The City of Polonne in the Early Modern Period: Socio-Economic and Demographic Aspects

Abstract

Despite the fact that in recent times the studies in urbanization processes in Ukrainian lands have undergone great advancements, the history of Ukrainian cities especially in the early modern period has not yet been sufficiently delved into. Therefore, studies in regional and local history remain topical for the Ukrainian historiography. The article looks at the history of the city of Polonne in the early modern period and is based on the Inventory of the division of the estates of Prince Oleksandr Ostrogski among his heirs in 1620. This study sheds light on how the city, which was known since the Old Rus times, was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later into the domain of the Ostrozki princely family. On the basis of the Inventory’s description, the spatial organization of the city, its internal arrangement, the system and special features of the buildings were studied. Such socio-topographical parts of the city as Zamok, Peredhoroddia, Stare Polonne, Nove Polonne, Luka and Zagroddia were identified. The article analyses the city socio-demographic situation, in particular, it gives numbers of settled households and within them the numbers of family structures and separate families. The ethnic composition, religious confessions of the city and its self-government on the basis of the Magdeburg law are described as well. With regard to the city’s economic life, it was found out that there had been at least 196 craftsmen and tradesmen in 46 fields. The duties of the citizens were also identified as well as their involvement in agriculture. The article proves that at the beginning of the 17th century the city was an important socio-cultural organism with a well-developed guild organization of crafts and a system of town self-government based on the Magdeburg law. The role of the owners of the city of Polonne – the princes of the House of Ostrogski – in its development in the early modern times is emphasized.