TRANSFORMATION OF THE SITUATION OF THE UKRAINIAN PEASANTRY AT THE END OF THE 16TH – THE FIRST HALF OF THE 17TH CENTURY: ON THE EXAMPLE OF KYIV VOIVODESHIP

Vitalii  SHCHERBAK

doi:10.24919/2519-058X.22.253748

Authors

Vitalii SHCHERBAK PhD hab. (History), Professor of the Department of Ukraine’s History of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8025-5684

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24919/2519-058X.22.253748

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to find out the specifics of land relations and forms of dependency of the peasants of Kyiv Voivodeship at the end of 16th – the first half of the 17th century. The research methodology is based on the use of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special and historical (problem-chronological, historical and systemic, retrospective) methods. The Scientific Novelty. For the first time in domestic historiography, this study has examined the transformation of the peasants’ situation of the Naddnipryanshchyna which was conditioned by the official measures of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth government in order to “develop the Eastern Borderlands” of the state, which was accompanied by changes in land relations and mass colonization of the region by magnates and gentry of both Ukrainian and Polish origin. The Conclusions. Introduction of the folwark economy within Kyiv Voivodeship at the end of 16th century, where the labour of subordinated peasants used, led to a significant increase in social exploitation, including through labour rents. However, the nobility and royal officials were forced to take into account the existing realities: the threat from the Moscow Empire, the danger of the Tatar attacks and the increase of the Cossack stratum among the population, and to regulate tax rules depending on the situation in each region. The transformation of the legal status of the peasants was evidenced by the active development of serfdom, the legal basis of which was enshrined in the Statute of Lithuania of 1588. Peasants of Kyiv Voivodeship still had the opportunity to move to another place of residence, but were obliged to pay a number of taxes in favor of owner. This led to their mass participation in the armed Cossack uprisings.

Key words: peasantry, transformation, Kyiv Voivodeship, folwark economy, serfdom.

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