“Shagi / Steps” the Journal of the SASH

SHAGI/STEPS 7(3)

Keywords: pre-Mongol Rus’, Rurikid dynasty, choice of a name, dynastic names, name-giving rules, elite milieu of the prince, boyars, posadniks

Abstract: The paper discusses the general principle of the dynastic onomasticon of the pre-Mongol Rurikids, which was closedness: the pagan names of the princes were not supposed to be used by anyone outside of the ruling house. The present work covers the whole range of actual and phantom deviations from this principle, presenting an analysis of what might make these deviations acceptable. The right to a certain name, the functioning of the names and their transfer to non-dynastic strata are very closely linked with the power structure and the interaction between the princely family and their elite milieu. The subject of the ruler’s kinship (either consanguinity, affinity or fictive kinship) as a tool of construction of power relationships, the subject of the political mobility of the nobles and their role in conflicts between princes, the role of kinship in government — all these and many other controversial issues of pre-Mongol Russian history can be quite fruitfully studied from the onomastic perspective. The answer to the question of how, when and why such personal names as Sudislav, Viacheslav, Rogvolod or Iaropolk could suddenly become available for non-princely children, is often crucial for studies dealing with the various alliances, conflicts and long-term strategies of pre-Mongol Old Rus’.

Acknowledgements: The article was prepared under a research grant funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (grant ID: 075-15-2020-908).

To cite this article: Litvina, A. F., & Uspenskij, F. B. (2021). Princely names beyond the princely dynasty in 11th — early 13th century Rus’. Shagi/Steps, 7(3), 9–45. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.22394/2412-9410-2021-7-3-9-45.