In Russia, the boyars were _____.

The boyars were a prominent class of landowning nobles in Russia, and their role in the social hierarchy was significant during the medieval period and into the Tsardom of Russia. They were typically large landowners and held considerable power and influence within local governments and the monarchy. The boyars often acted as advisors to the tsar and played a crucial role in the administration of the state, particularly in matters of land management and military service.

Their wealth and status stemmed from the vast estates they owned, which were cultivated by peasants. This association with land ownership not only conferred economic power but also social standing, as noble rank in Russia was closely tied to the amount of land one possessed. The relationships among boyars, the tsar, and the peasantry helped shape the political landscape of Russia throughout various periods of its history, including the rise of centralized royal power.

In contrast, wealthy merchants were part of a different class focused primarily on trade and commerce, military leaders had distinct roles often separate from the nobility related to governance, and religious leaders wielded spiritual authority rather than political power associated with land ownership.