Term “danshiki” in the jarlyk of Khan Mengu-Timur

Abstract

Objective: to determine the origin and content of the term «danshiki» in the text of the jarlyk of Mengu-Timur. Research materials: charters issued to Russian Metropolitans by the rulers of the Golden Horde, jarlyks of Tokhtamysh and Timur-Khutlug, jarlyks of Ilkhans and Yuan emperors, chartered and contractual charters of Russian princes, Russian chronicles. Results and novelty of the research: the article considers the term «danshiki» (tax collectors), recorded in the earliest document of the Short Collection of charters issued by the rulers of the Golden Horde to Russian metropolitans. This term is not found in other well-known documents, both Golden Horde and originating from other regions of the Mongolian Empire. An analysis of the totality of Mongolian and Russian sources showed the insertion of the term «danshiki» in the jarlyk of Mengu-Timur. It seems that this word was introduced into the text of the document by the Russian translator of jarlyks. In the jarlyk of Mengu-Timur, the term «danshiki» replaces the words «tamojniki» and «poberejniki» of other Khan’s jarlyks issued to Russian metropolitans.

Keywords

• rus’
• the golden horde
• danshiki
• tax collectors
• taxes