Townsfolk

Nicholas Zharkikh

Shortened text of the section. Full text in ukrainian version

Habitual for us the word "townsfolk", like the aristocracy, can have two definitions. Townsfolk-loose is all who live in towns, regardless of their legal status. Princes and bishops are such townsfolk too. Townsfolk-strict are those who are subject to Magdeburg law.

The singling out of townsfolk as a separate social group is due to the introduction of Magdeburg law and the corresponding separation of the rights of citizens from other people.