«Crimean Captives» and their Redemption in the 1650s: On the History of Colonization of Russia’s Steppes Frontier

Abstract

The author considers the mecanism of state redemption of captives in the 1650s. Particular attention is given to quantitative analysis of the information on social status of the redeemed, their geographic origin, and the circumstances of their capture. Also, the mechanism of redemption, averge ransom prices, and the total amount of money allocated these purposes.