Posadnik

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A posadnik was the prince’s representative in several towns and later the top official (mayor) in Novgorod from 1136 and in Pskov from 1308.

In Novgorod, the city won the right to choose its own posadnik. At first, the prince appointed him to rule while the prince was away, but after 1136 the veche (the public assembly) began to appoint and remove princes and also elected the posadnik, making him the elected burgomaster. The word posadnik comes from the idea of placing the prince’s men in the town. The position is first mentioned in 977 in the Primary Chronicle. Early posadniks included Dobrynya, his son Konstantin Dobrynich, and Ostromir, who supported the Ostromir Gospels, one of the first books printed in Russia.

In the Novgorod Republic, the posadnik was elected from among the boyars by the veche, with elections held annually. The class of boyars was not strictly hereditary; rich merchants could become boyars too. Some historians, notably Valentin Yanin, have argued that many posadniks held the office for long periods and often passed it within powerful families, suggesting that the veche was not a fully free and fair democratic body. This view has been debated and is not universally accepted. Originally there was one posadnik, but by the end of the republic there were about 24, including posadniks for each borough (ends).

Reforms in the 1350s by Ontsifor Lukinich increased the number of posadniks. In 1416–1417 the number was increased again and stepenny posadniks were elected for six-month terms, allowing different boyar clans to share power and preventing any one group from dominating. However, this also diluted the power of the landowning boyars. Some historians think the archbishop could have led the republic at times, but the archbishops generally shared power with the boyars and governance often ran by consensus. By the 15th century, the weaker position of the boyars helped Moscow’s rise and contributed to Novgorod losing its independence.

The posadnikship and the veche were abolished in 1478 when Ivan III of Moscow took control of Novgorod, reportedly saying there would be no veche bell and no posadnik in his patrimony. In Pskov, 78 posadniks are known from 1308 to 1510, and the office was abolished in 1510 when Vasili III took direct control of the city.