tysyatsky

A tysiatskii, alternatively transliterated as tysyatsky (Russian: тысяцкий, IPA: [ˈtɨsʲɪt͡skʲɪj], lit. 'thousandman', pl. тысяцкие, tysiatskie, tysyatskiye) and sometimes translated as dux or herzog, was a military leader in Kievan Rus' and later Russian city-states who commanded a people's volunteer army called a tysyacha (Russian: тысяча, lit. 'thousand'). In the Novgorod Republic, the tysiatskii evolved into a judicial or commercial official and was elected by the boyars at a veche meeting for a period of one year. In cities with no veche, the tysiatskie were appointed by the prince from among the noble boyars and could hand down their post to their sons.