The reading for today discussed the lives of the princes of Rus during the twelfth and later century’s. During this time there were Rus was divided up into several different principalities each with their own prince and a different form of government. Some of the princes had nearly autonomous rule and were able to do as they wished. For example in Northeast Rus prince Dmirii was able to will his land to whomever he wished after his death without having to put in any considerations for other state powers. That being said he divided the land up to such a extent that there was most likely some turmoil after his death. On the other hand his neighbor in Northwest Rus had to deal with a completely different situation when they were made to swear to “The First Treaty of Novgorod”. This was the second major text in our reading. It consisted of a list of 23 major things that the prince could and could not do. The text gives the impression that prince Iaroslav was under house arrest
For me the most perplexing part of this reading was “The Second Testament of Moscow Grand Prince Dmitrii Donskoi”.In it he lays out his last will and testament in case he dies. The interesting part of this text besides the fact that it is a several thousand year old will is his use of the word “Princess”. In the text he leaves most of the land and gold to his suns or “Princes”and he often tells the princes that they must obey their “Mothers” or else loose their inheritance. But he also leaves a significant amount of wealth to “Princess”. I have understood the word to mean his wives or the mothers of the princes. But he never once mentions a actual wife all he ever says is Princess. This may be linked to the fact that he himself is named as Prince Dmitrii making his wives princess.
As my questions i have three. How much power over their male children did princess and women in general have? Why was the Treaty of Novgorod so focused on the prince not being allowed to give away land? How meany honey farms did the prince control?