VENGEANCE INSTITUTION AND PRINCE’S POWER IN RUS’ IN THE 9th – THE BEGINNING OF THE 11th CENTURIES

This article is dedicated to the influence of prince's power on the vengeance institution. First evidences concerning the penetration of prince's power into a field of wreak goes back into the 9th century and deal with cases of privileges breaching of those who were under the aegis of prince's power – druzhina, privileged outsiders (merchants), representatives of Rus' in outer relations. Collisions, connected with the blood vengeance between the locals, for a long time were beyond the administration cares. Method of prince's protection was «vira», raised penalty, which was fined for murdering of privileged categories. Before the beginning of the 11th century, «vira» was fined for murdering of Polyans as well, and that was marking them among other Rus' population.