Mongol Origins of Muscovite Political Term Paper

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It is not under doubt that the style of Muscovite government as full scale bureaucracy comes directly from the style of division and local governing which was so common to the Mongol empire. Some of the practices which were used heavily in the Muscovite governments of the mid thirteenth century are so like obscure Mongol practices as to be indistinguishable. There is, however, no explanation for this borrowing and no easy explanation why as no sociopolitical texts from the era exist.

In Ostrowski's paper, it is noted that toward the end of the basquaq system of government, many of the Muscovite grand princes made frequent trips to the center of the Mongol empire, staying there in residence for extended periods of time. These visits are chronicled and in fact the Grand Prince Semen traveled to Sarai at least five times during his reign. As was previously noted, many of the Grand Princes had spent most of their formative years as "welcome hostages" in Sarai, and perhaps even felt more comfortable among those with whom they had grown. Is it any wonder that they would then telegraph the sociopolitical style of the Mongol empire to their own areas? The affect on the future of the Muscovite court system from this practice cannot be underestimated.

Ostrowski also refers to fourteenth century sources which describe Muscovite political practices which were very similar to those at Sarai. Far from speculation, this is historical documentation and as such is not usually to be ignored.

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Most interesting of these practices is the dual administrative structure of the management of lands by both Muscovy and the khanate. It should be noted that there are almost exactly the same institutions for secular administration of lands for the Muscovite system in the 14th century as had existed under the Kipchak Khanate, similar right down to the interrelations between bureaucracies and administrative practices. Even certain Muscovite administrative positions mirror those seen within the Mongol empire.

Ultimately, Ostrowski makes what is an impressive case for the historical association of the Muscovy political system as it stemmed from the Mongol. He is careful to explain that the similarities in the Muscovite and Kipchak institutions which existed in the 14th Century does not in itself mean that the Muscovites copied Mongol but instead makes the case that the previously subordinate Muscovites in effect did not throw out the baby with the bath water but instead were able to take and modify the things they had learned from their previous dominators and use them in such a way as to develop a familiar and workable sociopolitical system where one had not before existed. This system then remained in place until the Russian system was developed which worked better. The Muscovites simply used what they had always know, what had appeared workable and what they could adapt to their needs until a better system could come along, thereby avoiding confusion and anarchy when they themselves became a separate and self-governing….....

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