Category Archives: HIST253-Archive

Peter the Reformer

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In general, Peter’s desire to modernize and Europeanize Russia led him to enact changes too quickly without enough thought of the effects on the peasantry. By focusing only on the upper classes of society, Peter created an even sharper division between the elites and the general population. While the elites were forced to embrace modern practices and assimilate these into everyday life, the general population had no understanding of why changes were being enacted, and found the changes to be irrelevant to them. The modernization of Russia was confined to a small group of people in a small area, leaving the rest of the population separate and uninvolved. Peter’s modernization was unnatural in that he did not make plans for it to occur gradually and widespread, but instead imposed many changes extremely quickly, focusing on only a small fraction of the Russian population.

By establishing the Table of Ranks, Peter intended to tie personal interests more closely to the interests of the state. By giving high rank and status to those he deemed to be most useful to society, Peter exercised authority not only over state matters but also over the definition of personal self worth. People were working for the approval of the tsar.

Domostroi 12-18

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These chapter encompass the duties of men, concerning how to pray and how to conduct their wives, children and servants to be good christians. Perhaps more than anything else, men are encouraged to pray numerous times a day, including waking up in the middle of the night to do so. Men are to pray to god, christ and perhaps the most revealing of Russian culture, the Tsar and his royal family.  It is clear that men are supposed to pray and go to church far more than women, children and their servants, however they are also obligated to attend church when their duties allow them to. Singing and Silence appear in the chapters. as men should practice both with solitude. Silence, especially in the church in significant, in order to preserve a sense of calmness. Likewise, violence, pillaging and anger are prohibited. Could this be an influence from The Mongol Invasions, or is this just a common courtesy to the church? Also introduced in these chapters is the importance and devotion to the christian rosary, one must always have these near. Meals are meant to be a sacred part of the day, along with praying before and after one should reflect throughout the feast. Chapter fifteen emphasizes that a child, if god chooses to bless a couple with one, is meant to be raised by both and are obligated to love their kin. Towards the end of this section it is stated that a father should whip their sons so that in their older years they will be more happy. Is this rational?

 

Домострой, глав 39-49. (Domostroi, chapters 39-49.)

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In this section of The Domostroi, the author instructs the aristocratic Russian man on how to maintain stores for the household.  It is made clear that one should only rarely have to go to the market to buy certain things (like fish, timber, or imported goods like beaver or squirrel skin); however, many items of foods, grains, or beverages should be maintained by one’s own estate.  A Russian man who is “farsighted” is one who thinks of the future and is able to have stores that would supply food/drink for his household for a year, and be able to supply the correct type of food during a fast.  The most interesting out of these chapters are those explaining how to brew and serve different sorts of libations for guests of the household.

I must stress that it is made clear in these passages these instructions are meant for the man of the household.  A wife, however, must be instructed in such management of the state, but should also have prior knowledge of how to cook and prepare a multitude of different foods.

Being sensible and buying things while they’re affordable to save for later, not wasting any sort of product, as well as God and marriage ring true in these passages.  In chapter 39 it quickly states that a man who lives by these means and upholds and instructs his wife/servants on living a good Christian life will be blessed by the Lord. Here The Domostroi explains that one will receive plenty on his lands as a gift from God only if he abides by the Lord’s will.  Instruction of the Lord’s will to a wife and others of the household, as explained in the introduction, is the most important message that the book tries to relay to its audience.  What this does is give insight to how closely the church possibly was to authority at the time this book was penned, as they tried to bring order and establish some sort of base to the functions of aristocratic society in sixteenth century Russia.

Domostroi: 24- 38

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These chapters dictate more on how one should lead their lives morally and ethically. The first two chapters differentiate living a morally, Godly life with dedication to one’s “neighbors” and the values of God- and make a clear statement that if those are not followed then one would be going directly to Hell. There are a lot of religious affiliations in these chapters as they state that the way to be a beneficial member of society is to dedicate yourself to God’s values. Following these chapters, there are a few chapters that discuss the economical way of living. This includes living within one’s means, including not acquiring slaves that one cannot afford to take care of. There is a special mention of ensuring that one can take care of their slaves with food, clothing, and hospitality; and that one should not have more slaves than they can take care of fully. Much of the rest of the chapters discuss the role of women: as subordinates to their husbands. A wife is to listen and obey whatever their husbands say, and to do so willingly with love. She has a regimented schedule that includes domestic work and overseeing servants. Despite the fact that a woman “uses her intelligence,” it is all under her husbands instructions as to what she does with that intelligence. This is how women who respect and honor God are told to behave.

Domostroi: 64-67

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Beginning with chapter 64, these sections provide insight to how to run a proper household for privledged Russians.  Chapter 64 is a long list of instructions for the father of the household and how to raise and instruct his son in the ways of Chritianity.  The chapter proceeds chronologically, beginning with the baptism of the son and the promises the father makes to make God known to his son.  The Domonstroi instructs the father to tell his child “to fear God”, and to follow the Holy Scripture.  As the chapter progresses, the topics the father must tackle mature.  These include drinking, marriage, and eventually how the child must teach his own sons.

Chapters 64-66 all deal with food and what kinds to each on certain dates, as well as ingredients for popular dishes.  Chapter 64 includes an exhaustive list of foods that people should serve in different times of the year.  Some dates are “from Easter onward”, Saint Peter’s fast, and the Feast of St. Peter.  It is interesting to note that the food selection is varied, which indicates that the readers of the Domostroi would be financially stable.  Chapters 65 and 66 provide a number of ways to prepare mead and fermented drinks, as well as recipes that utilize vegetables and fruit.

Chapter 67 is a list of wedding rituals that are popular among the wealthy within Russia during this time.  The wedding rituals are unbelievably precise and elaborate, detailing every possible aspect of the wedding.  The Domostroi also includes planning before the wedding.  In addition to the elaborate weddings, there is also a less elaborate ritual included as well.

Domostroi 1-11

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Chapers 1-11 of the Domostroi focus on themes of social hierarchy as well as the presence of a loving, merciful God. Chapter 1 instructs men to teach Christian values to their children, wives, and servants, in order to spread God’s will. As a testament to God being loving and forgiving, servants are never to be reprimanded with physical harm but with warmth and kindness. Chapter 2 through chapter 5 elaborate on the practices and values held within the orthodox faith. Good Christians must worship the holy trinity and Christ’s cross as well as believe in Christ’s Blood and Body as being present in the communion. The Domostroi instructs, in great detail, that communion must be received carefully and with a pure heart. Most importantly, it is a Christian’s duty to do the work of God and to care for the unfortunate, needy, or troubled individual. In reference to the importance of social hierarchy, chapter 5 is entirely devoted to treating bishops, priests, and monks with reverence and obedience, as God commanded.  In chapter 7, the tsar is honored as the “earthly king” while God is the “heavenly king”. There is a change from the merciful God we have previously seen in this chapter: “The Lord will destroy all those speaking falsely, slanderously, or deceitfully to the tsar, a prince, or any boyar.” The tsar and the princes are not deliverers of God’s mercy but agents of God’s punishment. The author is literally instilling the “fear of God” into the readers’ hearts so they will remember to always obey and honor the tsar. Chapter 8 through chapter 11 focus on respectful, appropriate behavior within the home, instructing readers to place icons in every room of their home, even explaining how to keep the icons clean. There are also instructions for how to invite a priest to your home and how to host a dinner party that honors God. One is to always eat gratefully and devoutly so as to keep angels close and warn away the devil.

Ivan the Terrible questions:

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Questions about the Ivan IV readings:

What was the significance of the oprichniki’s “brushes or brooms tied on the ends of sticks”?  When does this look like?

Why did Ivan kill everyone and plunder instead of taking over the lands to become more of a monarch of sorts?

On page 153 (second paragraph), it states Ivan accepts all the petitions that were being maintained for the oprichniki.  What was his motivation to do this?  Did he suspect foul play was involved?

Questions on Ivan Groznyi

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After reading the first-hand account of Heinrich von Staden, here are the questions I have:

  1. How often did Ivan IV ride out with the Oprichniki?
  2. Why did he allow for the burning of churches if he was a holy man?
  3. Why were all the places he slept all burned afterward?
  4. On pg. 153 it mentions “Aleksei [Basmanov] and his own son [Fedor], with whom the Grand Prince indulged in lewdness were killed.”  What exactly does von Staden mean by “lewdness?”  Was he implying that Ivan IV was bisexual?

Ivan the Terrible Questions

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What was the reputation of the zemshchina? Were they revered in society, or seen as traitors to their people for working for the repressive regime? This reading also brings up questions about the church- why such a change of heart towards the church so that they weren’t exempt from these purges? In addition, why the distrust of foreigners? There had been a phasing out of them for some time, but why the sudden hatred for anyone associated with them?

Questions About Ivan IV

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1.) Ivan IV reigned over a period in Russian history where the growth of the central government was rapid and intrusive to local administrators. Was centralizing Russia a positive or negative idea?….regardless of whose in charge?

2.) What was the role of the Zemskii Sobor? The “Assembly of Land” took place centuries after Ivan IV, what does this reveal about Russian culture?

3.) How does The Reign of Terror represent Ivan’s irrational approach to ruling over Russia?