2020-09-24
158
Poliudie
In November, the Russian prince and his warriors went to the lands of Slavic tribes to collect tribute. And the prince went not only with his armed force but with all his family (in 1154, during the Poliudie executed by Yuri Dolgoruky, his son Vsevolod was born in one camp). The whole team stayed with their subjects throughout the winter. The tradition of hospitality was strictly performed: the host had to be helpful and friendly and provide an honored guest with everything while he was in his house. The peasants had to feed the prince and his squad, organize dinner parties at their own expenses. In April-May at the beginning of the navigation season, the prince returned in Kiev. Thus, initially princes, who spent their summers in the war, collected the taxes and the rest of the year, they were making the rounds of lands in the order to collect the tribute.
The prince shared the tribute with his warriors as they represented a kind of special class, the key tool in its political and commercial affairs. The tribute consisted of food (mainly wheat, rye, oats, cattle, poultry, and linen) as well as products from the forestlands (furs, wax, and honey). The tribute, which the Prince of Kiev had collected as a ruler, was used for trade: during the spring months the different goods collected in winter were supplied to the fair. A huge number of people arrived to the Fair near Kiev and some went further to Constantinople.
The size of tribute probably was not defined, and there were numerous abuses. In the year 945, when polyudie was headed by Grand Prince Igor, the prince was murdered. The reason was not levying tribute in itself but an attempt to gather more tribute. After the murder of Prince and suppression of rebelled slave tribe, the polyudie was canceled.
READING COMPREHENSION
Give a brief description of the process of collecting the tribute named Poliudie:
1. Who participated in the campaign of collecting tribute?
2. When did it take place?
3. How long did the process last and when did the prince return to Kiev?
4. What were the host’s duties according to the tradition of hospitality?
5. What did the prince do with collected food and products, were they used for trade?
Vocabulary notes
hospitality гостеприимство
honored guest почетный гость
peasants крестьяне
squad зд. дружина
at their own expenses за свой счет
making the rounds объезжать
in the order to с целью
suppression подавление
rebelled взбунтовавшийся
UNIT 3
PART 1
TOPIC FOCUS: Special tax treatments
Discuss these questions with a partner.
1. Who can get a special tax treatment?
2. Where is the best location in respect of taxation?
3. Can the simplified taxation system be an excellent financial planning tool?
Exercise 1.
