Ritualism and hereditary titles in ancient Russian society

The legitimacy of power is a permanent factor in the life of society, denoting the boundaries of not only legal, but also recognized by the population actions of the ruler, respectively, to characterize the power actions are important not only forms of legitimization, but also signs of the legitimacy of the authorities themselves. Most of these signs can be found in the chronicle itself, where the chronicler gives a description of the princes. So, B. A. Rybakov singled out a number of features that the prince needed for a positive assessment in the eyes of his contemporaries, or to legitimize his power in the public consciousness. To their number, according to the researcher, should include: 1) appearance; 2) traits of the commander, 3) traits of the ruler (which can be described as legitimate behavior); 4) learning; 5) attitude to the church; 6) palace life; 7) character traits1.