories, and for their cultivation, of course, labor was needed. The prisoners became her. That is, in Russia it was believed that the serf was primarily a free labor force. These people were involved in both domestic and agricultural work.
Rights of slaves in Russia
This part of the population was completely dependent on their masters. They did not have independent legal rights. Nevertheless, not all slaves were in the same position. Some of them were called heavy peasants. That is, a serf is a person who bears the brunt of the state on his shoulders.
The position of a serf from a legal point of view
It was considered a thing, that is, private property, like the rest of the property: real estate, utensils, cattle, etc. Therefore, its owner must be responsible for its actions and deeds. However, in the event that the slave inflicts personal insult to a free person, then in revenge the offended person can kill him. A slave who witnessed a crime could not be summoned to court to testify. The owner could have killed him, but if someone else killed the slave, he would have paid a fine to his master.
The lawyer introduced restrictions in 1550. According to them, the son of a slave, born before the father acquired the status of a slave, was considered free, and his father did not have the right to sell him into slavery. If a person became a slave as a result of captivity and managed to escape from captivity, then he again gained freedom. He was also freed from slavery after the death of his master. And there were also cases when free people, unable to feed or protect themselves, voluntarily went into slavery. In the 17th century a decree was issued to prevent this.