ZHALOVANNYYE GRAMOTY

ZHALOVANNYYE GRAMOTY (Letters of Bestowal), documents on the granting of certain rights or privileges to individuals and social groups, issued by Russia’s supreme authority during the period of 12–19th century. In the first Zh.G., which were conferred on the Bashkirs during the accession of Bashkortostan to Russia, the basic conditions for the Bashkirs entry into the Czardom of Moscovy were institutionalized. These were the following: the State guaranteed the Patrimonial Law of the Bashkirs, Local Self Government, Religious Freedom subject to military service (ref. Military Service of the Bashkirs) and other corvees, including payment of Yasak (tribute paid off in furs) and others taxes. Zh.G. determined the boundaries (by geographical reference points) of the Bashkir tribal estates. The results of the lands distribution and the facts concerning the Zh.G. receiving were written down in the so called Moscow and Kazan Prikaznaya Kniga (Records). From the late 16–18th century, the Bashkirs received Zh.G. with an updated description of lands’ boundaries. These Zh.G. were mainly issued in response to chelobitnaya (petitions) by Bashkirs and they were used in land disputes. Between the 18–19th centuries, various decrees, gramoty (diplomas), etc, enshrining the Bashkirs’ rights to patrimonial lands, were issued on the Zh.G. basis. Contractual gramoty (diplomas) of titles were Zh.G. varieties. Zh.G. were issued to the Bashkirs for personal or hereditary Tarhan nobility (ref. Tarkhan). The first Zh.G. to the Tarhan nobility were granted to the Bashkir tribes leaders who participated in the annexation of the south eastern Bashkir territory to the Czardom of Moscovy; later they were given for special merits in military, diplomatic and other services.