The Expansion of Muscovy Russia and the Russian Monastery - focused on the latter’s Managerial Function in the Volga Region during the 16-17 Centuries

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Russian Orthodox monasteries played a pivotal managerial role in the expansion of Muscovy Russia, particularly in the Volga Region. As Muscovy extended its territory under Ivan III, Vasily III, and Ivan IV, monasteries like the Zilantov Monastery near Kazan Kremlin expanded their economic influence, leveraging privileges granted by the Tsar to manage new lands. These monasteries acted as landlords, collecting tolls, fishing rights, and taxes on goods such as honey, wax, fish, and horses, effectively bridging central and regional economies. The study reveals that the subjugation of the Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates in 1552 and 1556 required monastic cooperation to compensate for deficient state institutions, highlighting their critical role in securing trade routes and integrating new territories into Muscovy's economic framework.

Hwang, Y. S. (2017). The Expansion of Muscovy Russia and the Russian Monastery - focused on the latter’s Managerial Function in the Volga Region during the 16-17 Centuries. The Journal of Slavic Studies, 32(4), 555–583. https://doi.org/10.46694/jss.2017.12.32.4.555