International Memory of the World Register Fond #135 (The State Archives of the Charters and Manuscripts) (Russian Federation) 2012-72

1.0 Summary: The proposed collection of records is the most valuable part of the gathering of the Russian State Archives of Ancient Acts and it is hard to overestimate its historical and cultural meaning. Thoroughly selected from different archives these monuments in the middle of the XIX century can be characterized as the national heritage of the Russian nation. The most ancient state acts and manuscripts relating not only to the age of formation of the State but also to the time of reforms of the XVIII century are concentrated in the fond. The basis of the fond is composed of the retained archives of the Moscow Grand Dukes and ’ archives of the XIII- XVI centuries which is retraced upon the inventories of the Embassy Order of XVI-XVII centuries. The widely popular monuments such as testaments of the Moscow Grand Dukes Ivan Kalita (1328, 1341) and Donskoy (1371,1389); approved charter on accession to the throne of Mihail Fedorovich Romanov (1613); Russkaya Pravda (Russian Truth), copy of the second half of the XIV century, the Codes of Laws (1497 and 1550), Code of the Assembly of the Land 1649, Sofian I Chronicle, copy of XV century, Titulyarnik (The Book of Titles) 1672. 2.0 2.1 Name of nominator: the Russian State Archives of Ancient Acts 2.2 Relationship to the nominated documentary heritage: Depository of national ownership 2.3 Contact persons: Ryzhenkov Mihail Rafailovich, Eskin Yuriy Moiseevich

2.4 Contact details: Name: the director of the Address: Archive: Bolshaya Pirogovskaya 17, Rizhenkov 119435 Moscow Mihail Rafailovich Telephone: (499) 246-50-91 Facsimile: (499) 245-30-98 Email: [email protected]

Name: the deputy director of the Address: Archive: Eskin Yuriy Bolshaya Pirogovskaya 17, Moiseevich 119435 Moscow Russia

Telephone: (499) 580-87-39 Facsimile: (499) 580-87-23 Email: [email protected]

3.0 Identify and description of the documentary heritage 3.1 Name and identification details of the items being nominated. If inscribed, the exact title and institution to appear on the certificate should be given. RGADA Fond 135. The State Archives of the Charters and Manuscripts. 470 items (1264-1775). It presents itself the complex of records in basic of which underlies the Grand-Ducal and Tsars’ archives of XIII-XVI centuries including the collections of testaments and conventional charters of the Grand Moscow and appanage princes, the coronation ranks, the Assembly of the Land charters, the records of the institutions and private archives, the records of the monasteries and priesthood, the legislative monuments of the Russian government, historical and literature works.

3.2 Catalogue or registration details. RGADA, Fond 135

3.4 History/provenance The collection of records was finally formed in 1851 as special part of the Armoury in the but was under the authority of administrative Moscow Main Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The collection was formed by merging Grand-Ducal and Tsars’ archives from the Moscow Main Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the most valuable rarities from the Moscow Synodal Library, the Armoury and other holdings. In 1882 Archives was transported to the premises of the Moscow Main Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where it remained up to the October Revolution of 1917. In 1920 the collection was included in the RSFSR State Archives, later – the Moscow Branch of the Juridical Section of the United State Archival Fond transformed into (Old) Archives of the Moscow Historical Archive. Since 1931 the collection as independent fond was included in the State Archives of the Epoch of Serfdom and Feudal Oppression gained in 1941 the name the Central State Archives of Ancient Acts.

4.0 Legal information 4.1 Owner of the documentary heritage (name and contact details)

Name: Address: The Russian Federation, the Bolshaya Pirogovskaya 17, Russian State Archives of 119435 Moscow Russia Ancient Acts

Telephone: (499) 246-50-91 Facsimile: (499) 245-30-98 Email: [email protected]

4.2 Custodian of the documentary heritage (name and contact details if different from the owner

Name: Address: Kadik Pokrishkina 11, Moscow Russia Vadim Arnoldovich Telephone: (495) 735-78-96 4.3 Legal status. State ownership 4.4 Accessibility: Researchers are served in the reading halls situated in the archive’s building. There are digital copies of all the records of the fond.

4.5 Copyright status 5.0 Assessment against the selection criteria

5.1 Authenticity The authenticity of the records was determined by a number of researchers – specialists in archives, early texts and legal acts.

5.2 World significance The fond “(Old) archives” represents the collection of the unique sources on social-political and cultural history of the Russian government. It is the unique retained archives of the Princedom of the Ancient Russia. The Russian State appeared on the basis of its records (testaments and conventional charters). In addition the significant part of the materials has outstanding art meaning as the highly skilled masters, calligraphists and miniaturists, were involved in its creation.

5.3 Comparative criteria 1. Time: the chronological period of the collection – from XIII-till XVIII century 2. Place: Moscow Grand Duchy, Russian Kingdom, Great Novgorod, Grand Princedom Tver. 3. People: This complex is one of the basic sources on history of strengthening of grand-ducal and later power and formation of the service class. 4. Subject and theme: the collection mostly reflects social and political . 5. Form and style: the significant part of the materials has outstanding art meaning as the highly skilled masters, calligraphists and miniaturists, were involved in its creation. Some charters have precious metals (seals, box for seals) in their design. 6. Social/spiritual/community significance: the complex represents the collection of absolutely unique sources on history of the Russian state embracing wide chronological period. The meaning of the monuments was estimated at their true worth in the middle of the XIX century at the moment of the collection formation. Just the principle of uniqueness was put in the basis while selecting charters and manuscripts.

6.0 Contextual information 6.1Rarity: The only extant complex of generic archive of monarchs of XIII-XVI centuries on Russian territory and the collection of juridical and chronicle monuments of medieval Russia, part of which is unique.

6.2 Integrity: The complex of the grand-ducal archive pursuant upon inventories of the turn of XVI - XVII centuries.