History of The Administrative Division of Russia - Early History

Early History

Further information: List of historic states of Russia

The Kievan Rus' as it formed in the 10th century remained a more or less unified realm under the rule of Yaroslav the Wise (d. 1054), but in the later part of the 11th century, it disintegrated into a number of de facto independent and rivaling principalities, the most important of which were Galicia–Volhynia, Novgorod, and Vladimir-Suzdal. These principalities were gradually integrated into the Grand Duchy of Moscow during the 14th and 15th centuries, at the time a vassal state of the Turco-Mongol Ulus of Jochi. After 1480, Ivan III began to style himself Tsar. Ivan the Terrible was the first ruler to be crowned as the Tsar of All Russia in 1547.

From the 13th century, the Russian principalities used an administrative subdivision into uyezds, with each such uyezd being subdivided into several volosts. Voyevodas were the officials appointed to administer and defend the uyezds.

Novgorod Land from at least the end of the 15th century was subdivided into pyatinas.

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