ABSTRACT
After the Russian conquest of the lands east of the Urals vast quantities of furs flowed into the Tsar's treasury. Thus, in 1588, his share of Siberian furs amounted to 466 times forty sable skins and 180 Siberian foxes. Boris Godunov imposed a tribute in kind (yasak) on the indigenous inhabitants of Siberia, amounting to ten sables for a married man or five for a bachelor, together with the tenth skin of all other wild animals. The trappers were also expected to send voluntary offerings to the Tsar, a practice which led to much abuse. In 1598, for instance, 3720 sables were sent from Pelym alone (cf. Baddeley, RMC, Vo1. I, pp. xcvi, xcvii). For a contemporary miniature of the payment of yasakin furs in Siberia, see 01/ P Fj xv-xvii yY, p. 699.
