Votchina (russian: во́тчина) or otchina (о́тчина – from word ''Father'') was an East Slavic land
estate that could be inherited. The term "votchina" was also used to describe the lands of a
knyaz
, or ( Old Church Slavonic: Кнѧзь) is a historical Slavic title, used both as a royal and noble title in different times of history and different ancient Slavic lands. It is usually translated into English as prince or duke, dependi ...
.
The term originated in the law of
Kievan Rus
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
. An owner of votchina (''votchinnik'', вотчинник) not only had property rights to it, but also some administrative and legal power over people living on its territory. These people, however, were not
serfs
Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which developed ...
, as they had a right to freely move to different votchinas.
Later the administrative and legal powers of the votchina owners were severely limited, and then completely revoked. In the mid-15th century, the right of certain categories of peasants in some votchinas to leave their master was limited to a period of one week before and after the so-called
Yuri's Day (November 26).
Society of Kievan Rus'
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