Temnikov: The Town of a Tümen Commander. The History of Towns of the “Mordovian Peripheries” in the 15th–16th centuries

Abstract

Objective: To identify possible circumstances behind the appearance of towns in the Western Mordovian lands, as well as their place and role in the 15th–16th centuries. Research materials: Various written sources were used in this study, including primarily act materials, chronicle accounts, genealogical legends, as well as materials relating to archaeological research carried out at the Ityakov hillfort and Starokadom hillfort. Results and novelty of the research: Analysis of the act materials of the 16th–17th centuries led us to the opinion that during the Moscow period, the towns of the Mordovian lands were the residences of Tatar vicegerents and, possibly, the focal points of the subordinated groups of the serving Tatar population. These towns (Temnikov, Kadoma, Sacony, Andreev townlet) were the local administrative centers for the surrounding Mordovian regions, which in the second half of the 16th century became a separate uyezds of the larger Meshchersky uyezd. Taken as a whole, the consulted written sources and archaeological materials suggest that since the 1430s there was some agreement between the Tatar princes of the former Mokhshi ulus and the princes of Moscow and Ryazan Grand Principalities. These agreements could provide the safe resettlement of the Tatar population from the surroundings of Narovchat to more secure northern areas of the Mordovian lands, adjacent to the boundaries of Moscow and the Ryazan Grand Principalities. This process led to the emergence of heavily fortified castle-towns there. However, the Mordovian region was finally annexed, no earlier than the 1480–90s. In our opinion, the presented information may be interesting for the study of the history of the peoples living in these areas and, primarily, the Tatars, whose modern descendants are now called the Mishars. It is also useful for understanding the processes by which the former Horde’s territories were incorporated into Muscovy during the 15th and 16th centuries.