Land ownership, General Land Survey and Russian colonization of Crimea in the late eighteenth and the first half of the nineteenth centuries

Abstract

The initial stage of the Russian colonization of Crimea, which spanned from the end of the XVIIIth century to the mid-XIXth century, was characterized particularly by the settlement and the distribution of lands to incoming people. The issues relating to the land ownership became increasingly complicated, which had an impact on the social and economic life in the region. This paper examines how Russia’s imperial authority tried to remedy it, on the one hand, by enacting a special land legislation and, on the other hand, by sending land commissions and land surveyors on the spot to investigate land conflicts and to demarcate the Crimean lands. Therefore, this study reveals the features of the land tenure system developed in Crimea after its annexation by Russia in 1783. This also provides insights into the integration process and how and by whom Crimea and its population were then governed. Following on from the General Land Survey conducted in the Russian empire since 1765, the demarcation of lands was carried out in the governorate of Taurida from 1798 to 1804 but a crucial step occurred with a particular procedure framework in 1829-1843, leading to provide a valuable cartographic and economic information. We conclude that the land commissions and surveying operations were useful instruments that helped to clarify and to regulate the land rights of both the native and non-native peoples of Crimea, as well as providing authorities with a better understanding of the challenges and specific characteristics of the region.