This article refers to the aristocratic title of boyar. For the Boyar caste of India, see Boyar (caste). India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A boyar, also spelled boya ( = Hunter is the name of a caste A leader of a group or Head of Territory

A boyar or bolyar (Bulgarian: боляр or болярин, Ukrainian: буй or боярин, Russian: боярин, Romanian: boier) was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rusian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes (in Bulgaria Emperors), from the 10th century through the 17th century. Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed The Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое княжество Московское was a medieval Russian polity centered on Moscow between 1340 and Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Русь romanised: Kievskaya Rus', rusʲ also written as Kyivan Rus′ (Ки́ївська Русь or Kievan The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Prince, from the Latin root Princeps, is a general term for a Monarch, for a member of a monarch's or former monarch's family and is a Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. The rank has lived on as a surname in Russia and Finland, where it is spelled "Pajari". ^[1]

Etymology

According to some the word is of Turkic origin and it is composed of the roots boy ("tribe") and ar ("pride/honour") or ari (pure/clean). The Turkic languages constitute a Language family of some thirty languages spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the ^[2] Other sources claim it comes from Russian boyarin (member of Boyar, the tribe), from Old Russian boljarin. Each nomadic Turkic tribe had the name boy in the name, such as the Turkic tribe that settled into Anatolia were from Kayi Boyu (one of the 24 Oghuz Boys that migrated from central Asia), old Turkic word kayi, strong, Kayi Tribe, the strong tribe. Another strong hypothesis — the term boljarin could actually derive from the Bulgar word boila, noble (see below Boyars in Bulgaria). Bulgar (also Bolğar and Proto-Bulgarian) was the language of the Bulgars, now extinct That would explain its use in the territory of present-day Romania and Moldova, which were part of the First Bulgarian Empire between the end of the VII and the beginning of the XI century.

Boyars in Bulgaria

The oldest Slavic form of boyar — bolyarin, pl. The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) a group of closely related Languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages bolyari (Bulgarian: болярин, pl. Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group боляри) — dates from the 10th century and it is found in Bulgaria, where it may have stemmed from the old Bulgar title boila, which denoted a high aristocratic status among the Bulgars. The Second Bulgarian Empire ( Bulgarian: Второ българско царство Vtorо Balgarskо Tsartsvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, It was probably transformed through boilar or bilyar to bolyar and bolyarin. In support of this hypothesis is the 10th century diplomatic protocol of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII where the Bulgarian nobles are called boliades,^[3] while the 9th century Bulgarian sources call them boila. Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" ( Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ζ΄ Πορφυρογέννητος ^[4]

This article refers to the aristocratic title of boyar. For the Boyar caste of India, see Boyar (caste). India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A boyar, also spelled boya ( = Hunter is the name of a caste A leader of a group or Head of Territory

A boyar or bolyar (Bulgarian: боляр or болярин, Ukrainian: буй or боярин, Russian: боярин, Romanian: boier) was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rusian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes (in Bulgaria Emperors), from the 10th century through the 17th century. Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed The Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое княжество Московское was a medieval Russian polity centered on Moscow between 1340 and Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Русь romanised: Kievskaya Rus', rusʲ also written as Kyivan Rus′ (Ки́ївська Русь or Kievan The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Prince, from the Latin root Princeps, is a general term for a Monarch, for a member of a monarch's or former monarch's family and is a Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. The rank has lived on as a surname in Russia and Finland, where it is spelled "Pajari". ^[5]

Etymology

According to some the word is of Turkic origin and it is composed of the roots boy ("tribe") and ar ("pride/honour") or ari (pure/clean). The Turkic languages constitute a Language family of some thirty languages spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the ^[6] Other sources claim it comes from Russian boyarin (member of Boyar, the tribe), from Old Russian boljarin. Each nomadic Turkic tribe had the name boy in the name, such as the Turkic tribe that settled into Anatolia were from Kayi Boyu (one of the 24 Oghuz Boys that migrated from central Asia), old Turkic word kayi, strong, Kayi Tribe, the strong tribe. Another strong hypothesis — the term boljarin could actually derive from the Bulgar word boila, noble (see below Boyars in Bulgaria). Bulgar (also Bolğar and Proto-Bulgarian) was the language of the Bulgars, now extinct That would explain its use in the territory of present-day Romania and Moldova, which were part of the First Bulgarian Empire between the end of the VII and the beginning of the XI century.

Boyars in Bulgaria

The oldest Slavic form of boyar — bolyarin, pl. The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) a group of closely related Languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages bolyari (Bulgarian: болярин, pl. Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group боляри) — dates from the 10th century and it is found in Bulgaria, where it may have stemmed from the old Bulgar title boila, which denoted a high aristocratic status among the Bulgars. The Second Bulgarian Empire ( Bulgarian: Второ българско царство Vtorо Balgarskо Tsartsvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, It was probably transformed through boilar or bilyar to bolyar and bolyarin. In support of this hypothesis is the 10th century diplomatic protocol of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII where the Bulgarian nobles are called boliades,^[7] while the 9th century Bulgarian sources call them boila. Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" ( Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ζ΄ Πορφυρογέννητος ^[8]

A member of the nobility during the First Bulgarian Empire was called a boila, while in the Second Bulgarian Empire the corresponding title became bolyar or bolyarin. The First Bulgarian Empire (Първo Българско царство Părvo Bălgarsko Tsarstvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state founded in AD 632 The Second Bulgarian Empire ( Bulgarian: Второ българско царство Vtorо Balgarskо Tsartsvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state Bolyar, as well as its predecessor, boila, was a hereditary title.

The bolyars were divided into veliki (great) and Mali (small).

In Bulgaria at present the word bolyari is used as a nickname for the inhabitants of Veliko Tarnovo — once the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Veliko Tarnovo (Велико Търново sometimes transliterated as Veliko Turnovo) is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of The Second Bulgarian Empire ( Bulgarian: Второ българско царство Vtorо Balgarskо Tsartsvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state

Boyars in the lands of Kievan Rus

A Muscovite boyar visiting his family minster (1912), painting by Ivan Goryushkin-Sorokopudov. The domestic life of Muscovite boyars was regulated by a special codex, known as Domostroy. Domostroy or Domostroi (Домострой Domestic Order) is a 16th century Russian set of household rules instructions and advices pertaining

Boyars wielded considerable power through their military support of the Kievan princes. Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Русь romanised: Kievskaya Rus', rusʲ also written as Kyivan Rus′ (Ки́ївська Русь or Kievan Power and prestige of many of them, however, soon came to depend almost completely on service to the state, family history of service and to a lesser extent, landownership. Ukrainian and "Ruthenian" boyars visually were very simillar to western knights, but after the mongol invasion their cultural links were mostly lost.

The boyars occupied the highest state offices and through a council (Duma) advised the Grand Duke. A Duma (Ду́ма is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history They received extensive grants of land and, as members of the Boyars' Duma, were the major legislators of Kievan Rus'. Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Русь romanised: Kievskaya Rus', rusʲ also written as Kyivan Rus′ (Ки́ївська Русь or Kievan

After the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, the boyars from central and southern provinces of Kievan Rus' (modern Belarus and Ukraine) were partially incorporated into Lithuanian and Polish nobility(szlachta). Szlachta ( refers to the noble class in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (since 1569 semi-federal semi-confederal In the 14–15th centuries many of those boyars who failed to get the status of a nobleman actively participated in the formation of Cossack army, based on the south of modern Ukraine. The Cossacks (Каза́ки́ Kazaki; Козаки́ Kozaki; Kozacy are a group of martial people living in the southern Steppe regions of Eastern Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe.

In Moscow in the 14th and 15th centuries, the boyars retained their influence. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of However, as the knyazes of Muscovy consolidated their power, the influence of the boyars was gradually eroded, particularly under Ivan III and Ivan IV. Kniaz’ or knyaz is a word found in some Slavic languages, denoting a Nobility rank The Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое княжество Московское was a medieval Russian polity centered on Moscow between 1340 and Ivan III Vasilevich (Иван III Васильевич ( 22 January 1440, Moscow – 27 October 1505, Moscow also known as Ivan the Great

Tsar Ivan IV "Ivan the Terrible" severely restricted the Knyaz powers during the 16th century. Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. Kniaz’ or knyaz is a word found in some Slavic languages, denoting a Nobility rank Their ancient right to leave the service of one prince for another was curtailed, as was their right to hold land without giving obligatory service to the tsar. Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation.

The Boyar Duma expanded from around 30 people to around 100 in the 17th century and was finally abolished by Tsar Peter the Great in 1711 in his extensive reforms of government and administration. A Duma (Ду́ма is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history

Boyars in Wallachia and Moldavia

In the Carpathian regions inhabited by Romanians, the boyar (Romanian:boier) class emerged from the chiefs (named cneaz (knight) or jude (judge) in the areas north of the Danube and celnic south of the river) of rural communities in the early Middle Ages, initially elected, who later made their judicial and administrative attributions hereditary and gradually expanded them upon other communities. Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Kniaz’ or knyaz is a word found in some Slavic languages, denoting a Nobility rank The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj The Early Middle Ages is a period in the History of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 After the appearance of more advanced political structures in the area, their privileged status had to be confirmed by the central power, which used this prerogative to include in the boyar class individuals that distinguished themselves in the military or civilian functions they performed (by allocating them lands from the princely domains).

The boyar condition

Being a boyar implied three things: being a land-owner, having serfs and having a military and/or administrative function. A boyar could have a state function and/or a court function. Being only a land owner was not enough to be considered boyar. If a land-owner had no function he was categorised as a "mazil", although he was said to be of noble origin ("din os boieresc", literally "of boyar bones"). Having such a function implied automatically being a boyar. This function was called "dregatorie" and some times "boierie" (literally "boyardness"). The Prince and only the Prince had the power to give a boierie to someone and to make him thus a boyar. The small land-owners, who possessed together a domain in indistinction ("devalmasie") and had no serfs were called "razesi". According to some historians, they were descendants of mazil land-owners. In fact, their condition was identical to that of free peasantry. The Romanian nobility was thus composed of three categories to be distinguished: razes, mazil, boyar.

Origin

If the functions could only be accorded by the Prince and were not hereditary, land possession was hereditary. The Prince could give land to somebody, but could not take it from its possessor, unless for serious reasons, such as treason. Therefore there were two kinds of boyars: those whose ancestors had land before the formation of the feudal states, the ancient chiefs of the rural communities, and that were only confirmed as land-owners by the prince; and those whose ancestors had acquired their domain by a princely donation (or had acquired the domain this way themselves). During Phanariot régime, there were also boyars who had no land at all, but had only a function. Phanariotes, Phanariots, or Phanariote Greeks ( Greek:Φαναριώτες Romanian: Fanarioţi, Bulgarian:Фанариоти This way the number of boyars could be increased, by selling functions to those who could afford them.

Hierarchy

The close alliance between the boyar condition and the military-administrative functions led to a confusion, aggravated by the Phanariots: these functions began to be considered as noble titles, like in the Occident. In fact, this was not at all the case. Traditionally, the boyars were organized in three states: boyars of the first state, of the second state and of the third state. For example, there was a first or a grand postelnic, a second postelnic, and a third postelnic, each one with his different obligations and rights. Postelnic (plural postelnici; pos'telnik from the Slavic postel, "bed" cf The difference of condition was visible even in the vestimentation or physical aspect. Only the boyars of the first state had the right, for example, to grow a beard, the rest being entitled only to a mustache. Within the class of the boyars of the first state there was the subclass of the "grand boyars". Those were great land-owners and had also some very high functions, like the function of great vornic. Above those grand boyars was only the Prince.

The Prince

Although generally a Prince was a boyar before his election or appointment as Prince, this was not a condition sine qua non. Initially, only princiary descendants could be elected princes. Later, any free man could be Prince, if elected by boyars. This was the case of Constantin Cantemir, man of pesant origin and recent nobility. Constantin Cantemir was a Moldavian Voivode ( Prince) between June 25, 1685 and March 27, 1693. During the Phanariot epoch, any man could be a Prince if appointed by the Sultan (and rich enough to by this appointment from the Grand Vizier). Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Grand Vizier, in Turkish Sadr-ı Azam ( Sadrazam) or Serdar-ı Ekrem (in Ottoman Turkish: صدر اعظم or وزیر اعظم During the Ottoman suzerainty, and especially during the Phanariot régime, the title of Prince became an administrative function within the imperial ottoman hierarchy, and thus the ultimate form of boyardness. A Prince was the equivalent of a middle pasha. Pasha or pacha, formerly bashaw, (paşa پاشا ( Persian: پاشا ( Armenian: Փաշա was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire

References

Related article

• Okolnichy
• Russian nobility