 |
| Knyaz(sovereign) |
| Boyar /Szlachta(noble) |
| Druzhinnik(retainer) |
| Smerd(free tenant) |
| Kholop(slave) |
Akholop (Ukrainian andRussian холо́п;Russian pronunciation:[xɐˈlop],Ukrainian pronunciation:[xoˈɫɔp]) was a type offeudalserf inKievan Rus' from the 9th to early 12th centuries.[1] Thelegal status ofkholops in the 16th-centuryTsardom of Russia was essentially the same asslaves.[2](p 576)
The word холо́п was first mentioned in achronicle for the year 986. The word iscognate withSlavic words translated as "man" or "boy" (Ukrainian:хлопець (khlopets),Polish:chłopiec,Bulgarian:хлапе / хлапак (hlape / hlapak) "kid").Chlap (pronounced[xlap]) is a synonym for "man" inSlovak (chlapec "boy" thus being the diminutive).[3] Such transitions between the meanings "young person" and "servant" (in both directions) are commonplace, as evident from the English use of "boy" in the sense of "domestic servant".
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TheRusskaya Pravda, alegal code of the lateKievan Rus', details the status and types ofkholops of the time.
In the 11th–12th centuries, the term referred to different categories of dependent people and especially slaves. Akholop's master had unlimited power over his life, e.g., he could kill him, sell him, or transfer ownership of him to settle adebt. The master, however, was responsible for akholop's actions, such as insulting afreeman or stealing.
A person could become akholop as a result of capture, selling oneself, being sold for debts, after having committedcrimes, or through marriage to akholop. Until the late 15th century, thekholops represented a majority among the servants, who had been working lordly lands. Somekholops, mainly houseserfs, replenished the ranks of theprincely servants (including those in themilitary) or engaged themselves in trades,farming, or administrative activities.
Throughout the 16th century, the role of thekholops in thecorvée economy of thePrincipality of Moscow had been diminishing due to the increasing involvement ofpeasantexploitation of labour. At the turn of the 16th century, theservice classkholops (служилое холопство,sluzhiloye kholopstvo) began to emerge and spread across the country. In the late 17th century, there were alsokholops "implanted" to their land (посаженные на землю,posazhenniye na zemlyu), who took care of their ownhousehold and had to paychynsh (similar toquitrent). Thosekholops, who had been house serfs were subject topoll tax (per-soul tax,podushnaya podat) in 1722–1724, and were thereafter treated as ordinary serfs (krepostnyye, "permanent peasants").[4]
Boeviekholopi (Russian:боевые холопы, "combat slaves"), also known as "military slaves" in literature,[2](p383) constituted an armed retinue and personal protection for large and medium-sized landowners in the 16th–18th centuries, and carried out military service together with noblemen, constituting a considerable part of the "Landed Army". They were equipped as mounted archers, usually wearing cheap quilted armor and caps.[5]
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"Kabala people" was a variation ofkholops in Muscovy of 15th–17th centuries. This category of unfree population came under the"kabala" (heavydebt bondage) condition following a monetary loan for percentage of which it had serve its creditor until completion of the debt payment.[4] Legal status of theKabala kholops was regulated by generalkholops norms and lawsSudebnik of 1550,Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649. After the Ukaze of 1 February 1597, the principle of thekholop's servitude until the death of his / her creditor was enacted.[4] Over time, all types of kholops were placed to the category ofKabala kholops. Agreements onKabala kholops were inscribed in "Kabala books".[4]