Krumalenko M. Legal status of the population on Ukrainian territories in XIV – XVI centuries: determination by the religious policy of the state

The author of the dissertation examines a problem of the determination of legal status of the population of Ukrainian territories by the religious policy of the state in the XIV – XVI centuries. The concept “ethnic-religious group” is offered for the scientific use by M. V. Krumalenko. In his thesis the author characterizes legal status of orthodox and catholic communities as well as Armenian, Tatar, Jewish, Karaite and Romany ethnic-religious communities. It is a well-known fact that authorities of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania did not implement a consistent ethnic-religious policy. Its policy was characterized by conjuncture, situation, combination of progressive and conservative measures. At the same time, a general tendency in development of policy concerning the ethnic-religious groups of population can be defined as a moderate tolerant one and it is proved by the absence of major religious conflicts which were characteristic features for the European states of that time. The state legal regulationof life of ethnic-religious communities of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was determined by a tendency to unification and convergence of their legal status that was a basis for creation of principles of civil society.