TheSudebnik of 1497 (Russian:Судебник 1497 года), also known as theSudebnik of Ivan III (Russian:Судебник Ивана III), was a collection oflaws introduced byIvan III in 1497. It played a big part in thecentralisation of the Russian state, the creation of all-Russian legislation, and the elimination offeudal fragmentation.[1][2][3][4] It was later replaced by theSudebnik of 1550 underIvan IV.[5][6]
_by_shakko.jpg)
TheSudebnik replaced the former legal charters of different Russian principalities as a code for the entire state. It set up an order of court procedures and legal norms, binding uniformly on all parts of the state and strengthening the central authority in Moscow.[7][8]
TheSudebnik takes its roots from earlier law codes, including theRusskaya Pravda, thePskov Judicial Charter,princelydecrees, andcommon law, the regulations of which had been upgraded with reference to social and economic changes. TheSudebnik was overall a collection oflegal procedures. It established a universal system of thejudicial bodies of the state, defined theircompetence andsubordination, and regulatedlegal fees. TheSudebnik expanded the range of acts considered punishable by the standards ofcriminal justice (e.g.,sedition,sacrilege,slander). It also renewed the concept of different kinds of acrime.Sudebnik established the investigative nature of legal proceedings. It provided different kinds ofpunishment, such as thedeath penalty andflagellation. In order to protect thefeudallandownership,Sudebnik introduced certain limitations in the law of estates, increased theterm of limitation oflegal actions with regards to princely lands, introduced flagellation for the violation ofproperty boundaries of princely,boyar andmonastic lands – violation ofpeasant land boundaries entailed afine. TheSudebnik also introduced afee (пожилое, or pozhiloye) for peasants who wanted to leave their feudal lord (Крестьянский выход, or Krestiyansky vykhod), and also established a universal day (November 26) across the Russian state for peasants who wanted to switch their masters (Юрьев день, orYuri's Day).[1][9]
Ivan III in his own time already had the reputation of the builder of the Russian state... The consolidation of Russia as a state was not just a territorial issue, for Ivan also began the development of a state apparatus...
Although it was the first major piece of all-Russian legislation since several centuries, covering a wide range of topics subject to the secular courts, it should not be regarded as a code in the modern sense
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: "Судебники 1497 и 1550 гг." .Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (in Russian). 1906.