Hostages in the Medieval Rus’

Abstract

Providing hostages was a widespread political tool in various historical periods; it was also the case in the Medieval Rus’. Many of the early chronicles’ episodes describing this practice are related to the interactions between the Rurikids and pagan tribes (mostly nomads), which demonstrates the versatility of this tool, since it helped to make treaties between rulers from different cultures and religions. First Novgorodian Chronicle mentions hostages (they have a specific name — tali — in chronicles) when describing the events of the 12th–13th centuries in North-Western Rus’. Guarantors figured in the relations between Novgorodians and the Kievan, Chernigov or Suzdal Princes, and even in the descriptions of Pskov contacts with the Archbishopric of Riga or the Livonian Order. Although providing hostages was mostly used in the long-term princely policy, it could also be utilized to ensure achieving clearly defined goals and fulfilling specific agreements. When providing hostages, typically the choice fell on the younger relatives of political actors: their sons and brothers, which reflects the importance of personal and family ties in the medieval Rus’.