Shert letters as a tool of allegiance of Siberian peoples to the Russian tsar in the 17th century

The article is devoted to the problem of functioning of public-law sources called «shert letters» (shertoprivodnye zapisi) used in the Moscow state in the 17 th century to fix the native Siberian peoples in the Russian citizenship. Basing on unique archival materials, the author examines the key concepts of «service» and «loyalty» described in shert letters taking into account the historical and cultural context of the 17 th century. Making a general list of oaths articles addressed to Siberian peoples, the author considers them from the point of view of Moscow objectives of the public policy in regard to indigenous peoples. The author notes that unlike Russian oath (krestotselovalnye letters) that could not be supplemented and modified by local administration of territorial entities, the shert letters are more adapted to the realities of Siberia of the 17 th century. Despite the similarity of forms and individual articles, shert letters do not immediately equate «foreigners» to Russians. With meticulously analysis of each item of shert letters, the author managed to reveal similarities and the differences in the citizenship of Russians and aboriginals in the Moscow State. The author concludes that the specificity of Siberian natives’ citizenship is determined not only by their fur tax (jasak) position but also by the content of their obligations described in shert letters. Shert letters describe the form in which foreigners have to express their «submission» and loyalty to the sovereign, describe the rules of interaction with the Russian authorities, the rules of the payment of tribute. Moreover, through the procedure of swearing (shertovanie) and the announcement of special «sovereign grand word» to foreigners, Moscow authorities tried to incorporate the indigenous population of Siberia in the political system of the state and to impart necessary level of political culture for effective interaction. That’s why shert letters are, in fact, the only document that guarantee natives the transition from the category of «a traitor» to the category of «Russian subject».