What is estate? Estates of Ancient Rus and the Russian Empire

Long ago in Russia between certain people with hereditary rights and duties that were fixed by the state or traditions, there were class relations of feudalism. Typical for them was a hierarchy based on the principle of inequality of their position and privileges. This is the class in Russia in the main meaning of this concept. Other definitions state that the estate is people united by some kind of attribute or professional interests.

Princes

Now that we know what the estate is, let's follow the social structure in Ancient Russia. Without any doubt, then the highest estates were considered princes. However, after a certain period of time the clergy began to belong to this group. Probably, they were ranked among the highest class ranks due to their landed property (patrimony). The squad in Russia also enjoyed certain privileges.

What is the "estate" in the squad

A friendly organization had its own hierarchical ladder. This, so to speak, was their internal division into "estates". At the highest level of the hierarchy were the elders (the oldest squad). They were boyars. The lowest "estate" was the younger squad. Representatives of this level were called adolescents.

The middle classes of people

This class included merchants, artisans, as well as owners of small estates. Most of the merchants were small traders, the rich had the opportunity to trade outside their own state.

Lower classes of people

To this social class belonged a free rural population, which was taxed, as well as free citizens called people. Unfortunately, we do not have historical data that would allow us to determine with accuracy the proportional ratio of the lower classes to the whole population.

Holoops and smerds

The unfree servants of the masters were called slaves and servants. Among them, the so-called smerds constituted a special category. These are serf peasants, who, in turn, were divided into three groups:

• Free;
• Attached;
• Not free.

So, we have considered what is the estate of the times of Ancient Rus. Now let's move to the 19th century and find out what kind of estates were in Imperial Russia.

Estates of the Russian Empire

Estates in Russia This time was determined by the Code of laws of the Russian Empire and divided into four main groups:

• clergy;
• nobility;
• townspeople;
• The villagers.

At the same time, the townspeople were divided into subgroups:

• Honorable;
• Merchants;
• Workshop masters;
• Philistines;
• Small owners;
• Wage workers.

In general, this class division was a distinctive feature of pre-revolutionary Russia and Europe. In our time, the formal classes are preserved only in the UK, since the monarchy is officially proclaimed in this country.

As we already know, belonging to a particular social class has always been regulated by heredity. However, there were exceptions here too! It is interesting that in some cases to enter a certain class of people (for example, to become a prince) it was possible for special merit or simply to buy a title for a tidy sum. We have analyzed what is the estate and what classes existed at the time of the ancient and imperial Russia.