Yaroslavl and Yaroslavl land in Latin-language sources of the 15th – 16th centuries
The topic of this article is European Latin-language sources of the 15th – 16th centuries, having their subject distinctive features of Yaroslavl land as well as the events that took place here. During this period Latin played the role of the main tool for the exchange of international information and it was the written language of the scientific community. Therefore, most of the works of foreign travellers of the 15th – 16th centuries including the materials about the Russian state is written in the classical Latin. Some of these works are texts devoted to Yaroslavl land. Information provided in these works make up a significant complex on the history of Yaroslavl land describing various aspects of its life. Depending on the nature of literary activity, interests, goals and methods of receiving information European authors covered topics related to natural and geographical features of the land, they described the economy, trade and other occupation of the population, characteristic features of cities or everyday life of Yaroslavl residents. But most of all foreign authors are naturally interested in the following questions of the history of these territories, their state-political organisation, administrative division, management principles and the religious sphere. Due to the limited Russian sources of the history of Yaroslavl land of this time, the testimonies of foreign authors become particularly significant. The richness of information often makes them extremely valuable.