Russian Merchants. Appearance. Everyday Life. Customs

The book presents a comprehensive characterization of the life and activities of Russian merchants throughout the entire history of their existence, from the 9th century to the early 20th century. The socio-cultural approach chosen by the author in reconstructing the multifaceted merchant environment of Russia allowed for the coverage of such parameters as differentiation and terminology, the general and the specific, social-legal status and ambiguous relations with authorities, professional psychology and market customs, daily life and cultural level. The work is based on the generalization and analysis of a significant range of written and material sources, but it is written in an accessible language for a broad audience and is oriented towards a multifactorial presentation of the everyday lives and spiritual world of domestic merchants. The reader will be able to learn how the distant predecessors of modern entrepreneurs looked, how they dressed, how they lived, and how they fed themselves. Special attention is given to the role of merchants in the cultural development of the country. The book can be recommended to university teachers, researchers, staff of archives, libraries, and museums, school teachers, and all history enthusiasts.