Dvina Statute of 1397

Dvina Statute of 1397 

a procedure of rule by the viceroy in the Dvina Land, issued by Vasilii I Dmitrievich, grand prince of Moscow.

The Dvina Statute defended the boyars’ possessions and rights to their bondmen, their “chest”’ (code of honor), and other privileges. It also accorded the merchants of Dvina trade privileges in Velikii Ustiug, Vologda, and Kostroma. Through the statute, the government attempted to enlist the peasant community in the struggle against violations of the norms of feudal law, a participation that would include such activities as the search for criminals. The Russkaia Pravda was used in the compilation of the Dvina Statute.

PUBLICATION

Pamia, tniki russkogo prava, fase. 3. Moscow, 1955.

REFERENCES

Cherepnin. L. V. Obrazovanie Russkogo tsentralizovannogo gosu-darstva ν XIV-XV vv. Moscow, 1960.Pages 683–702.
Cherepnin, L. V. Russkie feodal’nye arkhivy XIV-XV vv., part I. Moscow-Leningrad.1948.