townspeople - the name stuck in the history of the special categories of the population, which was engaged in trade and crafts.Merchants and craftsmen lived in tenements, near the fortress, or kremlin, where they were "planted" that is settled princes and boyars.These townspeople played a significant role in the socio-economic and political life of the Russian principalities.Indeed townspeople - it is the peasants who were in their bulk villagers who seek a better life and to leave their homes, though they were personally free, but economically dependent on feudal lords.In certain periods of townspeople were even competitors lords, pushing the market by means of enrichment.During the unrest and uprisings townspeople looted yards boyars and rich merchants, as those being their direct competitors, were unfair fight, grabbing yard space settlement and converted into slaves of urban residents, which significantly lowers their social status and quality of life.
townspeople Residents of territories were interested in peace and tranquility, as it is allowed to flourish trade and commerce and increased revenues townspeople themselves.In addition, the townspeople - it's money, extraordinary expenses, the construction of various structures, in all of this they bore a direct service and helped to arrange well the city and its surroundings.Townspeople can be divided into several categories: the rich owners of these were individual households, large workshops, artisans who united the gang or militia to their activities.They lived quite often within the same street.Finally, elite townspeople - a merchants who, depending on their capital, divided into guilds or corporations.Rich merchants and craftsmen manage the entire process taking place in the community Posad.They sought to shift the bulk of the fees and taxes on the poorest part of the community - Posad poor, small artisans and merchants, which often led to outbreaks of violence on both sides, especially during the popular unrest
townspeople lived in the so-called black and whiteSloboda.The inhabitants of these places had no fundamental differences, but residents of white settlements had one important advantage: the white settlement belonged to the feudal lords, and therefore taxes the inhabitants of these places carry only in favor of the host, while the inhabitants of black settlements had to pay taxes to the state.White settlement greatly complicates the life of townsmen people, they, as their competitors were protected by their lords, and those in turn were interested in them to increase profits.To say that the townspeople - a feudal, is fundamentally not true.The feudal lords in the face of the princes, nobles and church dignitaries were the owners belopomestnyh people and have the right to part of their revenue, according to serfdom.
This situation persisted until 1649.A series of urban uprisings and riots forced the government Alexei Mikhailovich concessions townsmen people.Under the new set of laws the white settlements were liquidated, and townspeople receive exclusive rights to classes of trade and craft activities.
