Internet and History: A presentation of unique online resource "The Russian Justice. On the Occasion of a Millenary of the Russian Legal Tradition" in St. Petersburg

A presentation of a unique Internet resource "The Russian Justice. On the Occasion of a Millenary of the Russian Legal Tradition" was held on June 8, 2016, in the main building of the National Library of Russia (St. Petersburg).

The Russian Justice is one of the most important credentials of the Russian history, the first code of law of Medieval Russia. According to a legend, the emergence of "The Russian Justice" is associated with the dramatic events of 1016, when the future Kiev Prince Yaroslav the Wise, trying to obtain a support of Novgorod residents in the struggle for the sublime princedom, initiated the first in Russia statute-book. But the real circumstances of an origin of "The Russian Justice" yet remain unclear.

There are 30 replicas of the legal monument (currently known more than 100 replicas from XV-XIX centuries) in the stock of the Manuscripts Department of the National Library of Russia. The core of "The Russian Justice. On the Occasion of a Millenary of the Russian Legal Tradition" Internet resource is the text from the Tolstovsky copy of the 1st Sofia Chronicle in its Minor Edition from the funds of the Department of Manuscripts. This is the most common, the most authoritative, Extensive Edition of the Russian Justice (70-ies years of the XV century).

A unique chance to see the original "Russian Justice" that served as the foundation for the online resource will be offered at the presentation.

The electronic resource contains the replica’s image, a transliteration of ancient Russian text with commentaries and its translation into modern Russian language. Readers will also be able to browse through the Index of Concepts and Terms to the text of the Russian Justice and though a basic bibliography. In addition, the Internet resource offers a text of the Russian Justice from Kormchaya Book, reflecting a tradition of interpretation of Russian Justice in the legal compendiums. The resource also provides a list of all known replicas. More over, readers will get acquainted with the replica of the documents from the XIX century, created by the famous falsifier of Russian antiquities A. A. Bardin.

A unique online resource of "Russian Justice" with a complex of supportive, guidance and reference materials will be accessible from the National Library of Russia website and is intended for a wide range of readers interested in Russian history.