Legitimation strategy: legal instruments for the accession of new territories into the Russian Empire (based on the example of Siberia and Russian America)

A comprehensive system of legal mechanisms ensuring the legitimization of Russia's territorial expansion to the east and the integration of the indigenous peoples of Siberia, the Far East, and Russian America into the political and legal space of the empire from the late 16th to the 19th century has been examined. The interaction and evolution of three key institutions have been analyzed: shertovanie (taking an oath of allegiance), yasachnaya povinnost (yasak tax), and amanatstvo (hostage-taking). The aim of the study is to identify the specifics of the Russian approach to the legitimization of territorial acquisitions, which synthesized European doctrines of international law (the right of discovery and the right of first settlement) with adaptive practices inherited from the Moscow state tradition. The conclusion is drawn about the formation of a unique hybrid model of accession, which, unlike the classical schemes characteristic of the colonial powers of Europe, created a structure of asymmetrical but mutual obligations between the monarch and the new subjects. The evolution from early contractual practices (shert) to formalized administrative procedures in the 18th century is demonstrated. The work contributes to the understanding of the legal foundations of the expansion of the Russian state and strategies for managing ethnocultural diversity.