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PHOTOS: The Kismet, a look inside Shad Khan's almost $200M yacht

On the Kismet On Dec. 13, 2021, the eve of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan's 10-year anniversary of owning the team, he reflected on the last decade in Jacksonville. Khan met with a group of local media aboard his almost $200 million yacht, The Kismet, in an informal question and answer session. These photos show an inside look of the yacht located in downtown Jacksonville.

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Boat of the Week: How an NFL Owner Turned His Bonkers 312-Foot Superyacht Into a ‘Champagne-and-Caviar Palace’

Jacksonville jaguars owner shahid khan's massive vessel is a post-modern masterpiece of superyacht design., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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“The original intention was to make Kismet the most luxurious charter boat on the water,” Captain Dave Andrews told Robb Report . Nearly 10 years since the yacht was launched, Khan is ready to go bigger. His third custom-built Lürssen weighs 5,500 tons—almost double Kismet ’s weight—and is scheduled to be delivered in November. Kismet is listed for sale with Cecil Wright for a cool $160 million and is currently the largest yacht for sale on the market.

A Champagne-colored chandelier by Crystal Caviar is the most obvious feature of his brief to the designers. The statement light hangs in the central lobby next to a sweeping black-and-gold Art Deco staircase, suspended, of course, over a grand piano. There is a glass elevator in the lobby with access to all decks. The overall feel of the yacht is an ornate gentleman’s club with lavish marble, etched glass flooring, gold-leaf finishes, and backlit onyx.

“We either anchor in Canary Wharf or go to the warship mooring downstream of Tower Bridge as the boss likes the view of the bridge,” says Andrews.

The sports theme continues with two full-height video walls—used to display images of Khan’s football players when hosting business events—that flank the central staircase leading into the double-height main salon and continue across the floor, walls, and ceiling. In the sky lounge, a large sports bar opens out across the bridge deck aft for hosting large groups of people. When the party keeps going, it converts into a disco with a built-in sound system.

On the foredeck is a touch-and-go helipad, though it’s never used. Instead, regular games of basketball are played with temporary netting erected to catch any balls that bounce out of court. “We always have a deckhand standing by on a Waverunner,” says Andrews.

The foredeck serves as the owner’s private deck with a Jacuzzi and is also used for yoga. It leads directly into the master suite with twin en suites, a private office, oval skylight, and one of three bioethanol fireplaces. The other two are in the main salon. When lit, they carry a cooler flame than a naked fire. There is also a foredeck fire pit for keeping guests warm on colder nights, which converts into a cocktail table.

Kismet has seven additional guest suites, sleeping 16 guests in total. This includes two VIPs and a sea cabin on the lower deck amidships for guests who suffer from seasickness. There are also crew quarters for 26.

“The spa was mandated by the owners to be a place they can just chill out in,” says Andrews. It has a hammam, a spa bath, a cold plunge pool, a steam shower and a massage room with an onboard spa therapist. Opening shell doors in the gym allow for workouts by the water’s edge. There is also a separate hair and beauty salon, with a dedicated onboard hairdresser.

In the garage is a full chest of water toys and four tenders. Up top, the sun deck is built for lounging, with a pool and hot tub, sofas, sunpads, and outdoor dining under the hard top.

A crow’s nest platform is dedicated to viewing the ocean or sunning in privacy. It just goes to show that even on a vast, 312-foot yacht, cozy, intimate spaces rule the roost.

Click here to see more images of the mighty Kismet.

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Shahid Khan’s Yacht: The Story Behind the Jaguars Owner’s $200 Million Superyacht

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan left no expense unspent on his superyacht, which is one of the most luxurious yachts available.

The custom-built boat is worth an estimated $200 million and allows extravagant travel and extreme comfort on the open waters.

Inside Shahid Khan’s Yacht

With an estimated net worth of $11.6 billion, Khan is living a life of luxury with no expense spared on his superyacht.

The yacht is called “ Kismet ,” and its name derives from the Urdu word for destiny.

And, if you want to rent out Kismet, it will cost $1.2 million a week and has seen many celebrities occupy its luxurious lifestyle.

MORE: PFN Life — Off-the-Field Content

Guests have included Beyonce and Jay-Z, as well as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Kismet was also used in “6 Underground,” a 2019 Netflix film that stars Ryan Reynolds.

Designed by Raymond Langton and Espen Oino, the vessel is 312 feet long, has five decks and eight state bedrooms, and is one of the most stylish yachts at sea.

Inside the boat are Khan’s lavish personal suites. They take up the front of the boat. His personal space contains an office, master bedroom, en suite rooms, and a jacuzzi.

The entertaining areas offer two video wall displays and a spa area. The spa is on the bottom deck and has a steam room, massage room, spa bath, and steam bath. Khan even hires a therapist to occupy the spa. On the same deck, there is a salon and a gym.

The yacht also has both an indoor and outdoor cinema.

For those guests lucky enough to stay on board, there are another seven bedrooms. There is even room for 26 crew members on board.

Outside, the boat has two helipads, a basketball court, and three pools. The yacht also comes with its very own firepit.

On the top deck, there is a pool, an outdoor dining area, and a large lounge. There is also a sports bar onboard that has everything you would expect, as well as barbeque facilities and a disco area.

The boat even comes with lots of goodies, with its garage offering jet skis, diving gear, and other toys to use out on the water.

Khan left the imprint of his Jaguars team on the boat when, on game day, a 13-foot statue of a Jaguar was on its helm.

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Photos: A look at Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s yacht Kismet through the years

It’s a big week for Shad Khan’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

The team has the top pick in the NFL Draft once again, giving them a chance to get some help for Trevor Lawrence, who was picked No. 1 overall by the Jags last year.

RELATED: Jacksonville Jaguars fielding no offers for top pick, narrow choice to 4

In honor of the Jags’ upcoming moment in the spotlight, let’s take a trip down memory lane with another one of Khan’s assets: The Kismet, his nearly $200M yacht.

‘I WANT TO LIVE ON IT’

Action Sports Jax’s Brent Martineau first gave you a look at the mega yacht when it was brand-new and anchored in the Thames River ahead of the Jags’ London game against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.

Khan sold his previous yacht in 2013, replacing it with the 300-foot Kismet, which took two years to build. Back then, the Kismet had a statue of a Jaguar on the front.

One of the Kismet’s onlookers in London declared “I want to live on it!”

‘MY FEET WOULD NEVER TOUCH LAND’

The yacht made it to the River City in 2015, docking in the St. Johns River next to the CSX building.

Deborah Kaczorowski of Jacksonville told Action News Jax then she was impressed with the Kismet.

“My feet would never touch land — maybe once a week —- if I had something like that,” Kaczorowski said. “I’d enjoy that bad boy.”

KISMET FOR SALE

In October 2020, the Kismet was listed for sale .

At that time, the asking price was $199,039,663. Now, the Kismet’s listing says “POA” under the asking price.

“POA” means “price on application” or “price on asking,” which means the seller must be contacted to get the price.

‘I CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE’

In December 2021, the Kismet was the site of an informal question-and-answer session with the media as Khan reflected on his 10-year anniversary as the owner of the Jaguars.

He reiterated his hope to help elevate the city to new heights and bring a Super Bowl to Jags fans.

“There’s a vacuum here, there’s a football team here and as an owner I can move the needle,” Khan said. “How many times do you get a chance to move a needle in a good way in a great American city, very rarely. That’s the power here.”

PHOTOS: The Kismet, a look inside Shad Khan’s almost $200M yacht

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Lürssen's 122m superyacht Kismet delivered

The 122-metre Lürssen superyacht Kismet has been delivered following successful sea trials off the coast of Kiel, Germany. According to BOATPro , her final destination is Troon, Scotland.

Previously known as Project Jag, Kismet was commissioned by repeat Lürssen client Shahid Khan, who previously owned the 95.2-metre Lürssen yacht Whisper (formerly Kismet ) . His new yacht reunites him with Reymond Langton Design for the interior, but the exteriors on the new build have been helmed by Nuvolari Lenard .

The delivery news follows the reveal of Kismet 's computer-rendered interiors by her central agency for charter, Cecil Wright . Kismet charters for €3,000,000 per week plus expenses.

Interiors have been described as a "beautiful, bespoke homage to the owner’s lifestyle" by the yard. The renderings show a dramatic theme, with an elaborate staircase that appears to have the same video walls as the original Kismet .  Fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling glass and intricate paint and marble detailing also feature throughout. 

Speaking about her entrance on the charter market, Chris Cecil-Wright said: "Having sold the previous Kismet in September last year, we are delighted to be able to continue our relationship with her owner as the central agent for charter for his stunning new vessel."

The charter yacht features accommodation for 12 guests in up to nine cabins. The crew quarters, meanwhile, will accommodate a staff of 40. Other key details include a beam of 17.8 metres, creating "extraordinary volumes" and "sleek and elegant lines", according to the yard.

Standout features include a helipad, beauty salon, spa, sauna, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor cinema, dance floor, gym and elevator. There will also be ample room for a selection of tenders and toys including a sailing dinghy, Sea Bobs, sea scooters and windsurfers.

Kismet was sold by Moran Yacht & Ship in 2019, with the brokerage also managing the build throughout construction, including writing the technical specifications and negotiating the interior costs.

According to BOATPro , Lürssen has 12 yachts currently in build or on order. This includes the 107-metre explorer Project Icecap which, once delivered, will rank in the top 30 Lürssen yachts by size. Kismet first hit the water on August 11 at Rendsburg, following the drydock flooding on 10 August. 

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Jacksonville Jaguars Owner Shahid Khan’s Superyacht Is For Sale

• The 312-foot yacht Kismet was built by German shipbuilder Lürssen in 2014.
• As of 2018, it has an estimated value of $200 million.

Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C. owner Shahid Khan’s superyacht is officially on the market.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Front Office Sports (@frontofficesports)

The asking price for Kismet — the 312-foot yacht built by German shipbuilder Lürssen in 2014 — is not on the official listing and will only be revealed upon serious inquiries. Still, the ship’s value was estimated at $200 million in 2018 .

Kismet can accommodate 16 guests in eight luxurious staterooms and can carry a crew of up to 28. The master stateroom features a private deck with a Jacuzzi and access to the yacht’s helipad.

The ship’s interior, designed by world-renowned Reymond Langton Design, is opulent and features a grand living space, boardroom, bar, world-class gym, and a full-service spa.

Outside, a spacious sundeck leads to a swimming pool with another Jacuzzi and a one-of-a-kind retractable outdoor fireplace.

The superyacht, with a steel hull, carries a gross tonnage of 2,928 and can reach a speed of 17 knots.

Khan is worth an estimated $12.1 billion per Forbes ’ most recent rankings. He made money as the auto parts supplier Flex-N-Gate owner and launched the wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling in 2019.

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Eric Schmidt was supposed to buy a yacht once owned by a Russian oligarch. Here's the one he bought instead.

• Eric Schmidt backed out of buying the Alfa Nero megayacht last year.
• He instead purchased the Kismet, formerly owned by Shahid Khan, and renamed her Whisper.
• The ship — one of the biggest yachts owned by a tech billionaire —was listed for about $161 million.

Last year, Eric Schmidt made waves in the yachting community when news came out that he was the soon-to-be owner of the Alfa Nero, an 81-meter megayacht that belonged to a sanctioned Russian oligarch .

The former Google CEO, who is worth $32.1 billion, per Bloomberg, was to pay $67.6 million for the yacht, which was being auctioned off by the government of Antigua and Barbuda , where the ship had been moored since February 2022, the month Russia invaded Ukraine. The small Caribbean nation had been spending $28,000 a week simply to maintain the mammoth boat.

But as the sale proceedings went on, legal challenges piled up as people laid claim to Alfa Nero, and Schmidt backed out of the deal.

It didn't take long for him to rebound, though. In September 2023, just three months after he won the Alfa Nero auction, the billionaire purchased Kismet, renaming her Whisper, Business Insider has learned.

A spokesperson for Schmidt declined to comment to Business Insider.

The 95-meter-long yacht, built by the renowned German shipyard Lürssen and delivered in 2014, was formerly owned by the Jacksonville Jaguar's billionaire owner, Shahid Khan — hence images of the cat featured on her figurehead and throughout her decor.

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Whisper, which can fit at least a dozen guests and a crew of 28 features a master deck with a private jacuzzi, as well as a full-service spa, lap pool, hammam, and outdoor fireplace. Made for entertaining, the megayacht has a cinema, a grand piano, and two helipads — one of which doubles as a basketball court and the other than transforms into a disco.

Her interior was designed to "create a feeling of relaxed opulence, based on a 'Champagne & Caviar' theme," according to the brokerage that sold the ship.

While the yacht's final sale price was not public, she was listed for 149 million euros (about $161 million at current exchange rates).

At a charity auction in January, one week aboard the ship went for $2.4 million, according to industry outlet Yacht Charter Fleet — a steal, considering she typically goes for $3 million a week.

Watch: How Elon Musk makes and spends his billions

• Main content

Shahid Khan’s $200 million megayacht Kismet is a sight to behold – Owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C the billionaire once washed dishes at YMCA for $1.20 an hr. The 312 feet vessel has a massive Jaguar statue and enough space for his team to practice on.

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Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence agree to 5-year, $275M deal

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars and quarterback Trevor Lawrence have agreed on a five-year extension, the team announced on Friday.

The deal is worth $275 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The contract includes $200 million guaranteed and $142 million at signing, the source told Schefter. Lawrence received a $37.5 million signing bonus in a deal that starts in 2026, meaning he will be under contract through 2030, a source told ESPN.

"With this five-year extension, the vision we had when we selected Trevor first overall in 2021 has become a reality," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said. "Our objectives have always been aligned. As an organization, we have consistently messaged the importance of extending our core players and Trevor is a foundational talent that we will continue to build around in our quest for a championship."

The $55 million average salary in Lawrence's deal ties him with the Cincinnati Bengals ' Joe Burrow for the top mark in that category in the NFL.

Lawrence becomes the sixth quarterback to have an annual salary above $50 million, joining Burrow, the Detroit Lions ' Jared Goff ($53 million), Los Angeles Chargers ' Justin Herbert ($52.5 million), Baltimore Ravens ' Lamar Jackson ($52 million) and Philadelphia Eagles ' Jalen Hurts ($51 million).

The Kansas City Chiefs ' Patrick Mahomes , who just won his third Super Bowl, is the next-highest paid quarterback at $46.339 million annually.

Lawrence's new contract makes him the ninth quarterback with $100 million or more fully guaranteed, joining the Cleveland Browns ' Deshaun Watson ($230 million), Burrow ($146.5 million), Jackson ($135 million), Herbert ($133.7 million), Goff ($113.6 million), Hurts ($110 million), the Arizona Cardinals ' Kyler Murray ($103.3 million) and Buffalo Bills ' Josh Allen ($100 million).

"I am beyond grateful to be able to continue my career in Jacksonville," Lawrence said in a statement. "My family and I love this city - it has become home to us and this solidifies that even more. We can't thank Mr. Khan, and everyone involved enough for their belief in me."

Lawrence is fourth all time in Jaguars history in passing yards (11,770) and passing touchdowns (58) and is 21-31 as a starter (including playoffs). He led the Jaguars to the AFC South title in 2022 and rallied the team from a 27-0 deficit to a 31-30 victory over the Chargers in a wild-card playoff game before losing to the Chiefs in a divisional playoff.

He led the Jaguars to an 8-3 start in 2023 but battled a concussion and ankle and shoulder injuries over the final six weeks of the season, as the Jaguars went 1-5 down the stretch and missed the playoffs.

The Jaguars selected Lawrence first overall in 2021. He struggled as a rookie under coach Urban Meyer -- who was fired after only 13 games -- and finished with a league-high 17 interceptions. Lawrence improved under coach Doug Pederson, throwing for 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns with only eight interceptions in 2022. The Jaguars started the season 3-7 but went 6-1 in the last two months and won the AFC South.

Lawrence has 60 turnovers in his first three seasons, which includes an NFL-high 21 in 2023 (14 interceptions, 7 lost fumbles). There are only 11 quarterbacks who have made their debut since 1978 that have turned the ball over more in their first three seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That list includes three Hall of Famers: Warren Moon (73, tied with Steve DeBerg for the most), Peyton Manning (64) and John Elway (61).

"I am delighted that we've agreed to terms on a contract extension for Trevor Lawrence," Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement. "Trevor and Trent Baalke both deserve immense credit for their determination over the offseason to reach a deal that will provide long-term benefits to our football team, the Jacksonville community and our fans everywhere. To get it done comfortably and amicably ahead of training camp, as with the long-term agreement we reached in April with Josh Allen, is a further statement that the Jacksonville Jaguars are committed to winning now and for many seasons to come."

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Trevor Lawrence on What Stood Out Most About Teammate's Jaguars Debut

Michael france | sep 12, 2024.

• Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the Miami Dolphins Week 1 stung. Especially when they scored 17 points in the first half and looked all of the part, everything that owner Shad Khan believed them to be.

"Make no mistake, this is the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever. Best players, best coaches. But most importantly, let's prove it by winning now," Khan had said before the season began.

The Jaguars' inability to close out a hard-fought game against the Dolphins, when they had a 17-7 lead as time dwindled in the third quarter, might be cause for concern to some. Same ol' Jaguars was the sentiment on X (Twitter) after the game.

That might not be true. The Jaguars have plenty of weapons, established and emerging, and a solid (not perfect) defense. Among the young weapons is top draft choice in 2024, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who stood out in his debut with four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Not bad, especially when one considers that the rookie was covered by All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, whose amazing ball placement accounted for half of a great touchdown connection, had plenty of praise for his young teammate.

"He made some splash plays here and there, but you don't have much to go off of. But just to see how they would cover him, and Jalen [Ramsey]  followed him around a little bit and all that deal," Lawrence told reporters on Wednesday. "Obviously they have a lot of respect for him. Then, especially after that play early in the game, when he ran  the post over the top, did a great job at the line against Jalen. I think they really had even more respect for him after that. Moving forward, it kind of changes how you cover a guy like that the rest of the game when that happens early. So, I think that's only going to help us, his ability. The cool thing about him is no moment’s too big for him.

"He's a gamer and just  shows up ready to play every time he goes out there. That's exciting to see as a  quarterback, just some of the plays he made. Doesn't seem like a rookie at all, has that  quiet confidence about him. Not always quiet -- I saw him talking to Jalen after that play in the end zone was pretty cool. That got us all juiced and amped up just to see that  competitive fire come out. I think that's awesome to see out of anybody, but especially a  young guy like that with the confidence he has."

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter)  @JaguarsOnSI  and never miss another breaking news story again.

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MICHAEL FRANCE

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Why was Novgorod a unique city in medieval Russia?

As the most prominent and powerful city of northwestern Rus in the Middle Ages, and being very popular with European merchants, Novgorod was unlike any other settlement in the lands of the Eastern Slavs during that era.

Traditionally, medieval Russian cities grew around the main fortress, which was the political and religious heart of the community. Novgorod, however, emerged from a union of three settlements inhabited by different Slavic tribes. For them, it became a “new city” – this is how “Novgorod” is literally translated from Russian ( Novy – “new”, and gorod – “city”).

In the 14th and 15th centuries, during its heyday as a commercial and political power, the city of Novgorod was officially known as Gospodin Velikiy Novgorod – literally “The Great Master Novgorod”. The city was almost an empire, controlling vast lands from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east, and from the White Sea in the north to the upper Volga in the south. After Kiev, it was the second most powerful city in medieval Rus.

Commerce: Making Novgorod great

Novgorod market in the 17th century

International commerce was the foundation of Novgorod's prosperity, which truly made it great and powerful. The local craftsmen – weavers and tanners, jewelers and glass blowers, potters and foundry workers, gunsmiths and locksmiths – were famous throughout the Russian lands. But Novgorod also did a brisk trade with Western Europe via the Baltic Sea trade routes.

By the end of the 13th century, merchants from the Hanseatic League developed strong trade relations with Novgorod. The Hanseatic League was the largest trade association of merchants from major German cities situated along the Baltic and North seas, but it also maintained four representative offices outside of the German-speaking world – in Novgorod, Bruges, Bergen and London.

Guests from over the sea, Nikolai Rerikh, 1901

The German merchants came to Novgorod to make wholesale purchases, and deals were concluded at the Hanseatic League's representative office. However, a merchant from any other Russian city couldn't enter the office's territory and make deals there.

European merchants were eager to come to Novgorod to sell prized luxury goods such as wine, expensive fabrics, ornamental stones, and precious metals. In return, Novgorod sold fine and precious furs such as squirrel, weasel, and sable. Novgorod also massively exported honey, leather, wax (which Europe needed to make church candles), and walrus ivory.

Boyar republic

Velikiy Novgorod

Novgorod’s political system was unique among the myriad of city-states and principalities of medieval Rus; it was ruled by a small circle of boyar families that owned huge fiefdoms both near the city and in remote northern lands. The title of boyar in Novgorod was hereditary, a fact that distinguished the city from the rest of Russia, where the title of boyar usually was bestowed upon military commanders who were close to the Rurikid princes. The fact that Novgorod was ruled solely by locally-born aristocracy was actually a prominent feature in the principality’s unique form of republican government.

READ MORE: Who were the Russian boyars?

Unlike the boyars in the rest of the Russian lands, the boyars of Novgorod weren’t military commanders. Rather, they were locally-born landowners and high-profile international traders who also were proficient in politics. The supreme authority in Novgorod was the Veche , a kind of parliament that included the wealthiest and most influential men in the city. The upper part of the Veche included at least 300 boyars – 14th century German sources report that the main assembly in Novgorod was called the "300 golden belts".

The Veche met in public on the square near the central market, and its convocation was announced by the famous Veche bell, a symbol of Novgorod’s freedom and independence. The veche was not unique to Novgorod, however, and it was also a feature of the political system in other cities of medieval Rus until the time when Moscow began to solidify control over the other principalities to form a centralized Russian state. Only in Novgorod did the Veche exist up to the 15th century.

The Veche was so powerful that it elected and could even expel the prince; it also issued laws, declared war and made peace, established taxes and duties. Also, the members of the Veche chose a posadnik , who was the managerial head of the city. He monitored whether the prince fulfilled the terms of the agreement with the city, as well as managed Novgorod’s possessions and was responsible for law enforcement, the courts, and even signed diplomatic treaties. The prince of Novgorod had to represent the city to the other Russian lands and was responsible for the city’s defense.

The political life of Novgorodians, however, was not limited to the central Veche; ordinary Novgorodians also had the chance to participate in the city’s local street and district veches. The boyars used these meetings to promote their interests and fight against their opponents.

The city’s religious authorities enjoyed great freedom ever since the people of Novgorod were able to secure autonomy for their archbishop. From the beginning of the 12th century, the Kiev bishop (known as a “metropolitan”) basically rubber stamped whatever candidate was proposed by the Novgorodians for this position. The archbishop had his own regiment for protection, participated in diplomatic negotiations and put his official seal on international agreements.

Liberty in princes

Yaroslav the Wise, Nikolai Rerikh, 1941-1942

Restriction of the rights of the princes began in Novgorod during the lifetime of Yaroslav the Wise (978 – 1054), who agreed to give special privileges to the Novgorod boyars vis-a-vis the prince in exchange for support in the struggle for control of Kiev. Novgorod did not develop a separate princely dynasty after the death of Yaroslav, because the city was at the source of the trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks” and was closely connected with Kiev. When he died in 1054, Yaroslav the Wise bequeathed Kiev and Novgorod to his eldest son. As a result, the princely line that ruled Kiev usually chose a prince to rule in Novgorod, or Novgorod had the same prince as Kiev did.

In 1136, a rebellion in Novgorod led to the expulsion of the prince. From then on, the Novgorodians invited princes themselves and concluded a temporary agreement with them, according to which they could not interfere in the affairs of city management, change the highest officials and acquire lands on the outskirts of the Novgorod republic. In case of any violation of the agreement, the prince was expelled from the city, and the Veche selected a new candidate. Such changes more than once had a serious impact on the life of all the principalities of Rus.

Despite such treatment of the princes, all the major figures of Kievan Rus, who were the builders of the future united Russian state – from Vladimir the Great to Vladimir Monomakh – reigned in Novgorod before ascending the throne in Kiev. Symbolically, Novgorod was also the first place where Rurik reigned in Russia.

The most literate city in Russia

Birch bark letter #1

On July 26, 1951, archaeological excavations in Novgorod found the first letter written on birch bark, with a discernible text carved on the surface. In total, more than 1100 such letters were found in Novgorod and about 100 in other cities of medieval Russia.

The analysis of Novgorod’s birch-bark letters allowed scholars to reconstruct the everyday life of the city and its inhabitants over the course of the 11th to the 15th centuries, which was the golden era of the Novgorod Republic.

The texts on birch bark testify to widespread literacy among the people of Novgorod who wrote to each other often and on a variety of matters, where they discussed household affairs, commercial transactions, as well as court decisions and simply the local gossip. Both men and women were literate, which was unheard of for Western Europe at this time.

READ MORE: How did single women survive in Tsarist Russia?

The birch-barks showed that the position of women in Novgorod society was quite prominent, and they conducted their own affairs, concluded commercial transactions, dispatched their husbands orders, as well as appeared in court, including on financial issues; and in general were actively engaged in economic activity.

Among the letters there were also touching declarations of love, such as the famous letter written by an unknown young woman in the 12th century: "I sent to you three times. What evil do you have against me that you did not come to me?" Another birch-bark letter contains one of the first records of Russian cursing.

Novgorod's heroes, its tragic fall and legacy today

Sadko, Ilya Repin, 1876

Novgorod’s political structure and the nature of its economy created special cultural and real heroes. Unlike the characters of the Russian bylinas who spend their time lying on the stove and waiting for an opportunity to stand up for the fatherland, Novgorod's main hero, Sadko, who is a handsome man, as well as gusli player and merchant, is relentless in his pursuit of money and fame. He successfully swindles the sea tsar and wraps him around his finger, and once he is rich, he swears to buy up all Novgorod’s goods. In some versions of the legend he even succeeds.

Another atypical Novgorod hero, one not from a bylina but rather someone from real history, was the leader of the local resistance against Moscow. Marfa Boretskaya (or Marfa Posadnitsa because Marfa's second husband was a posadnik) came from an influential boyar family and owned vast tracts of land that were already in her family’s possession, as well as those lands that she inherited after the death of her first husband.

The taking away of the Novgorod Veche bell. Marfa Posadnitsa. 1889

When in the 15th century the Grand Prince of Moscow, Ivan III, began to unite the Russian lands by conquering other cities, Marfa entered into negotiations with the Lithuanian Grand Duke to propose a merger with Novgorod on the condition that it maintains its rights of autonomy.

READ MORE: How Russians executed... bells

Having learned about the negotiations, Ivan III declared war on Novgorod, and in 1478 the republic ceased to exist. As a sign of the abolition of Novgorod’s Veche, the famous bell was taken to Moscow, and the most promised townspeople were repressed. Marfa's lands were confiscated, and she herself soon died.

Nevertheless, while Novgorod has long disappeared from the map as an independent political entity, its legacy resonates today in the modern era. At the dawn of Russian history Novogorod accepted Rurik to reign, thereby laying the foundation of Russian statehood. Also, the city and its republican form of government showed that the path to rigid centralization and the absolute power of the Grand Prince was not the only possible political path for Russia.

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