THE 1764 SECULARIZATION OF THE SOLOVETSKY MONASTERY’S ANCESTRAL LANDS
The article studied the implications of the 1764 secularization of the lands belonging to the Solovetsky monastery. It is noted here that just before the secularization the Solovetsky monastery was a relatively large landowner. Its economic activity primarily focused on salt production and fishing. By the time of the secularization, however, salt production had ceased to be the key source of monastic income, which to a large extent was a result of the state monopoly on salt trade, introduced in 1705. The monastery’s salt production more than halved compared to the mid-17th century. After the loss of the ancestral lands, the monastery switched over to other sources of income, primarily to donations of pilgrims and state allowance (since 1764), the former being its major resource, which had been steadily increasing over the last third of the 18th century due to the growing number of pilgrims visiting the archipelago. It is concluded that the Solovetsky monastery extricated itself from the economic consequences of the secularization quite successfully. This conclusion is supported by the dynamic construction work that had been undertaken by the end of the century. That situation, however, was rather unique, as, after the secularization, many monasteries were hit by a deep economic crisis and some of them even closed. Social problems could be observed in the Solovetsky monastery throughout the 18th century. In particular, age and class restrictions on taking monastic vows resulted in fewer monks, “ageing” of the brethren and predominance of professed retired military men among them.