Since ancient times in Russia there was a custom to decidethe problems that have arisen and the affairs of the whole community, “conciliar”, were settled, despite the fact that the first Zemsky Sobor was convened only in the middle of the sixteenth century, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The existence of such institutions is characteristic of many European countries that have passed through their development stage of estate-representative monarchy. The first territorial councils emerged in England, Catalonia, and Portugal. In Spain, such advisory institutions were called Cortes, in Poland - Seimas, in Germany - Landtags.
So, the Zemsky Sobor is a higher institution.estate-representative power, endowed with legislative functions. He convened to resolve political and administrative affairs. In other words, it is the convocation of representatives of different classes to solve a matter of state importance. The emergence of such an institution was the result of the end of the unification of the Russian lands into a single state, the strengthening of local noble power. In terms of the composition of its members, the Russian Zemsky Sobor was close to Western European estate offices, but differed from them by the presence of only a deliberative function. European councils possessed the right to lawmaking. In Russia, the decisions of this institution came into force only after their approval by the tsar and the Boyar Duma.
The convocation of the first Zemsky Sobor in Russia wastimed to the beginning of the reforms of Ivan IV the Terrible. It included the highest clergy, boyars, appanage princes, rich townspeople, representatives of nobility from different provinces of the country. Zemsky Sobor conventionally consisted of two chambers. One of them consisted of boyars, treasurers, butlers, in the other — nobles, boyar children, military leaders. Each convocation of the Zemsky Sobor lasted, as a rule, no more than two days. The tsar spoke three times on it, after which the boyars could express their opinion on the issue being resolved; in conclusion, a meeting of the Boyar Duma was held. All meetings were held strictly according to rank, decisions were taken unanimously.
Great value for political and culturallife of the country had the convocation of the first Zemsky Sobor in February 1549, proclaiming the transition of the Russian state to the estate-representative monarchy. Since then, the role of the nobility in governing the country has increased. During the convocation, a new set of laws is established and a decision is made to create a petition hut. From now on, all people could turn with a petition (petition) in the name of the Tsar and get an answer to it almost immediately. Similarly, a petite hut regulated the activities of other government agencies.
The first Zemsky Sobor, convened in Russia, receivedthe name “Cathedral of Reconciliation”, in parallel with it, a meeting of the Church Council was held, which reviewed the life story of sixteen Orthodox saints and established a church celebration of the holidays named after them.
Созыв первого Земского собора, да и всех за ним The following was carried out by a special certificate, which indicated the reason for the convocation and the number of elected representatives. Often the population itself decided how many people should sit at the Zemsky Sobor. Representatives were selected in elections held in various cities of the country in the form of meetings. In these elections could take part those who serve, and also regularly pay taxes to the state treasury. Elected representatives did not receive a salary for their participation in the convocation of the Zemsky Sobor. Moreover, they had to independently provide themselves with everything they needed, going to such a meeting.
All convocations of the Zemsky Sobor were held asusually in a solemn atmosphere in the Kremlin. In their honor, service was arranged in the Assumption Cathedral. In total, over the course of two centuries of this institution’s existence, a meeting of 57 Zemsky Sobor councils was held.
