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Duchy rankNovgorod
Primary culture
Novgorodian (East Slavic)

Capital province
Novgorod (310)

Veche RepublicGovernment republic.png

State religion

Technology group
EasternEastern technology group
Novgorodian ideas
Traditions.png Traditions:
−15% Mercenary maintenance
+1 Diplomatic reputation

Prestige.png Northern Center of Arts

+1 Yearly prestige

Missionary strength.png City of Churches

+1% Missionary strength

Republican tradition.png Ivan's Hundred

+0.3 Yearly republican tradition

Merchants.png Control of the Hanseatic Kontor

+1 Merchant
+5% Global trade power

National manpower modifier.png The Grand Duke's Army

+20% National manpower modifier

Navy tradition.png Funding the Ushkuiniks

+1 Yearly navy tradition
+15% Privateer efficiency

Light ship cost.png Baltic Shipyard

−20% Light ship cost

Idea bonus.png Ambition:

+20% Fort defense
For the area, see Novgorod (area).

Novgorod is the trading merchant republic of the Russian peoples. Novgorod was the original capital of the Rus, until it was transferred to Kiev in 882. After the Novgorodian uprising of 1136 against its prince, Vsevolod Mstislavich, a unique form of government, known as "boyar republic" or "merchant republic", was established in the city. The Novgorodian republic gradually expanded north and east, and continued to prosper as a center of trade, mainly in fur. While it was mostly spared the terror of Mongol invasion that befell the rest of Russia between 1223 and 1240, it still had to pay tribute to the Khan. The republic continued to be relatively prosperous, but its sovereignty was being gradually undermined by the more and more powerful Muscovite princes; first by the Treaty of Yazhelbitsy in 1456, then after the disastrous Battle of Shelon in 1471. Novgorod was fully annexed by Moscow in 1478, after Ivan III sent his armies against the city. Novgorod continued to be an important city within the Muscovite and subsequently Russian state until the famine of 1560s and the Massacre of Novgorod in 1570, when Ivan the Terrible slaughtered thousands of inhabitants, ransacked the city, and had its elite killed or deported. From a city that once rivaled Moscow, Novgorod was reduced to a provincial town.


Main article: Novgorodian missions

With Third Rome.png Third Rome Novgorod has an unique set of missions.


Novgorod's unique events are listed in /Europa Universalis IV/events/flavorNOV.txt.

Msg event.pngCivil War in Novgorod

The 14th century witnessed the start of Novgorod's long struggle with Moscow for supremacy. Internecine disputes among the republic's leaders weakened it in the face of growing Muscovite strength. Although it became a vassal of Moscow after the Muscovite invasions in 1456 and 1470, Novgorod was allowed to retain its self-government. It was not until 1478 that it came under Moscow's complete control and lost its freedom. Novgorod retained its commercial position until St. Petersburg was built in 1703.

Trigger conditions
  • Is Flag of Novgorod Novgorod
  • Year is before 1500
  • At least one of:
    • Ruler's diplomatic skill is less than 3
    • Ruler's military skill is less than 3
    • Ruler's administrative skill is less than 3
Mean time to happen
  • 200 months

Event button 547.png
Support Merchant Faction
  • Gain Mercantilism.png +5 mercantilism
  • One random owned province:
    • Noble rebels.png Noble rebels (size 1) rise in revolt
  • Another random owned province:
    • Anti tax rebels.png Peasant rebels (size 1) rise in revolt
Event button 547.png
Support Noble Faction
  • Gain Prestige.png +5 prestige
  • Gain Legitimacy.png +5 legitimacy
  • One random owned province:
Event button 547.png
Support Peasant Faction
  • One random owned province:
    • Gain Tax Base Icon.png +1 base tax
  • One random owned province:
    • Noble rebels.png Noble rebels (size 1) rise in revolt

Upon forming Flag of Russia Russia they will partake in Russian events.


Execute decision.pngForm Russian Nation


Potential requirements
  • Playing with normal or historical nations
  • Was never an end-game tag

The country:

If the country is AI-controlled, then it:


Flag of Russia Russia does not exist

The country:


If is Flag of Novgorod Novgorod:

  • complete missions "Invade Novgorod" and "Conquer Novgorod"

The country:

  • changes to Flag of Russia Russia.
  • gets Empire rank empire government rank.
  • gains Prestige.png25 prestige.
    • Autonomy.png−0.05 monthly autonomy change,
    • National unrest.png+1 national unrest.

If the country:

  • has religion Orthodox
    • then it enacts the Level 1 Government Reform "Tsardom".
    • then all its provinces are removed from the HRE.
  • does not have custom ideas


Early survival[edit]

With no allies and the imminent threat of Muscovite invasion, Novgorod must get as many allies/vassals as it can, and quickly. A Statesman advisor will help a great deal. If none is available, fire the other advisors until a statesman becomes available (Common Sense.png Common Sense DLC is required). The stronger the army, the more likely it is that powerful nations will agree to become an ally. Novgorod can afford to maintain an army up to its force limit. Improving relationships with potential allies helps as well.

Novgorod should choose the same rivals as its potential allies and find allies among the rivals of its enemies. For example, Flag of Poland Poland often rivals the Flag of Teutonic Order Teutonic Order. If Novgorod declares the Teutons as its rival and improves relations with Poland, they might accept an alliance. Also, the Flag of Great Horde Great Horde is a natural enemy of the Muscovites.

While alliances are pursued, Novgorod can scavenge. For example, in the early game Flag of Tver Tver has no allies and can be rivaled. The Muscovites may vassalize Tver before the player has the chance to attack them, though. Also, if the Flag of Livonian Order Livonian Order does not rival Novgorod, it may agree to become an ally. If it is hostile, it will likely ally with the Teutons, and if Poland and Lithuania attack the Teutons, they will weaken the Livonian Order.

Middle game challenges and prospects[edit]

Particularities of any middle game may vary greatly, therefore this chapter examines the most common themes.

Big merchant republic?[edit]

Merchant republics can have a maximum of 20 fully cored (in a state) provinces before a republican tradition penalty applies. While this is not a problem for income, since tax and production for Novgorod is far less important than trade (which suffers less from the 75% Local Autonomy cap), this severely limits manpower and force limit for both army and navy. That makes Novgorod reliant on allies to help expand further.

To solve these issues, Novgorod can try to switch government type. Fastest way to drop republican tradition is to reelect the same ruler and to add all provinces to states. Low republican tradition will fire an event to become a monarchy (if the Res Publica.png Res Publica DLC is active).

Alternatively, Novgorod can form its own trade league from local one province minors such as Flag of Odoyev Odoyev and Flag of Riga Riga (requires Mare Nostrum.png Mare Nostrum DLC). This helps with defense and income, but not with expansion.

Defeating Muscovy[edit]

If Novgorod decides to annex Flag of Muscovy Muscovy and become Russia, it can be done with the help of allies in several wars. In the final war, Novgorod can choose to vassalize Muscovy, which can be useful if other nations have taken land from it. Returning cores produces less aggressive expansion making conquest and unrest not issues. However, Muscovy will have great liberty desire, since it is a historic rival of Novgorod and previous wars have most likely reduced trust between nations.

If Novgorod forms Russia, historic rivalry with Muscovy is removed, and with it the liberty desire.

Forming Russia[edit]

After the defeat of Muscovy and perhaps taking some land from the Flag of Great Horde Great Horde, Novgorod can get all the necessary provinces to form Russia. Apart from listed benefits, Novgorod can choose to keep its trade oriented ideas, or adopt more expansionist standard Russian ideas. This decision will change government type and will not prevent the player from getting the Frozen Assets achievement.

Frozen assets[edit]

To get this achievement, the White Sea trade node must be the most valuable trade node in the world and Novgorod must have at least 90% trade power there. Note that this achievement is triggered based on retained value, not total value - if some trade is diverted away from the White Sea, this can mean the difference between the achievement triggering and not.

The trade capital of Novgorod must be moved to the White Sea trade node, which requires Wealth of Nations.pngWealth of Nations DLC. Before New World and Africa colonization, it is easy to make White Sea trade node the most valuable, especially if Novgorod has gotten trade and plutocratic ideas. Even after colonization, it is still possible, as almost all Asian trade can be forced to flow through the White Sea, but doing this will require the player to conquer huge parts of Asia.

To achieve 90% trade power, Novgorod has to protect trade with a large fleet of light ships and/or increase control in North Sea trade node, usually by taking territories from Norway and Scotland. To increase trade power and force limit, all provinces in the White Sea and North Sea trade nodes should be states (not territories) and have low autonomy. Embargoing competing nations can help too. If the player forms Russia, then England will get an event that gives them +20 trade power in the White Sea until the end of the game. To deal with this, either remain as Novgorod until the achievement is earned, destroy England entirely, or build yet more light ships to keep your trade power high.


Frozen Assets icon
All belongs to Mother Russia icon
Start as a country of Russian culture and form Russia.
Relentless Push East icon

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