Kushnarov S. Southern borderland of the Russian state at the end of XVI-XVII centuries (by the example of Middle Pooskillya)

The subject of the research: the territory of Middle Pooskillya as a separate section of Southern borderland of the Russian state in XVI-XVII centuries. The aim of the dissertation: definition of the place and importance of Middle Pooskillya in the structure of defense, settlement and economic development of Southern borderland by the Russian state in the end of XVI-XVII centuries. The methods: problem-chronological, historical-genetic, methods of ordering and classification, methods of genealogical researches, special source-study methods - typology, modeling, dating of a source to indirect attributes, cartographical method. Scientific novelty: based on a wide range of sources, the thesis for the first time in Ukrainian historiography represents a complex investigation of colonization of the southern border-land of the Russian state at the end of XVI-XVII centuries; by the example of Middle Pooskillya the paper shows the specifics of defense, settlement and economic development of the borderland region; the author considers the projects of the authorities to include certain areas into national borders and ways of their implementation; the scheme of the formation of districts around the fortress cities, composition and direction of internal colonization flows were recon-structed; the paper analyzes the methods used by the population to struggle with the Tatars, the size and sources of fi-nancial support, forms of landownership and land tenure by military staff of borderland fortress cities; it was con-cluded that the formation of Middle Pooskillya as a special historical and geographical region was under the influence of external factors and focused Russian policy to strengthen state borders. The practical meaning of investigation: the materials of the dissertation can be used in educational process by development of special courses on a history of southern borderland in XVI-XVIII centuries, history of Slobodskaya Ukraine and adjacent regions, in preparation of the manuals and methodical complexes on a domestic history of the period of early New time for higher educational institutions. Field of application: universities.