The Belgorod Line as an Object of Research: Heuristic and Analytical Possibilities of Traditional and Modern Historical Methods

Abstract

Published in 2020, The Belgorod Line. History. Fortification. People, a book by Andrey Papkov, Nikolay Petrukhintsev, and Dmitry Khitrov is the first attempt to understand and update modern achievements in studying the Belgorod Line. The authors reveal the historical specifics behind the construction of this military-defensive line in the broad historical context of the seventeenth century. They show the background of events (before 1635), the building process, and the social processes after the line was erected (1658). A special place is given to the military reforms of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, preceding the famous army reforms of Peter the Great. The Belgorod Line. History. Fortification. People allows the scholarly community to move to a new stage in understanding the features of the social and military history of the southern border of Russia, but first, it is important to understand the political context of the events of the construction of the Belgorod line. Until 1645, the construction of fortifications was not systematic. But after the accession to the throne of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the construction of the Belgorod line acquired a clear logic. However, in 1654 Russia entered the war with Poland, and the military potential of the southern Russian border was used for other military tasks in the west. This political context of the development of events is reflected in the book under review.