Zemsky Sobor. History of development

Zemsky Sobor is an important stage in the development of Russia. Vestal orders existed in our country always, but there were such periods when all independence was corrupted. And revived the possibility of collecting the majority of classes Ivan the Terrible.

Zemsky Sobor included representatives of the following classes: the boyar Duma, whose members participated in the Zemsky Sobor in its entirety; Consecrated cathedral, they were only the highest church hierarchy; Elected people from servicemen, Moscow and city nobility, archers, Cossacks and gunners; Elective from the posad population (black and slobodskie) and from the cloth hundreds and living room. The cathedral of the first convocation was called "the cathedral of reconciliation".

The first Zemsky Sobor was convened in order to acquaint the participants of the meeting with the reforms of the new organ of Ivan the Terrible - the Elected Council. As is known, the Rada's reforms included the creation of the Streletsky army, the introduction of a new judicial system, and the development of an order system and the strengthening of central government.

With the passage of time, functions of the estate representative body also evolved. Thus, by the end of the 16th century, the participants in this meeting were given the right to approve the accession to the throne of a new monarch. In those years it was accepted to the new rulers to receive the approval of the people, which was expressed by the Zemsky Sobors.

The history of the development of this body is multifaceted: there were periods when its role was completely lost, and there were others when the fate of the state was deciphered from its decision. Time of Troubles is the main example of the last period.

The most important Zemsky Sobor

The first cathedral was called in Red Square, after which the meetings moved to the chambers of the Kremlin. From the middle of the 16th to the end of the 17th century, about 50 meetings were held, among which there are those who have changed the course of the history of our country.

The Council of 1589 approved on the throne the controversial candidature of Boris Godunov. Rumors about his involvement in the Uglich drama went a lot, but he, oddly enough, received the approval of elected officials. The most famous and large-scale is the Zemsky Sobor of 1613 , which was held in the Assumption Cathedral.

As is known, the cathedral approved a new dynasty on the Russian throne and brought to power the young Mikhail Romanov. It is worth noting that in his reign the young king constantly convened these meetings to solve various problems. The meeting in 1632/1634 was convened to resolve the issue of the war with Poland. At this time, a new "military" tax - a fifth of the money. The meeting of 1648/1649 was convened after the sudden Salt Riot in Moscow. It discussed the problems of outdated legislation.

It was then that a decision was made to put in place the Cathedral Code, a new set of laws of Russia. The last Zemsky Sobor was convened in 1653. At this meeting, it was decided to join the Cossack army and Little Russia into Russia.

Importance in History

Zemsky Sobor initiated the formation of the estate-representative monarchy in Russia. But the growth of absolutist tendencies in subsequent monarchs significantly weakened the role of the organ.