A member of the old Russian aristocracy or nobility who held high rank before the rise of the Tsars.
From Russian 'boyarin,' derived from Old Slavic 'bojare,' possibly related to 'boj' (battle), originally meaning warriors or military leaders who became landowners and nobles.
Boyars were essentially Russia's version of medieval knights, but unlike Western feudalism, they could own land independently and sometimes challenged the Tsar's power—making Russian history wildly different from Western Europe's more structured hierarchy.
Russian feudal noble title; masculine form reflects women's historical exclusion from formal nobility rank. Counterpart 'boyarina' existed but carried different social weight and agency.
If discussing historical boyars, note gender composition and use 'boyarina' for women. Specify 'female boyars' or equivalent term if context allows.
["noble","aristocrat"]
Boyarinas wielded considerable estate and household power; historical accounts often erase their autonomous authority by treating them as adjuncts to male nobles.
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