Новгородские посольства к Рюриковичам (по Новгородской первой летописи)

Электронный научно-образовательный журнал "История". 2024. Т. 15. № 5(139). Статья 7.

Лавренченко М. Л.

Thе article focused on Novgorodian embassies to the members of the Rurik dynasty in the First Novgorodian Chronicle. Novgorod as a political community was in close connection with the rulers of Rus’; and because the city was unable to use dynasty relations in diplomatic actions, it made its own instruments. As a rule, а Novgorodian embassy was led by a posadnik or an archbishop, and their retinue could be counted from a few persons to a large delegation. Most often the purpose of a Novgorodian embassy was to invite a prince to the Novgorodian throne and to accompany him with an honorary escort to the city. Sometimes Novgorodians sent peace missions to other lands of the medieval Rus’ or participated in political disputes about its future. Novgorodian envoys often faced danger from competitors, and the diplomats themselves could be arrested for a long time if the conditions of a treaty became not appropriate for a political partner. Ambassadors could be even forced to accompany a prince in a military campaign as it happened to Miroshka Nezdinich. Such situations, however, had not completely paralyzed Novgorodian policy but stopped Novgorodians from sending persons which were crucially important for Novgorod in diplomatic missions; the city replaced them with the members of non-posadnic families. Several situations may be distinguished, when in circumstances politically hard for the Novgorod community the archbishop had not participated in embassies. Diplomatic mission also could be led by administrative persons such as tysjatskie, sotskie and priests of the important Novgorodian churches.

Keywords: дипломатия, social practices, Великий Новгород, социальные практики, Novgorod the Great, diplomacy, Новгородская первая летопись, Посольства, First Novgorodian Chronicle, embassies