UptothispointwehavetriedtoshowthatduringtheMiddleAgesRussiawasaloosefederationofprincipalities，inwhichthepeoplewerewonttoexercise，onalargerorsmallerscale，legislative，executive，judicial，andevenpoliticalpower。BypoliticalpowerImeantherightofelectinganddismissingtheruler，ofdeclaringwarandmakingpeace。Thepeopleexercisedtheirrightsidebysidewiththeprince，the\"knias，\"whograduallyincreasedhisownpowertotheprejudiceofthepowerofthefolkmoteorveche。AttheendofthefifteenthcenturyNovgorodandPscovalonemaintainedtheprimitiverelationsbetweentheprinceandthepopularassembly，fortheystillkeptthepowerofelectinganddismissingthechiefmagistrateofthestate，aswellasthehighestofficials，theposadnik，andthe\"headofthousands。\"Inthesouth-westernpartofRussiathepopularassemblybecame，duringthefifteenthandsixteenthcenturies，alocaladministrative，financial，andjudicialbody，butitlostallpoliticalpower。Inthenorthernprincipalities，andespeciallyinVladimirandMoscow，thefolkmotestotallyceasedtoexist。ThegrowthfirstofVladimirandthenofMoscowwasfollowedbythecompleteannihilationofthepoliticalrightsofthepeople，andthisseemstohavebeenrecognisedbythewritersoftheday。DescribingtheproceedingsbywhichtherepublicofNovgorodwassubjectedbytheTzar，IvantheThird，thechronicle，knownunderthenameofthePatriarchNikon，says：
\"Intheyear1478theTzardeclaredtotherepublic\"thathewantedNovgorodtobeintheexerciseofthesamepowerasthatwhichhepossessedatMoscow。\"Theinhabitantsagreedtocomplywithhiswishesoncertainterms，wherebyhisautocracywouldbelimited。TheTzarimmediatelysentthefollowingreply：\"ItoldyouthatIwantedinNovgorodastatesimilartothatofMoscow；
andinsteadofthatIhearyouteachingmehowIoughttoorganisemystateinawaydifferentfromwhatitisatpresent。\"
Onhearingthis，thecitizenssentanotherembassytoaskwhattheTzarmeantbysayingthathewantedinNovgorodagovernmentlikethatofMoscow。Heanswered：\"Nopopularassembly，veche；noelectedmagistrate；andthewholestateinthepoweroftheTzar。\"（2*）ThisanswerleftnodoubtastohisautocraticintentionsandtheiraccomplishmentintheMoscovitestate。
Letusnowinquireintothecauseswhichproducedthisincreaseofmonarchicalpower。ThefirstseemstohavebeenthegreatchangewhichhadbeenbroughtaboutintherelationsbetweentheprinceandthepopularassemblybythesubjectionoftheprincetothepoweroftheKhans。ItiswellknownthattheTartars，afterhavingestablishedthecentreoftheirEuropeanempireontheshoresoftheVolga，notfarfromwhereitjoinstheCaspianSea，intheneighbourhoodofthemoderncityofAstrachan，reducedthedifferentprincipalitiesofRussiatotheconditionofvassalstates。LeavingthegovernmentinthehandsofthedynastyofRuriktheyforcedtheRussianprincestoreceiveinvestitureatthehandsoftheirkhans。InsuchastateofthingstheprincehadnolongeranyneedtotroublehimselfabouthisacceptationbythepopularassemblyoftheprincipalitythatheintendedtogovernInordertosecurethethronetohimselfandhisheirs，allthathehadtodowastoundertakeajourneytothesouthernpartsoftheVolgaandmakehisappearanceatthecourtofhissuzerain——theKhan。Herehehadtolayoutlargesumsofmoneyinpresentsandbribes，untilatlasttheKhanwasinducedtograntacharter，\"jarlik，\"