Pskov Republic

Pskov Feudal Republic (Псковская феодальная республика in Russian) was a Russian medieval state between the second half of the 13th century and early 16th century.

After the desintegration of Kievan Rus in the 12th century, the city of Pskov with its surrounding territories along the Velikaya River, Chudskoye Lake, Pskovskoye Lake, and Narva River became a part of the Novgorod Republic. It kept its special autonomous rights, including the right for independent construction of suburbs (Izborsk is the most ancient among them). Due to Pskov's participation in the struggle against the Livonian Order in 1240 and 1242 (see Battle of the Neva and Battle on the Ice), its influence spread significantly, which would lead to Pskov's actual independence (especially after the victory at Rakovor in 1268). The Treaty of Bolotovo of 1348 granted Pskov de jure independence, in accordance with which the Novgorod boyars refused to send their posadniks to Pskov etc. The city of Pskov remained dependent on Novgorod only in ecclessiastical matters.

Internal organization

The Pskov Republic had well-developed farming, fishing, blacksmithing, jeweler’s art, and construction industry. Exchange of commodities within the republic itself and its trade with Novgorod and other Russian cities, the Baltic region, and Western European cities made Pskov one of the biggest handicraft and trade centers of Rus. As opposed to Novgorod Republic, Pskov never had big feudal landowners, whose estates were smaller and even more scattered than of those in Novgorod. The estates of Pskovian monasteries and churches were much smaller, as well. The social relations that had taken shape in the Pskov Republic were reflected in the Legal Code of Pskov. Peculiarities of the economy, centuries-old ties with Novgorod, frontier status, and military threats led to the development of the veche system in the Pskov Republic. The knyazs played a subordinate role. The veche elected posadniks and sotskiys (сотский - initially, an official who represented a hundred households) and regulated the relations between feudals, posad people, izborniks (изборник - elected officials), and smerds. The boyar council had a special influence on the decisions of the veche, which gathered at the Trinity Cathedral. The latter also held the archives of the veche and important private papers and state documents. The elective offices became a privilege of several noble families. During the most dramatic moments in the history of Pskov, however, the so called "molodshiye" posad people (молодшие посадские люди, or low-ranking posad officials) played an important and, at times, decisive role in the veche. The struggle between the boyars and smerds, "molodshiye" and "bolshiye" posad people (high-ranking posad officials) was reflected in the heresy of the Strigolniki in the 14th century and veche debates of the 1470s-1490s, which often ended with bloody clashes.

The end of the republic

The strengthening of ties with Moscow, caused by economic development and foreign policy objectives, Pskov’s participation in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, and successful joint struggle against the Teutonic Knights and Lithuanian feudals offered conditions for elimination of the independence of the Pskov Republic. Some of the Pskovian boyars and merchants tried to oppose the unification with Moscow, but the citizens didn’t support them. In 1510, Grand Prince of Moscow Vasili III arrived in Pskov and pronounced it his votchina, thus, putting an end to the Pskov Republic. The veche was dissolved and some 300 families of rich Pskovians were sent away from the city. Their estates were distributed among the Muscovite service class people. From that time on, the city of Pskov and the lands around it continued to develop as a part the centralized Russian state, preserving some of its economic and cultural features.