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which included feudal lords and the population dependent on them
(smerds, riadovychi, zakupy, etc.).
In the form of government Kyivan Rus was a monarchy, headed
by the Grand Duke. The state power was also exercised by single

princes, tysiatski, posadnyky and other representatives of the Grand
Duke. In the early stages of the existence of Rus, the people's
assemblies took part in the management of the state, which were

called “viche”, but later their significance decreased, and the role of
local feudal congresses grew. In the XII century the first monuments
of Ukrainian law were created, first of all – "Ruska Pravda."
In the middle of the 12th century the process of fragmentation

happened in the only Rus, and separate feudal principalities were
formed on its territory. In particular, the Principality of Galicia-Volyn
appeared in the territory of modern Ukraine, which was formed as a

result of the unification of Galicia and Volyn in 1199. It reached its
greatest power in the middle of the XIII century during the regency of
Danylo Halitskyi. In its political and legal status the Principality of

Galicia-Volyn practically did not differ from Kyivan Rus. In the XIV
century the Principality of Galician-Volyn collapsed.
After the collapse of the Principality of Galicia-Volyn,

politically fragmented Rus lands fell under the control of Poland,
Hungary and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. At the same time, the
Lithuanian feudal lords retained the faith, customs and rights of the
local population. They learned the old Rus writings, adopted the

"Ruska Pravda" as their own source of law and considered themselves
as descendants of the princes of Kyivan Rus.
Thus the Lithuanian-Rus state was formed, headed by the Grand

Duke together with an advisory body – the Council of the Principality.
At the turn of the XV-XVI centuries the Lithuanian Seym was
organized as a body of the class representation. Local princes carried
out the local management, who were quite autonomous. But since the

XV century the autonomy was abolished and power passed to the
governors, voivodes and other government officials, appointed by the
Grand Duke.

The main source of law for a long time was “Ruska Pravda”, but
later it was replaced by the acts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,
among which the Lithuanian statutes of 1529, 1566 and 1588 years

were the most famous.

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