Russkaya Pravda
The origins of serfdom in Russia (, ) may be traced to the 12th century, when the exploitation of the so-called zakups on arable lands (, ) and corvée smerds (Russian term for corvée is , ) was the closest to what is now known as serfdom. According to the "Russkaya Pravda", a princely smerd had limited property and personal rights. His escheat was given to the prince and his life was equated with that of the kholop, meaning his murder was punishable by a fine of five grivnas.