- Eric, do you really want to collect all this gang in one barrel? Rudolph was perplexed by the idea of a reformed system.

- Yes exactly.

Why? Do you think this will change our way of life? We are predators. And get out of the way, being in such a congestion.

- And it's good. Actually, this is what I'm going to achieve. You have to keep your beast in check, otherwise you will analyze the whole state by bricks.

- Let's say we disassembled it, and what's next?

- And then a new cycle - someone forces you back with force. After letting go of the bit, watching as you again drag the country through the bricks.

" Then why do you need all this? "What will you achieve by this?

"I want to make strong grinds and change the order of things. "

- Not too big swing?

- It's normal. I want to make it so that it's profitable for feudal lords not to have large lenas, but a strong domain that feeds them. The stronger the domain, the better it feeds, as they are in the service - either in the army or in the province.

- And who will oppose such transformations, what will happen to them? After all, the feudal lord feels himself to be the master.

" The people who will be against my transformation will die. "I do not want to get involved in useless discussions with an eternally hungry crowd. Everyone wants only to be well, and to spit on a neighbor. Will suffocate - the better, therefore, his property can be profit. And the state There is such an old parable about a broom. I heard?

No. Tell me, if not long.

" It's very short. "Here is a broom knitted from branches. You see, it's easy to break every single branch, but if you tie them together, then it's already not so easy. So is the state. Every single person is easy to break, and if people act in an organized and unified center, then they are already power.

" Then why is the state of Alexei in such a decline? "Where is his strength?

- This is called the human factor. In this case, it just so happened that the power was a rare fool. This is the only weakness of the monarchy - the likelihood of powerless people in power in it is higher than in other forms of government.

" Then why did not you do as you did in Venice? "If you are so concerned about preserving the state.

- In Venice, we have an aristocratic republic. Like any republic, it is a form of government very vulnerable to external force, since influential people can be bribed and promoted their interests. This is apart from the fact that it is not effective. Firstly, it is not consistent even within the framework of the life of one ruler, as it fluctuates from momentary conjunctural interests. Secondly, it is very inert, that is, it takes more time to take a decision in the republican form of government than in the monarchy. Third, it is not economically profitable. The point is that there is a constant replacement of the elite in power. I start making reserves at the expense of the state, exceeding my official powers, that is, simply stealing. They came to the time, and they are not interested in what will happen after them. While an adequate monarch, knowing that he will be inherited by his child, is not interested in the ruin of the state. That is, under the monarchy there is a chance of a person with a weak mind on the throne, but this is only a chance, while in any republican form, mass theft of leadership necessarily takes place. Therefore, I think the republic is an unsuccessful form of government.

- Yeah, and what other forms of government are there?

"Only species of these. "

- Not thick. If you choose between a republic and a monarchy, then I understand you and agree. And with the feudal lords more or less understood, although all this is unusual. But are your steps so muddy? After all, I was not the one who asked these questions.

- I think this will be a problem, but with a fist and a kind word we will always be able to enlighten the masses and give them happiness of understanding.

"We are always ready. " Rudolph laughed and left, and Erik thought about how to solve the problem of informing the population, which the more, the more acute it will arise.

The next organizational step was the introduction of a single legislative framework. The requirements are extremely simple - the text should be laconic and clear, that is, not requiring extensive interpretations for understanding. To simplify the production of the law - "Lex d" Erik "(Lex Durik - Eric's Law) - was divided into two parts. The first described crimes against the state, such as theft, murder, extortion, bribery and other ordinary things, as well as preventive measures. Prisons were not created, because according to the law the punishment was applied immediately after the sentence was passed - from fine to death penalty. Prisoners are, of course, very cheap labor, but deploying the infrastructure for their maintenance, suppression and subsequent control was very expensive and carried little practical benefit. The second part of the judicial document described legitimate documents of the state and ways of their registration, that is, all kinds of gift certificates, wills, deeds, loan receipts, credit receipts and so on. For the application of this judicial in the case in all three cities of the principality, courts were created, where three permanent judges sat. But all such things were nothing more than formal trifles for the future, since the lifeblood of any state is its economy. To organize financial affairs, you need to have a single monetary system and not allow the passage of foreign coins. Therefore, for this purpose, as well as for coinage of new coins and execution of the treasury function, in January 1203 the state bank of the Bosporus was established. The headquarters was in the city of the same name, and in Feodosia and Taman (so renamed Tmutarakan), branches were opened. All trading operations on the territory of the principality were allowed only in local currency, and in case of non-compliance, the perpetrator was punished by confiscation of all cash and goods. Exchange of foreign coins for local was made centrally in the bank or its branches with a mark-up of 5% per operation. In the state, only silver coins were introduced, which were standardized and divided into obol and denarii. Are the obolas of the following denominations? obol, 1 obol, 5 obols, 10 obols, 50 obols. The denarii were minted in a lesser variety and were represented by coins in 1 denarius and 2 denarii. The weight of the coin was determined from its denomination, that is, 1 obol weighing 0. 5 grams, and denarius - 50 grams. By the autumn of 1203, the necessary number of coins had been issued to replace all foreigners in the principality. For the gold coins of the east, the tariff was set to 1 to 5, that is, for 1 weight gold denarius, 5 silver were given. The trick was that the bank did not make a reverse exchange, that is, it did not change local coins for foreign ones. This was a small financial fraud, which contributed to the spread of coins in the region with the corresponding benefits. In connection with such permutations, the contract with the Templar Bank was changed, now the key figure was not Eric, but the Bospor bank, which had its share in the Templars' trade operations, since it placed significant funds in its branches. On the one hand, it was inconvenient, since in the event of conflict with the order, you can remain without a penny in your pocket; on the other hand, it is convenient, because Eric's representatives could conduct financial transactions in different parts of Europe using the bank's services, and not transporting large cash at your own risk. In the Bosporan bank, a treasury was introduced, which was responsible for the collection of taxes and duties. By the way, the ordering and standardization of taxes and duties in the ports of the principality had a very tonic effect on trade - by June 1203 the volume of trade operations had exceeded the maximum level of 1202 and continued to grow. First of all, at the expense of successfully concluded negotiations with the Kiev principality, whose merchants, using military protection on the Dnieper's communications and an organized trade and financial platform, seriously increased the overall flow of goods going to the south. There were wood, wax, wool and furs. The predominant number of trade operations went through the more conveniently located ports of Taman and Theodosia, while Bosporus developed into a military, industrial and administrative center. About Taman should say that at that time she acted as the key to the northern stream of the Great Silk Road.