Domostroy. Ancient Russian Encyclopedia of Family Life

"Domostroy" - one of the most influential works of Russian literature of the 16th century, a guide to everyday life, family relations, and spiritual life in medieval Russia.

"Domostroy" emerged in the 15th century during the time of the Novgorod Republic in Veliky Novgorod. According to these researchers, the text of "Domostroy" was created as a result of long collective work based on existing literary sources at the time of its writing. The book almost immediately became widespread among the Novgorod boyars and merchants.

Researchers trace the connection of "Domostroy" with earlier collections of teachings and "words", both Slavic: "Izmaragd", "Zlatoust", "Golden Chain", and Western: "Book of Christian Teaching" (Czech Republic), "Parisian Master" (France), and others. In fact, "Domostroy" simply systematized and formalized the established moral and ethical norms of behavior and instructive texts of that time.

In the mid-16th century, "Domostroy" was rewritten by the Spiritual Father and associate of Ivan the Terrible - Protopope Silvester as a moral lesson for the young tsar. 

The updated edition of "Domostroy" was compiled by the hieromonk of the Moscow Chudov Monastery, who was working as a clerk at the Moscow Spiritual Printing House, and later as a hegumen - Kariyon (Istomin) in the 17th century. This edition combined several existing versions at that time.