Duma Duma A duma (дума) was a Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. The term comes from the Russian verb думать ("dumat’") meaning "to think" or "to consider". The first formally constituted duma was the State Duma introduced into the Russian Empire by Tsar Nicholas II in 1905. The Tsar dismissed the first duma within 75 days and re-elected second duma within three months. It was dissolved in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. Since 1993, the State Duma is the lower legislative house of the Russian Federation. Historians use the term "Boyar Duma" to denote the council of boyars and
Duma junior boyars collectively within the Russian Tsardom. In 1721 Peter the Great transferred its functions to the Governing Senate. Contemporary sources always refer simply to "the boyars" or to "the duma", but never to the "boyar duma". Originally there were ten to twelve boyars and five or six "paddu". By 1613 the duma had increased to twenty boyars and eight "okol'nichii". Lesser nobles, "duma gentlemen" ("dumnye dvoriane") and secretaries, were added to the duma and the number of "okol'nichii" rose in the latter half of the 17th century. In 1676 the number of boyars increased to 50 - by then