The Impact of Monastic Land Ownership on the Socio-Economic Development of the Russian State in the 15th–16th Centuries

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the impact of monastic land ownership on the socioeconomic development of the Russian state in the 15th–16th centuries. The study examines the scale and main methods of land acquisition by monasteries (donations, purchases, state grants, records upon monastic tonsure), their economic functions in the development of agriculture, crafts and trade, as well as social aspects of monastic activities. Particular attention is paid to the relationships between monasteries and the state, peasantry, and secular landowners. The key role of monastic estates in the formation of serfdom through the restriction of peasant movements is analyzed in detail. The religious discussions between the NonPossessors and Possessors regarding monastic wealth and land ownership are examined. The conclusion emphasizes the duality of monastic land ownership: it simultaneously served as a source of economic power and ideological support for the authorities and as a factor creating socioeconomic contradictions in the developing state.