The law of the Principality of Galicia–Volhynia

Galicia-Volhynia largely retained features of the social and political system inherent in ancient Rus’. However, public and government organizations principality, due to the influence of neighboring states of medieval Europe had its own peculiarities.

Roman the Great united the principalities of Halych (Galicia) and Volhynia into a state that existed from 1199 to 1349. Along with Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal, it was one of the three most important powers to emerge from the collapse of Kyivan Rus'.

After the enormous destruction wreaked by the Mongol invasion of Kyivan Rus' in 1239–41, Prince Danylo Romanovych was forced to pledge allegiance to Batu Khan of the Golden Horde in 1246. He strove to rid his realm of the Mongol yoke, however, by a formal orientation to Western Europe (coronation as a "Rex Rusiae" by a papal legate in 1253) and by attempting, unsuccessfully, to establish military alliances with other European rulers. The Polish conquest of the kingdom in 1349 ended its vassalage to the Golden Horde.

In Galicia-Volhyn principality largely retains characteristic features of Kievan Rus' polity. Supreme political-administrative and judicial power belonged to the Grand Duke. The Prince, led the central administration, headed by a military organization, and supervised the collection of taxes. The prerogative of the Grand authorities was also foreign policy of the state. The appointment of bishops was consistent with the Grand Duke.

Attributes of the Grand authorities were "crown" (corona), coat of arms, seal and flag. However, the Galicia-Volhyn princes had no strong social and economic support and actually depended on the boyar aristocracy. Thus, the form of government of Galicia-Volhynia was a feudal monarchy, limited impact Boyar oligarchy.

Throughout the existence of the principality here acted known since the days of Kievan Rus general principles, institutions and forms of legal regulation of social life. Among the sources of law - a common law, Russian Justice, a canon law.

Further development of the law came through princely legislation that existed in the form of letters, wills, statutes, contracts etc. The princely law regulated the legal status of foreign merchants, organization management of cities and villages, right inheritance and the purchase and sale of feudal tenure, the order of transmission prince’s authority to operate the dependent population.

In the fourteenth century on the lands of Galicia-Volyn principality appears Magdeburg Law, which was carried out on the basis of self-government in the cities. Determined, in particular, the rights of urban estates, the procedure of election and functions of city government, regulate the activities of merchant corporations, guilds, and to regulate the court proceedings.

However, the Magdeburg law  to distribute mainly in the German colonists, taking them out of the jurisdiction of the local feudal lords. In the vast majority of the Ukrainian urban population, because it was Orthodox, the action of Magdeburg law did not apply.

Determine such characteristics of the legal system of Galicia-Volyn State:

• Strengthening of feudal law privilege;

• Retention of social differentiation of the population;

• The impact of medieval particularism;

• The impact of European feudal law.