Slavery: Theory and Practice

6-13

Authors: Evgeniуa V. Kravtsova

The presented article aims to open a little-studied page in the history of Ancient Rus – the phenomenon of slavery and the slave trade in the Belarusian lands in the X−XIII centuries, in an inseparable context from the general Russian trends of socio-economic and political development. On the basis of the materials studied, the study provides a characteristic of the historiographic base corresponding to the stated problem. An article by I.M. Krasnoperov, found in the journal of the Ministry of Education, played a key role in the study «Slavery and the Slave Trade in Ancient Belarus», published in 1907 and is in essence the only scientific study that raised the issue of slavery on the example of a specific region within the framework of the Old Russian state. When analyzing the available information, gaps were identified, including those associated with sources that may become relevant for further comprehensive study and replenishment by historians. In addition, the author made attempts to trace the transformation of such concepts as servant, servant, slave and how they were perceived by contemporaries, as well as to give an answer to the question of why and in what situations sometimes these concepts could be equated to a common denominator. Attention is also paid to the value of owning «human goods» among representatives of the nobility (princes and their entourage). In connection with this provision of the article, an emphasis is placed on the acts of famous princes (especially those of Polotsk) aimed at turning the population into servitude (the activities of Vseslav the Charodey, Gleb Minsky). For a more complete understanding of the level of slavery and the slave trade in the Belarusian lands of the X–XIII centuries, information about the large centers of these phenomena is presented, as well as a description of the main directions of the slave trade (west, east and south) and what contributed to this. As a result, it was concluded that princely strife played a significant role in the development of slaveholding in Ancient Belarus. Taken together, these phenomena provoked a decline and caused enormous damage to both the population and the unity of the state, which is noticeable in the position of the Russian lands in the XIII–XIV centuries.

26-34

Authors: Ivan A. Ermachkov

The article considers the Russian official correspondence on the return of Russian prisoners from the Khiva Khanate in 1839. As sources, the author used archival documents of the State Archives of the Orenburg Region (Orenburg, Russian Federation), namely case No. 4993 "The case of 80 Russian prisoners taken out of Khiva in 1839". This case contains correspondence about the return of Russian prisoners from the Khiva Khanate. The documents are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The work is structured using the basic principles of historicism, consistency and objectivity. The chronological method is of great importance in it, which made it possible to present the official Russian correspondence in chronological order. This, in turn, made it possible to draw attention to neighboring events, for example, to similar measures to detain the Khiva caravan in 1837. In conclusion, the author states that the undertaken measure of detention of the Khiva caravans by the Orenburg governor V.A. Perovsky for the second time bore fruit, and this time, it was returned to its homeland in 1837 and in 1839 a total of 105 Russian prisoners. The correspondence on this issue was conducted at all levels, from the commandant of the fortress to informing the Russian emperor, partly the reason for this was the letter of the Khiva khan, but a more weighty reason, in our opinion, was concern for the fate of Russian subjects.

42-53

Authors: Artyom Yu. Peretyatko, Maria A. Selezneva

The article focuses on the first artistic experience of comprehending the issue of female sexual slavery in specific Don cossack literature, particularly in the store «Bulavin’s grave sin» published in 1884. Being compared with the status of the Don social thought, the story shows that N.I. Krasnov’s ideas of sexual slavery reflects the other Don author’s vision. On the one hand, the gravity of classical slavery and serfdom was underestimated in Don historiography (except for P.P. Sakharov); on the other hand, sympathy for women and a call for defending their rights are typical for many Don texts of the late 19th and the early 20th century. Therefore, a N.I. Krasnov’s philippic pathos is aimed not at classical female sexual slavery, but at any form of women’s subordination. A Turkish’s harem into a narrative is described as a more convenient place for a heroine than the house where she lives with her legal husband. Krasnov defines the status of free women on the Don in 17th century as «slave subordination», and he also shows that the proud and freedom-loving main heroine does not belong neither in Turkish word, nor in Russian one. Krasnov has shown, even though in slightly naïve form, immorality of female objectivization and depriving women of their right for feelings. The Krasnov’s story deserves attention as the first work of literature about sexual slavery and also as an original reaction to this slavery from the liberal author who has been in times of serfdom and who was quite tolerant to it.

58-65

Authors: Vladimir P. Trut

The review analyzes the collection of documents "Circassian slave narratives". Special attention is paid to the consideration of the scientific article of the author-compiler of the collection A.A. Cherkasov, which precedes its main content. The content of this collection of documents is comprehensively characterized, the important, interesting, diverse source materials presented in it are analyzed, the vast majority of which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The origin and main content of the documents included in the collection are characterized, the most important and interesting of them are considered. The scientific relevance and significance of the documents presented in the collection for further research on the problems of Russian-Circassian relations during the Caucasian War, the socio-economic development of Circassian society is determined.