This study aims to analyze the process of the Orthodoxy monastery’ role as managing function for the state during the 16‐17 century. The Muscovy expanded its territory towards eastern areas over Ivan Ⅲ, Vasilly Ⅲ, Ivan Ⅳ periods, and simultaneously the monastery widened its size in quantity. This situation resulted from the fact that the Golden Horde was divided into some small countries, in addition that the Muscovy became stronger than before. From a political and economic point of view, Ivan IV decided to take the decision of the eastern march in order to take full control of the trading rights of Volga. It is interpreted as the basis of the securing of the Volga river route that the Kazan Khanate in 1552 and the Astrakhan Khanate in 1556 were subsequently subjugated. But the conquer over the Kazan Khanate and Astrakhan Khanate did not work perfectly in the entire institutional framework of the Muscovy. It was necessary to cooperate with the monastery as a partner to assist the deficient state institutions. In this process, the monastery took charge of the management of the new area while receiving economic privileges from Tsar. Typically, the Zilantov monastery near the Kazan Kremlin fortress had commercial interests such as the right to collect fishing and tolls, and it also had a function as a landlord to utilize the serfdoms. The authority of the monastery based on the edicts of the Tsar became an opportunity for the monastery to be deeply involved in the movement of goods such as honey, wax, fish and horses. The commercial network of the city and the country monasteries has obviously become a link between the central and the regional places. And the collection of the taxes required by the monastery on behalf of the government resulted in a further increase in the monastic economic benefits.
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Jun 16, 2024
D G Blinnikov 
Open Access
