The Image of an Unrighteous Ruler in Russian Didactic Literature: From Ancient Rus’ to Modern Times

This article examines the formation of the image of an unrighteous ruler in Russian didactic literature. The adoption of the concept of the divinely established royal power contributed to the absence of criticism towards the authorities and to “wordless silence”. However, the Christian tradition also brought the accusatory Tales of the Antichrist and the images of the iconoclast emperors. Words from the Apostolic Constitutions about the tormentor tsar were also known in Old Russian literature. Words about disobedience to the authorities were cited by Metropolitan Daniel in his Word on Obedience. Maksim Grek condemned the insatiability and licentiousness of the authorities. Chapters condemning unrighteous rulers and their merciless servants, who ruined and destroyed their subjects, were included in the Prologue, into the Merilo Pravednoye (Just Measure). The responsibility of rulers for the judges who committed atrocities became a theme of the Nakazanie (Punishment) by Simeon, Bishop of Tver. Particularly expressive is the Word of Saint Basil on Judges and Rulers, compiled from chapters of the Merilo Pravednoye. Thanks to the Chudov redaction of the Kormchaya, which also included the cycle of articles from Merilo Pravednoye, these articles became widely known and appeared in printed editions, including the Holy Trebnik (prayer book) from 1624. When publishing the Teachings of Patriarch Joseph, the Trebnik of 1624 was used, however, when editing the paragraphs, the word “tsar” was replaced with “judge”, which did not correspond to the idea of the text. These examples demonstrate that along with the transmission of the notions about the divinely ordained royal power, the Old Russian writings also disseminated Christian ideas about the need to denounce impious rulers and disobey unrighteous authorities. Through the Syntagma alphabeticum of Matthew Blastares and Harmenopoulos translated by Epiphanius Slavinetsky, the patriarchs were charged with the duty of telling the truth to the rulers. The strengthening of absolutism in Muscovite Rus’ made it impossible to condemn the tsars.