A man chosen by God : The office of Archbishop in Novgorod, Russia (1165--1478)

Novgorod was one of medieval Russia\u27s key political, cultural, economic, and commercial centers, and its prelate, the Archbishop of Novgorod, was a key figure not only in the Church, the preeminent institution in medieval Europe, but also in the political, judicial, social, and economic life of the city and of medieval Russia. The Archbishop was the largest landowner in the Novgorodian Land; he held considerable political power, interacted with the city\u27s elite as well as with princes and prelates throughout northeastern Europe; he also oversaw a large administration that not only performed the sacramental and ceremonial functions of the Church in Novgorod, but also ran the ecclesiastical and civil courts, controlled weights and measures in the marketplace, oversaw large estates, and supervised a large number of personnel. The Archbishops were also, perhaps, the preeminent patrons of Russia\u27s medieval arts, architecture, and literary culture and, as such, are very important figures in Russian medieval history. This study examines the various roles of the Archbishops of Novgorod to provide a fuller understanding of their multifaceted office and their contributions to historical developments in Novgorod as well as the wider Russian medieval society