Smerd
Encyclopedia
Smerds were feudal-dependent peasant
s in Russia
and some other Slavic
countries. Sources from the 11th and 12th centuries mention smerds’ presence in the Kievan Rus (e.g. Russkaya Pravda
) and Poland
.
In the Kievan Rus' the smerds were peasants who had been gradually losing their freedom (partially or completely) and whose legal status had differed from group to group. Unlike the slave
s, the smerds had their own property
and had to pay fines for their delinquencies. Legally, the smerds never possessed full rights
; the killing of a smerd was punished by the same fine as the killing of a kholop
(status similar to a slave). The property of the deceased was inherited by the knyaz
(prince). The Russkaya Pravda forbade torturing the smerds during court examination without the consent of the knyaz.
During the 12th and the 13th centuries the smerds were mentioned in a number of sources narrating the events in Halych-Volynia and Novgorod. It appears that during this period the term "smerd" encompassed the whole rural population of a given region. Sources of the 14th and 15th centuries refer to the smerds of Novgorod and Pskov
as peasants-proprietors, who possessed lands collectively (communes) or individually and had the right to freely alienate their own allotments. However, their personal freedom was limited: they were forbidden to seek for a new master or princely patronage
. The knyaz could not accept complaints from the smerds on their master. Also, the smerds had to perform certain duties called dani (дани), "tributes", or raboty (работы), "assignments", to the benefit of the city as a collective feudal master.
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and some other Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
countries. Sources from the 11th and 12th centuries mention smerds’ presence in the Kievan Rus (e.g. Russkaya Pravda
Russkaya Pravda
Russkaya Pravda was the legal code of Kievan Rus' and the subsequent Rus' principalities during the times of feudal division.In spite of great influence of Byzantine legislation on the contemporary world, and in...
) and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
In the Kievan Rus' the smerds were peasants who had been gradually losing their freedom (partially or completely) and whose legal status had differed from group to group. Unlike the slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s, the smerds had their own property
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
and had to pay fines for their delinquencies. Legally, the smerds never possessed full rights
Rights
Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
; the killing of a smerd was punished by the same fine as the killing of a kholop
Kholop
Kholops were feudally dependent people in Russia between the 10th and early 18th centuries. Their legal status was close to that of serfs.- Etymology :The word kholop was first mentioned in a chronicle for the year of 986. Its etymology is unclear...
(status similar to a slave). The property of the deceased was inherited by the knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
(prince). The Russkaya Pravda forbade torturing the smerds during court examination without the consent of the knyaz.
During the 12th and the 13th centuries the smerds were mentioned in a number of sources narrating the events in Halych-Volynia and Novgorod. It appears that during this period the term "smerd" encompassed the whole rural population of a given region. Sources of the 14th and 15th centuries refer to the smerds of Novgorod and Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
as peasants-proprietors, who possessed lands collectively (communes) or individually and had the right to freely alienate their own allotments. However, their personal freedom was limited: they were forbidden to seek for a new master or princely patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
. The knyaz could not accept complaints from the smerds on their master. Also, the smerds had to perform certain duties called dani (дани), "tributes", or raboty (работы), "assignments", to the benefit of the city as a collective feudal master.