The process of enslavement of peasants in Russia took several centuries. Since the reign of Ivan the Third, when a centralized state headed by Moscow was formed, and two centuries have passed before complete enslavement. It all began with St. George's Day in the first Sudebnik, then the reserved summers, the lesson years. These are links in one chain, and each one must be considered in connection with others.
Yuryev's Day
Yuryev's day is a holiday of Saint George at the end of November. From the time of the first Sudebnik in 1497 the transition of peasants to another landowner was limited to a week before and a week after that day. The cycle of agricultural work was coming to an end, money was paid for the use of subsidiary buildings, and families of farmers could go to look for lighter bread from another owner. The fact is that in Russia there was a shortage of workers. The emperor gave the land for service, and there was no one to work on it. Therefore, the landowners and landowners competed among themselves, dragged the peasants to themselves, provided better conditions for life and work.
Protected summers
By the end of the reign of Ivan the Terrible in the economic sphere, complete devastation reigned. The defeat of the Livonian War and the oprichnaya policy undermined the country's budget, the desolation of the landed estates and patrimonial lands was observed. In these conditions, the migration of the population increased, the peasants moved more often from place to place in search of a better life. Therefore, at the end of his reign, Ivan responded to petitions of his servicemen with the introduction of the so-called reserved years, which preceded the learned years. These were periods of prohibition to peasants to use the right of St. George's Day. This decision was made temporary, but, as they say, there is nothing more permanent than temporary.
Vintage summer
Another step, which reduced the freedom of the peasants, was the introduction of lesson . The year of their appearance is not fully determined. Preliminary - this is the time of the reign of the last Rurikovich Fedor Ivanovich, but in fact the government of the state was engaged in the brother-in-law of Tsar Boris Godunov. In the decrees of that era, the term "lessons of the summer" is not used. 1597 nevertheless, in most textbooks on national history is defined as the date of introduction of the peasants' search period, who left their owners in protected summers. That is, at a time when transitions were prohibited. This was the only way for the peasants to change something in their lives. So, they fled to another landowner without permission. The host host was interested in this, so he hid the defectors. Vintage years are a period in which the owner of the peasants could turn to the executive with a statement about the loss of their people. If peasants were found at the set time (lesson), then they returned to the previous owner.
The terms of peasant investigation
The first decrees of the tsar introduced five-year terms of peasants' search, then this period increased to seven, ten and fifteen years. At the beginning of the 17th century, in certain areas, in connection with hunger, the protected summers were canceled, and, therefore, the learned years. This, however, did not mean that the process of enslavement was stopped, rather, it was suspended in turbulent events of troubled times. Under the first tsars from the Romanov dynasty, the policy of maneuvering between the interests of various strata of society, including landowners of different levels, was conducted. Some demanded that the Tsar should shorten the term of the search for runaway ones, while others demand increases. In the interest of settling the southern lands, the government even went on to abolish the school years. But gradually life was adjusted, the interests of landowners converged, the feudal mode of production demanded legalized serf relations.
Cancellation of lessons
On the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich had several major riots. Popular discontent was associated with the establishment of new state and church orders and the deterioration of the standard of living of the population. As often happens, the state grew stronger and richer, but the people were poor. In 1648 there was a Salt riot, the first of a series of subsequent unrest. The young king, frightened by the uprising, called the Zemsky Sobor. It revealed many of the contradictions of the feudal state. Still, the result was the adoption of a new set of laws of Russia under the name "Cathedral Code". As for the peasants, they were considered the property of the feudal lords, their private property. Everyone who harbored fugitive peasants was punished. And for the fugitives themselves, all terms were canceled, after which they could hope for freedom from the master. Thus, the cancellation of the school years, fixed in 1649, meant the final registration of serfdom. Now throughout life, everyone who has left the owner has risked being caught and returned to the owner, who could punish him at his discretion. This did not mean that the shoots had stopped, but the peasants had already fled not to another owner, but to the south, to the Cossack lands. With this state was also destined to lead a long struggle.