ABSTRACT
This book introduces readers to a little-known place and time in world history – early modern Russia, from its beginnings as Muscovy, in the fourteenth century, through the reign of Peter I (1689-1725) – by portraying the lives of representative individuals from the major levels of the society of that era. The portraits, written by professional historians, are imaginative reconstructions or composites of individual lives, rather than biographies. The portraits are arranged into socio-political categories, and include members of ruling families, government servitors, clerks, military personnel, church prelates, monks, provincial landowners, townspeople and artisans, Siberian explorers and traders, free peasants, serfs, slaves and holy fools. Using these portraits, the book brings old Russian society to life in an interesting way.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|34 pages
Members of Ruling Families
part II|34 pages
Government Servitors
part III|34 pages
Military Personnel
part IV|24 pages
Church Prelates
part V|50 pages
Monks
chapter 13|15 pages
Three Scholars at the Kirillo-Belozersk Monastery
part VI|30 pages
Provincial Landowners, Artisans, and Townspeople
part VII|24 pages
Siberian Explorer and Trader
part VIII|40 pages
Peasants, Slaves, Serfs, and Holy Fools