Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Republic of Novgorod

Guo Kang was not being blindly arrogant. In the current era, the Khanate was not without its defenses against them.

Just as it had arranged for Moscow to oversee other nations, in the north, the Khanate utilized its cooperation with Novgorod to effectively check the power of Moscow.

The Republic of Novgorod was located in the far north of the continent, with the city situated on the Volkhov River. Traveling north along the river leads to the massive Lake Ladoga, and from there, flowing out through the Neva River, one enters the Gulf of Finland.

The land of Novgorod is infertile. Although it appears vast, most of it consists of uninhabited wilderness near the Arctic Ocean, and food is scarce. However, because the city is positioned between the North Sea and the Rus commercial spheres with convenient water transport, its commerce is highly developed, serving as the city's backbone.

The trade route spanning the north and south of the European continent has a history far older than most of the civilizations that exist today.

The regions surrounding the Baltic Sea were rich in amber. Since the prehistoric era of Europe, merchants have been collecting and transporting these gems, selling them to the south where they fetched higher prices. Baltic amber was discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and the Greeks consistently used this treasure as an offering at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi.

Later, Emperor Nero sent men to investigate the source of these goods, mapping out the trade routes. Subsequent generations named it the "Amber Road."

Compared to the shorter routes passing through Germania, the trade route in the Rus region emerged much later, but as the area developed, commerce flourished there as well.

Perhaps for this reason, unlike other principalities, Novgorod is a city-state that is not quite "Rus" in nature.

Hundreds of years ago, the reigning Grand Prince lost a battle and was subsequently deposed by the citizens. Since then, there has been no Grand Prince in the true sense. State power rests in the hands of the "Veche," the citizen assembly, and the actual executive is the mayor elected by merchants and citizens.

Nobles still hold the title of Grand Prince in the city, but it has become a contractual position. They remain only because, in this era, these nobles are indeed the most capable fighters locally. However, they only wield significant power during times of war; in peacetime, they are merely leaders of the garrison, subject to severe restrictions.

Some more capable and prestigious Grand Princes might serve longer and wield relatively more influence. But average ones must rely on signed contracts to ensure their legitimate authority.

In diplomacy, due to its proximity to the Baltic Sea, Novgorod maintains close ties with the Hanseatic League and is an important member of the alliance. The largest trading post for league merchants in Eastern Europe is located here. The parties frequently collaborate based on shared commercial interests, making them very familiar with one another.

It can be said that, whether in terms of institutions, national relations, or culture, this place is closer to Northwestern Europe than to the other Rus states in the continental interior.

Compared to Moscow, the die-hard lackey of the Great Khan, these two nations represent two diametrically opposed sides of the Rus people.

Their conflict has persisted for a long time.

In Guo Kang's world, Novgorod was eventually conquered by Moscow due to military failure, but the divergence between "looking toward Europe" and "looking toward Mongolia" never vanished; it remained deeply rooted in the core of Rus civilization. Even in his time, the tearing sensation brought about by these two tendencies continued to plague the Rus people.

Novgorod and Moscow, their successors St. Petersburg and Moscow, Emperor and Tsar, Europe and Asia, Westernization and nativism... these paired concepts and symbols give Rus culture a distinct character.

Of course, in this era, the merchants of Novgorod are unlikely to consider the Muscovite landlords as "their own."

In fact, Novgorod is an important force in balancing Moscow. The Khanate lacks control over the central states, but in the far north of Novgorod, ever since the Civil War, it has stationed governors and troops.

This is because, to the locals, as long as it does not interfere with their business and profits, it makes little difference who manages the military. The so-called governor is merely a replacement for the former Grand Prince.

A side effect of highly developed commerce is the prevalence of land and water bandits. Every year, the republic must invest significant funds to recruit mercenaries to escort merchant caravans and sweep away outlaws. Combined with the ambitions of Lithuania in the southwest and Moscow in the southeast toward the republic's wealth, necessary security is indispensable; otherwise, one might end up with the fortune to make money but not the life to spend it.

Every service comes at a price. Wanting to save money while expecting excellent service is truly unrealistic. If they wish to lower commercial prices, they must increase their leverage in politics and diplomacy. They are very clear on this point.

After the end of the Civil War, Novgorod was anxious to shed suspicion while preparing to cope with the shock of a major power reshuffle in the Rus region.

Although located in the distant north—a place even the armies of Batu Khan failed to reach—the current problem is that the Purple Tent Khanate controls the vital trade routes.

Astute merchants and politicians have already noticed that, unlike the Eastern Roman Empire of the past, the Purple Tent Khanate is more keen on expanding along trade routes.

After intervening in Georgia and sending troops into the Volga River basin, they have directly bordered the Persian region, controlling the key thoroughfares passing through the Caucasus and the South Russian steppe—areas of vital importance. The Bulgar Khanate and the Golden Horde both became wealthy by controlling the intersection of trade routes here in the past.

Although the eastern segment of the Steppe Silk Road has never been fully opened, the current trade between the four regions of Persia, the Eastern Mediterranean, Rus, and the North Sea is already enough to organize trade on a considerable scale. Several key segments are held by the Purple Tent Khanate.

If they were to offend them, there would be no need for the Purple Tent Khanate to act personally; lackeys like Moscow would sever the republic's trade network, leaving the merchants in a state of bankruptcy—everyone suspects they have wanted to do exactly that for a long time.

Therefore, the Republic of Novgorod now needs to find new ways to extricate itself from this predicament.

The merchants do not wish to pay too much, but necessary bargaining chips must always be offered. Since that is the case, it is better to transfer some less important sovereignty. Their special position makes it entirely possible for them to sell it at a good price.