TY - JOUR

T1 - OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE TO RUSSIAN MONARCHS IN THE 17TH CENTURY

AU - Slugina, V. A.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This study analyzes the formation and developmental history of the Russian population’s oaths of allegiance to the tsar (often called “cross-kissing,” meaning “swearing” or “oath-taking”), which became a form of State oath. The texts of the oaths and their ceremonial practices reflected the fundamental elements of Russian political culture in the 17th century, based on Orthodox doctrine. This essay focuses on the general normative regulations for the organization of oath ceremonies in Russian cities as well as on the evolution of the ideological content of the oath texts addressed to the Orthodox population. The oath procedures combined secular and religious rhetoric, which substantiated and listed the types of services and duties required of the tsar’s subjects, the failing and breaching of which was a reason for excommunication from the church and/or secular punishment. The Russian state assigned varying degrees of rights and liberties to different social groups, correlating these privileges directly with the specific duties and obligations each group owed to the state. Consequently, the notion of subjecthood differed substantially among the various segments of the population. Although the widespread adoption of loyalty oaths fostered a collective sense of allegiance to the state, the rights of subjects were concurrently constrained by their association with particular social categories. Throughout the 17th century, the administration of the State Oath served to affirm the stability of the governing apparatus and the ruling dynasty and consolidated the loyalty of the population, gradually turning this ritual into an important political institution.

AB - This study analyzes the formation and developmental history of the Russian population’s oaths of allegiance to the tsar (often called “cross-kissing,” meaning “swearing” or “oath-taking”), which became a form of State oath. The texts of the oaths and their ceremonial practices reflected the fundamental elements of Russian political culture in the 17th century, based on Orthodox doctrine. This essay focuses on the general normative regulations for the organization of oath ceremonies in Russian cities as well as on the evolution of the ideological content of the oath texts addressed to the Orthodox population. The oath procedures combined secular and religious rhetoric, which substantiated and listed the types of services and duties required of the tsar’s subjects, the failing and breaching of which was a reason for excommunication from the church and/or secular punishment. The Russian state assigned varying degrees of rights and liberties to different social groups, correlating these privileges directly with the specific duties and obligations each group owed to the state. Consequently, the notion of subjecthood differed substantially among the various segments of the population. Although the widespread adoption of loyalty oaths fostered a collective sense of allegiance to the state, the rights of subjects were concurrently constrained by their association with particular social categories. Throughout the 17th century, the administration of the State Oath served to affirm the stability of the governing apparatus and the ruling dynasty and consolidated the loyalty of the population, gradually turning this ritual into an important political institution.

KW - 17th century

KW - Orthodox

KW - Russian state

KW - State Oath

KW - cross-kissing

KW - legitimacy

KW - monarchy

KW - political culture

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/2174970c-bb45-395f-a87f-2dfad117994a/

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105000263691&origin=inward&txGid=78ed5dabee508435d37c81361b47d800

U2 - 10.38210/RUSTUDH.2025.7.9

DO - 10.38210/RUSTUDH.2025.7.9

M3 - Article

VL - 7

SP - 187

EP - 204

JO - RussianStudiesHu

JF - RussianStudiesHu

SN - 2677-0660

IS - 1

ER -