Razriady (books)

These were annual records that included the appointment of the noblemen to various posts, as well as descriptions of major military campaigns, information on the weddings of rulers and their relatives, on receptions of ambassadors, on awards for service, etc.

The originals of razriad books were burned in 1682 in order to fight against mestnichestvo; however, some copies and compilations (of varying quality) were preserved.

The razriady are one of the most important sources in the history of the early-modern Russian state.

Then these service books were used as material for compiling shorter official "sovereign razriady", as well as for various kinds of reduced editions created on a private initiative.

The known copies of razriad books often contain information from other sources, for example, compilations from chronicles, from various documents, etc.