Russkaya Pravda

“Russkaya Pravda” (Русская Правда in Russian, which means “Russian truth”) is the Old Russian legal code in times of Kievan Rus and feudal division. There are three known editions of “RP” that survived since 13-18 centuries: Kratkaya (The Short Edition), Prostrannaya (The Vast Edition), and Sokraschennaya (The Abridged Edition).

Common law, Knyaz legislation, and legal proceedings represented the basis of “RP”. The Short Edition of “RP” contained “Pravda Iaroslava” (Iaroslav’s Truth), i.e. “Drevneyshaya Pravda” (The Oldest Truth) of Iaroslav the Wise, “Pravda Iaroslavichey” (Truth by Iaroslav’s sons) and others. “RP”s legal regulations reflected the evolution of old Russian social relations in 11-13 centuries.

“Pravda Iaroslava” comprised legal regulations of feudal law along with the archaic regulations that could be traced back to the primitive communal system. Subsequent development and improvement of “RP” took place in times of Iaroslav’s sons and his grandson Vladimir Monomakh. The most important legal regulations were added to “RP” after the revolts in Kiev, Novgorod, and Rostov-Suzdal’ province in 1068-1071. “Pravda Iaroslavichey” increased responsibility of a given community for killing knyaz’s soldiers, tiuns (“tiun”, a privileged servant of knyazs or boyars), starostas (“starosta”, a representative from the low-ranking administration of a knyaz’), otroks (“otrok”, a low-ranking soldier in the army of a knyaz’) and other servants on their own territory. “Pravda Iaroslavichey” provided severe punishment for arson, deliberate cattle mutilation, and collective encroachment on rich people’s property. After the 1113 Riot in Kiev, an exorbitant interest law was introduced that limited financial operations of moneylenders.

“RP” stabilized the system of feudal relations and social inequality. During 11-13 centuries “RP” served the strengthening of feudal dependency of smerds (“smerd” – a feudal-dependant peasant), zakups (“zakup” - a feudal-dependant peasant, who could become free after paying off his “zakup”, a feudal loan), kholops (“kholop” – a feudal-dependant peasant, who could be killed or sold like a slave) etc. The Vast Edition of “RP” contains special regulations with regards to the status of zakups and kholops. “RP” also reflects the role of the court of knyaz’, a trend towards increasing differentiation of punishments and penalties, bigger fines for the benefit of knyaz’ or his administration with correspondingly decreasing compensation to the victims.

Trying to abolish blood feud (that was quite common at that time), “RP” narrowed its “usage” and limited the number of avengers to the closest relatives of the dead. If there were no avengers on the victim’s side, the killer had to pay a fine (called “vira”) in favor of the knyaz’ and partial compensation to the relatives of the victim (the killer’s community had to help him pay his fine). If a woman were killed, one would have to pay half of the regular fine (called “poluvir’ye”, half of “vira”).

“RP” also defended health and honor of the free members of the feudal society and had provisions about financial compensations for mutilation or an insult by word or deed. “RP” had a detailed system of punishments and penalties for larceny in a city or countryside, deliberate damage to forests, hunting grounds or lands, trespassing etc. It also regulated debt relations between individuals and contained articles of liability and hereditary law. Under “RP”, legal proceedings included witnesses, use of oaths or “ordaliy” (lat. ordalium, or “ordeal” in English, a kind of a last-resort test used to prove defendant’s innocence or guilt). The search for culprits included listening to witnesses, collecting evidence, or hot pursuit. Investigators had to check for false accusations (“poklyop”), as well. These were the first steps towards forensic science.

In 1497, they introduced the Code of Law (“Sudebnik”), which replaced “RP”. Nonetheless, “RP” laid foundations for legal codes of Pskov and Novgorod regions and Ukrainian, Belorussian, and Lithuanian Law.