Every Soviet person from childhood knows the names of great ancestors-fighters for the independence of the Motherland. Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy, Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, Alexander Suvorov and Mikhail Kutuzov are written about in all school textbooks on Russian history, books have been created about them, films, works of fine and musical art are dedicated to them, monuments have been erected to them. In the days of severe trials, when the brown plague of German fascism threatened to strike the whole world, the image of our great ancestors called for the struggle for the salvation of the first state in the history of the workers and peasants, for the sake of the future of all mankind. The glorious patriotic traditions of the Russian people helped us at the front and in the rear, gave us strength and confidence in victory.
At first glance, it may seem that this topic has already been studied so much that it is unlikely that there is anything new to say. Due to a certain paucity of sources that have come down to us (at least until the beginning of the XVII century), the prospects for replenishing our knowledge about the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of the Ice, the Battle of Kulikovo and the "Time of Troubles" do not look promising. Of course, it is necessary to make efforts, to look for additional opportunities for concrete and in-depth knowledge of the heroic pages of Russian history, and the discovery of new documents is not excluded. However, it seems that a different approach to the development of the problem of patriotic traditions is also possible on the basis of the already known fund of sources and the actual data contained in them.
Let's think about how we perceive these traditions, how they fit in our minds? It is hardly a mistake to say that from today's perspective, the liberation struggle of the people for the independence of the Motherland appears as a consistent series of vivid, but not always related episodes. The connecting principle is usually our own consciousness. And if we put the question in a different plane: was this connection really historical? For example, what was known about Alexander Nevsky during the Battle of Kulikovo and did they remember his feat? What impact did the Battle of Kulikovo have on the liberation struggle in the future? Whose names of figures of past centuries were on the lips of contemporaries of the foreign intervention of the beginning of the XVII century? And how did the 18th century respond to patriotic traditions? In other words, was there a living connection of times in the memory of the people? Of course, it is only possible to consider these extremely important issues in the framework of an essay only in a sketchy, very general form. In this field, the greatest success has so far been achieved by literary historians, who have created a number of interesting studies on certain aspects of the problem posed, primarily in terms of continuity of subjects and genres of literary works of antiquity. But in general, such a "cross-cutting" excursion into the field of heroic deeds of our ancestors was not undertaken.
And this task is of fundamental importance. Even the experience of partially resolving it can help raise the scientific level of propaganda of the glorious patriotic traditions of the people, laying the foundation for Marxist-Leninist historicism. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Great Victory of the Soviet people over Hitler's Germany, this task is particularly relevant.
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Recall that V. I. Lenin wrote: "Patriotism is one of the deepest feelings, anchored by centuries and millennia of isolated fatherlands" 1 . He also said that it is desirable "to learn from the lessons of history, not to hide from responsibility for them, not to dismiss them" 2 . The leader of the socialist Revolution emphasized that the Russian proletarians are no strangers to a sense of national pride: "We love our language and our homeland, and we are working most of all to raise its working masses (i.e., 9/10 of its population) to a conscious life of democrats and socialists." 3 It was Lenin who saw the living link of times in the fate of Russia when he pointed out that Marxism in our country "is not based on anything other than the facts of Russian history and reality." 4 Education of citizenship, loyalty to the ideals of socialism is directly related to the formation of the worldview of the Soviet person - a patriot and internationalist, the heir and successor of the labor, revolutionary and military traditions of the past.
"Rejoice, our new Alexander..."
For centuries, Russia was forced to defend itself from the onslaught of steppe nomads, whose leaders sought to subjugate the Russian lands to their power. The memory of the struggle against the Pechenegs and Polovtsians was carefully preserved among the people. Even when the destructive tornado of the Mongol-Tatar invasion swept over Russia and the long and painful Horde yoke was established, this was not forgotten. On the contrary, sometimes the Horde was called either Polovtsy or Pechenegs. In the brief chronicle account of the Battle of Kulikovo, the Polovtsians are also named as opponents of the Russian army along with the Tatars .5 The poetic "Zadonshchina" dedicated to the Battle of Kulikovo, as scientists have long noticed, had a direct connection with the masterpiece of Old Russian literature - "The Word about Igor's Regiment". The widespread historical and artistic narrative about the victory at Kulikovo Field - "The Legend of the Mamayev Battle" - also refers to the Horde as Pechenegs .6
One of the most reliable and complete lists of this monument, which was included in the Vologda-Perm Chronicle, begins in a characteristic way: "The story is useful, it is complicated from ancient writing-off" 7 . This indicates a rather early origin of the "Legend", close in time to the Battle of Kulikovo, and that this list is based on some primary sources that have not come down to us ("ancient writing off").
Sources have brought us the atmosphere of the time of the Battle of Kulikovo, the intensity of popular hatred for the oppressors of Russia, which ensured the high morale of Russian soldiers on the battlefield. The fervent desire to free oneself from centuries of oppression, without sparing one's life in the name of it - such sentiments then reigned in cities and villages throughout the Russian land. A decisive confrontation with the age-old enemy was expected long before the Battle of Kulikovo. It was a response to the aspirations and hopes of the Russian people. According to the "Legend", Prince Dmitry Ivanovich before the battle began said that this feat "was coveted in Russia for many days" 8 .
The image of Alexander Nevsky, the hero of the struggle against foreign invasions, rose before the minds of people of that time. Setting forth Dmitry Donskoy's monologue-prayer before the battle, "Legend" mentions along with the biblical heroes Princes Boris and Gleb, Yaroslav the Wise and Alexander Nevsky. "Great-grandfather", Prince Alexander, is repeatedly mentioned in this monument. When the question was being decided whether the Russian army should cross the Don to fight Mamai, the Olgerdovichi reminded Dmitry Ivanovich of Alexander Nevsky: "Alexander, the Neva River is crossed-
1 Lenin V. I. PSS. Vol. 37, p. 190.
2 Ibid., vol. 35, p. 419.
3 Ibid., vol. 26, p. 107.
4 Ibid., vol. 1, p. 411.
5 Tales and stories about the Battle of Kulikovo. L. 1982, p. 14.
6 Kuskov V. V. Retrospective historical analogy in the works of the Kulikovsky cycle. In: Kulikovo Battle in Literature and Art, Moscow, 1980, p. 48-49. 7 PSRL. T. 26 .. Moscow, 1959, p. 125.
8 Ibid., p. 138; cf. ibid., p. 136.
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Shed, defeat the king " 9 . But now the victory was won over the hordes of Mamai on Kulikovo field. Princes and voivodes, having found the wounded Dmitry Ivanovich, turn to him with the words: "Rejoice, O our all-suffering prince, the second Alexander and Yaroslav the new, the victor of our enemy" 10 . In one illustrated ("front") copy of the "Legend", these words are transmitted to the tag: "Hail, our prince, you are the first Yaroslav, the new Alexander, the winner of the enemy" 11 .
There is another place in this source, again connected with the name of Alexander Nevsky. After the defeat of Mamai's army, according to custom, Dmitry Donskoy thanks the heavenly powers for the victory and at the same time mentions Alexander Nevsky, who defeated "the boastful Roman King Magnus" 12 . And in Kiprianov's edition of "Skazaniya", in addition to the three cases of reference to the name of Alexander Nevsky already mentioned, there is also such an episode. During the entry of the victorious army of Dmitry Ivanovich into Moscow, the metropolitan meets the prince with a speech in which there are such words addressed to him: "Glorious Vladimir, wonderful Yaroslav, chudyaya Alexander" 13 .
By the way, numerous Russian chronicles contain a very interesting document called "The Manuscript of Magnus, King of Svejskago". It's like a testament to posterity, and it's a significant one. Magnus Erikson (real face) recalls the repeated attempts of the Swedish rulers to invade Russian borders. All these wars ended sadly for the Swedish side. Prince Alexander Yaroslavich defeated Birger on the Neva and Izhora; his son Andrey Alexandrovich also defeated the Swedes; Magnus himself was beaten by the Novgorodians. At the beginning and conclusion of the document, Magnus calls for the Swedes to never again dare to step on Russian soil, "and whoever steps on that fire and water". Of course, there is hardly any reason to consider this work as an authentic document of the Swedish king. But this literary work as an independent one was widely used in the then Russian society, being a reflection of real historical events. Its appearance is associated with Novgorod, which, along with Pskov, stood guard over the northern and north-western borders of Russia. The "manuscript" was also included in numerous lists of "Chronographs" - a kind of guide to universal history, readily read works of that era .15
While telling a story about the era of the Battle of Kulikovo, we will mention one more fact directly related to our topic. It turns out that it was in 1380-1381 that the church authorities "declared the relics" of Prince Alexander Nevsky in Vladimir. Communion of the victorious prince to the face of saints, as we see, coincided in time with the year of the Battle of Kulikovo. This can hardly be considered a mere randomness 16 . Although laced with religious dogma, The Life of Alexander Nevsky has become one of the most widely read works of medieval Russian literature. In science, there is an opinion that the biography of Alexander Nevsky originally appeared in secular circles of society. It described in detail the exploits of the prince and his comrades-in-arms on the Neva River and on the ice of Lake Peipsi. It was only later that this legend was reworked in the spirit of the "life": many "civil" motives were excluded from it, religious material was added, and over time the volume of the latter increased 17 . The validity of this opinion is confirmed by the fact that in the Pskov summer-
9 Ibid., vol. 1, Moscow, 1962, p. 480. According to another version: "Alexander, the river pere shed, defeat the King of Svei" (PSRL. t. 26. p. 136).
10 PSRL. T. 26, p. 143. .
11 The tale of the Battle of Mamai. Facial manuscript of the XVII century from the collection of the State Historical Museum, Moscow, 1980, p. 81ob.
12 PSRL. Vol. 26, p. 139.
13 Tales and stories about the Battle of Kulikovo, p. 70.
14 PSRL. Vol. 26, pp. 115-116; see also: Shaskolsky I. P. Bor'ba Rus ' protiv krestonosnoy aggressii na beregah Baltiki v XII-XIII vv. L. 1978, pp. 172-176.
15 Description of the Chronograph lists of the 1512 edition, stored in the GBL. M. 1983 p. 123.
16 Grekov I. B. Vostochnaya Evropa i upadok Zolotoy Hordy [Eastern Europe and the Decline of the Golden Horde]. Moscow, 1976, p. 323.
17 Budovnits I. U. Sotsial'no-politicheskaya mysl Drevnoi Rus ' [Social and political thought of Ancient Russia]. Moscow, 1960, pp. 308-310 et al.
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It contains "A story about the life and bravery of the faithful and Grand Duke Alexander" 18 .
The religious ideology of that era left its mark on the interpretation of the personality of Dmitry Donskoy. In the princely environment, the name Dmitry has long been popular - in honor of Dmitry of Solunsky, according to the church history of the ascetic, canonized as a saint/Therefore, it is natural that it was in 1380 that the icon of Dmitry Solunsky was moved from Vladimir to Moscow. The " Spiritual verse about Dmitry Solunsky "(heavenly patron of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich) tells about the victory over Mamai, attributing the outcome of the battle to unearthly forces. Later, after the Battle of Kulikovo, the name Dmitry became even more important in the Moscow Grand Ducal (later royal) house. It was usually assigned to the first-born 19 . In many lists, the "Word about the life and Death" of Dmitry Donskoy was distributed.
Synodics (pomyanniki), known from the end of the XIV and from the XV centuries, had a certain significance for consolidating the memory of those who fell in the battles of Vozhe and Kulikovo Field. First of all, they gave the names of a few princes, voivodes and boyars, " but behind them were thousands and thousands of nameless heroes from the thick of the people, who won the victory. Churches were built in Moscow, Novgorod and other places in honor of the Kulikovo Field fighters. As is known, in 1382 Russia was invaded by Tokhtamysh. The enemy treacherously captured Moscow and mercilessly exterminated its population. From those times, a legend remained among the people, according to which several hundred women from neighboring villages fought with the Horde for three days on the outskirts of Moscow, building fortifications made of wood and earth. This fact is captured in the name of the locality "Babi Gorodok" 20 .
An in-depth study of the sources reveals some new facets of the problem of how the Battle of Kulikovo was reflected in the minds of contemporaries and subsequent generations of Russian people. This story deserves special consideration. In 1792, one of the first travel guides to Moscow was published, prepared by Lev Maksimovich. The full title of the book accurately conveys its character and content: "A guide to the antiquities and memorabilia of Moscow, guiding the curious through the four parts of the Russian capital to the dee-mesto-descriptive knowledge of all noteworthy places and buildings, such as cathedrals, monasteries, churches, public and private institutions, both old and new, with a detailed description of the history of the city. inscriptions and from other reliable sources collected, and for the most convenient search for them in alphabet painting multiplied."
This book can be considered as the earliest publication of various inscriptions that were found on the walls of buildings, tombs, cannons, bells, vessels, books. And getting acquainted with some of the inscriptions reproduced in the first part of the guidebook, which describes the sights of the Kremlin, opens up a lot of interesting and even unexpected things. In this case, I would like to draw attention to those ancient texts that date back to the end of the XIV - first third of the XV century and are associated with the memory of the Battle of Kulikovo 21 . In the guidebook, when describing the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel (Archangel), inscriptions are given on the tombs of persons of the Grand ducal family. In this cathedral lies the ashes of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. The text on the tomb calls it Donskoy. Everything is clear here. However, few people know that the contemporaries of the Battle of Kulikovo and their closest descendants assigned this nickname not only to Dmitry Ivanovich. His associate, Serpukhov Prince Vladimir Andreevich, the same one who, together with Dmitry Bobrok, led the ambush Russian regiment at the decisive hour of the battle, also bore the honorary nickname of Donskoy. This is evidenced by the inscription published in the guidebook.: "In the summer of August 6918 (1410), on the 12th day, the blessed Prince Vladimir Andreevich Donskoy passed away."
18 Limonov Yu. A. Kul'turnye svyazi Rossii s evropeiskimi stranami v XV - XVII vekakh [Cultural relations of Russia with European countries in the XV-XVII centuries].
19 Pushkarev L. N. On the question of the reflection of the Battle of Kulikovo in Russian folklore. In: Kulikovo Battle, Collection of Articles, Moscow, 1980, p. 271.
20 Tatishchev V. N. Izbrannye sozdaniya [Selected works], L. 1979, p. 173.
21 Preobrazhensky A. Echo of the Kulikovo Battle. Nauka i zhizn, 1982, N 7. pp. 116-117.
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So, Dmitry Ivanovich and Vladimir Andreevich share a common nickname. From the point of view of not only people of that era, but also historians, this does not contradict the recognition of the merits of both commanders who shared the glory of the Kulikovo victory. The Serpukhov prince, who survived his cousin by 21 years, received the name Brave in subsequent historiography. For history, only Dmitry Ivanovich remained Donskoy. And this is not surprising. After all, nicknames are essentially individual. Without detracting from the merits of their ancestors, time and history have made a kind of selection in the nicknames of princes. The chronicle tradition, or rather, the national memory, turned out to be more resilient. It is in it that Dmitry Donskoy is depicted. Epigraphic monuments in this respect could hardly compete with the chronicles.
We will continue to get acquainted with other memorial texts of the guide. "In the summer of July 6940 (1432), on the 10th day," we read another inscription, " the noble Prince Andrey Dmitrievich Donskoy will pass away." And the following text tells about the death of Prince Peter Dmitrievich Donskoy on August 10, 6936 (1428). Two more Princes of the Don! Who are they? Among the participants of the Battle of Kulikovo, they were not, and could not be: they were born after 1380. Here are the youngest sons of Dmitry Donskoy, who inherited the proud name of their father. The eldest son, Vasily, after the death of the Grand Duke in 1389, took the Moscow throne. However, in the memorial inscription it is not called Donskoy. But in the genealogical books, the protographs of which, according to M. E. Bychkova, go back to the 40s of the XVI century, we read: "Dmitry Minich was a boyar of Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich Donskovo." This refers to one of the representatives of the genus "Sofronovskih yes Proestevyh". When listing persons of the Field family, Alexander Borisovich Pole is in the first place, it is said about him: "There was a boyar at the Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich Donskovo" 22 .
In the genealogical books there is data on other prominent participants of the Battle of Kulikovo, who fell on the field of glory. This is Lev Morozov ("was in the advanced regiment of the voivode"), Mikula Vasilyevich 23 . Mentions this source and other military leaders on that memorable day for Russia. About the brothers-Princes Dmitry and Vladimir, natives of Smolensk, it is said that they "were voivodes of the Grand Duke Dmitry in the advanced regiment on the Don." It is said of Prince Yuri Fyodorovich Meshchersky that he "came to the Don to Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich) from Meshchera with his regiment." 24
But genealogical books are not the only source in which Dmitry Ivanovich's son, Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich, inherits not only the throne, but also the naming of his father. A recently published chronicler of the late sixteenth century, whose author was the nobleman M. A. Bezdnin, who was no stranger to literary work, provides additional information on this subject. So, under 1370-1371, it was noted: "Prince Vasili Dmitrievich Donskoy was born." Then repeatedly this prince is called Donskoy: in connection with his marriage, in the year of Timur's invasion of Russia, and also at the mention of the transportation of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God to Moscow 25 .
Let us return, however, to the Moscow guidebook of the late eighteenth century and follow its other references. On October 7, 6931 (1422), the inscription on the death of Prince Ivan Vladimirovich Donskoy is dated, on November 5, 6934 (1425) - Prince Andrey Vladimirovich Donskoy, and under August 16, 6934 (1426), a similar text refers to Prince Afanasy Vladimirovich Donskoy. Here, no doubt, we are referring to the children of Serpukhov Prince Vladimir Andreevich Donskoy-the Brave. Thus, the halo of the hero Kulikov field overshadowed the sons of this glorious commander. The children of Dmitry Donskoy and his cousin did not mention anything special about their life path. The annals tell us little about them. But all the more remarkable is the fact that these representatives of the princely dynasty were given the nickname of the Donskys. The significance of the Battle of Kulikovo was so great that for a long time-
22 Rare sources on the history of Russia, Part 2, Moscow, 1977, p. 179, 181 (cf. ibid., p. 67).
23 Ibid., pp. 63, 65.
24 Ibid., pp. 139, 168.
25 Koretsky V. I. Bezdninsky letopisets kontsa XVI v. iz sobranie S. O. Dolgov [Bezdninsky Chronicler of the late 16th century from the collection of S. O. Dolgov]. In: Notes of the Department of Manuscripts of the GBL, Issue 38, Moscow, 1977, pp. 204-205.
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for a long time, the Scientific Research Institute and its descendants had enough of the glory of their fathers, and the tradition of individual nicknames turned out to be broken for some time. The names of Vladimir Andreevich Donskoy, as well as Ivan and Afanasy Vladimirovich Donskoy are inscribed, in addition to tombstones, on the walls of the Archangel Cathedral. And, finally, the non-random nature of the application of the name Donskoy to the named princes is confirmed by another important circumstance. It turns out that among the women of the Moscow grand ducal house there was a nickname Donskoy. So, in the guidebook, the name of "Grand Duchess Maria, nee Princess Donskoy, wife of Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich Dark" appears.
It is hardly possible to assume that the prevalence of the nickname of the Princes of the Don (in addition to Dmitry Ivanovich) for a certain period of time was the work of those who later reworked ancient tombs. The matter was too delicate to take any liberties with the original inscriptions. And why would descendants, centuries later, attribute the names of the Donskys to a whole group of princes of the XIV-early XV century? More likely is the assumption that in the later alterations of the princely tombs, ancient texts were reproduced, especially in the names of princes. For the first time, epigraphic sources introduced into scientific circulation by the old Moscow guidebook help us to better understand and appreciate the greatness of the feat of the Russian people performed on the Kulikov field in the struggle for the independence of their Homeland, a feat that is vividly imprinted in the memory of contemporaries and descendants.
The Battle of Kulikovo marked the most important milestone in Russian history in the people's liberation struggle against foreign domination. The very fact of a successful confrontation with the Horde, despite the subsequent devastating invasion of Tokhtamysh, had a huge impact on the people of that era. It was reflected in the behavior and worldview of the next generations. There was an extremely important ideological and psychological change in the life of the people, which found expression in various manifestations of political and cultural history. In other words, the Russian people understood the irreversibility of the events that were taking place, and found faith in the final victory over the eternal enemy.
The role of Moscow as a recognized center for the unification of Russian lands increased, which accelerated the process of forming a Russian centralized state. Having passed through a quarter-century period of internecine feudal war in the middle of the XV century, Russia did not lose heart and was ready to continue the struggle for liberation from Horde rule. Even the shameful and tragic page of history associated with the defeat and capture of Grand Duke Vasily the Dark near Suzdal by the Horde could not change the course of events.
The impact of the Battle of Kulikovo on the cultural development and social thought of Russia was enormous. The entire 15th century passed under the sign of this great event, bringing the hour of the final elimination of its dependence on the Horde closer. The genius of Andrey Rublev, the works of Epiphanius the Wise grew on the basis of the spiritual ascent of that time. Scientists noticed a characteristic phenomenon of that era-an energetic and fruitful work on updating the Russian written tradition. The activity of scribes, translators, and writers has never been seen before. As Academician D. S. Likhachev emphasized, "they seem to be trying to replace with a new writing system all the old ones, which seemed to have ceased to meet the new requirements." 26
In 1480, Russia was again in grave danger. The Horde Khan Akhmat, in alliance with the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King Casimir of Poland, set out on a campaign to establish the shattered rule of the conquerors over the Russian land. The mood of the masses of the people at that time is well conveyed by the chronicler, who notes the determination to resist the Khan's army with all his might and achieve liberation from the hated yoke. A peculiar expression of these popular aspirations were the messages of the Rostov Archbishop Vassian to Ivan III. Referring to the Grand Duke's entourage, who urged him not to join the fight and surrender to the mercy of Akhmat, Vassian wrote:: "What do they advise you, these flatterers with false names?.. They advise you to quit
26 Likhachev D. S. Kul'tura Rusi vremeni Andreya Rublev i Epifanii Premudrogo [Culture of Russia in the time of Andrey Rublev and Epiphanius the Wise]. Moscow, 1982, p. 34.
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shields and, without resisting in the least,.. to betray Christianity, our fatherland " 27 . "Go out to meet the godless language of Hagar, "Vassian continued," and be jealous of your grandparents, the grand dukes who not only defended the Russian land from the filthy ones, but also took other countries under their control: I'm talking about Igor, Svyatoslav, Vladimir, who took tribute from the Greek tsars, Vladimir Monomakh, who fought with the accursed Polovtsians for the Russian land. Earth, and many others that you know better than I do. And the praiseworthy Grand Duke Dimitri, your ancestor, what courage and bravery he showed behind the Don over the same damned syro-eaters! He himself fought in advance, did not spare his belly for the Christian deliverance, was not afraid... For this reason, Demetrius is still praised and is famous not only by people, but also by God. So be jealous of your ancestor. " 28
One hundred years after the Battle of Kulikovo, the Horde yoke was overthrown. And the memory of the fighters for the independence of the Motherland then again became an ideological weapon in the confrontation with the age-old oppressor of Russia. Documents of that time were widely distributed, included as components in the historical works of the Middle Ages. Telling about the most important events of world history, they were reflected in various editions of chronographs 29 . Moreover, there is reason to say that in 1480 contemporaries celebrated the centenary of the Battle of Kulikovo. Of course, we are not talking about any official celebration. Nevertheless, there is evidence that a well-known book-writer of the late 15th century, Efrosin, from the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery, compiled a collection of literary works, which included the text "Zadonshchiny". This collection was dedicated to the anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. Here is what Efrosin wrote on one of the pages of the manuscript: "In the summer of 6888 (1380) September 8 on Wednesday there was a battle for the Don. In the summer of 698-September 8 (1480), 8 ino passed away about 100 years." Rewriting "Zadonshchyna" in his collection, Efrosin seemed to remember those who died on the Kulikovo field. And in other texts, the scribe noted how many years before this or that event passed after the famous battle of 30 .
The fall of the Horde yoke elevated the role of the Russian state and served as a new incentive for the development of the national identity of the people. It is clear that the celebration that seems to spill out on the reader of chronicle narratives and on the viewer of the majestic creations of architecture and painting of the late XV - early XVI century. The author of the famous epistles to Ivan III, Vassian, managed to capture the feat of Russian soldiers on the Ugra River with inspired words of parting words for the future before his imminent death: "O brave courage of the sons of Rustia! Podschitesya protect your fatherland, the Russian land, from the filthy, do not spare your heads " 31 .
As the years passed, the Russian centralized state with its capital in Moscow grew stronger. But neither did his enemies. Ivan IV's struggle for access to the Baltic Sea coast for the sake of trade and cultural ties with the countries of Western Europe caused a difficult and long-term Livonian War against a coalition of neighboring states (1558-1583). In the midst of this struggle, Prince Andrey Kurbsky moved to the enemy camp. A correspondence ensued between the tsar and the traitorous prince, in which each side justified its rightness, sometimes resorting to examples from history. Ivan the Terrible's argument is interesting in this regard. In the first epistle of the tsar to Kurbsky, we meet lines mentioning "the brave great sovereign Alexander Nevsky, who showed a great victory over the godless Germans, and the praises of the worthy great sovereign Dimitri, who showed a great victory over the godless Hagarans over the Don" 32 .
27 Cit. in: S. M. Soloviev, History of Russia since ancient times. Book III. Moscow, 1960, p. 80.
28 Ibid.
29 Description of the Chronograph lists of the 1512 edition, p. 124.
30 Dmitriev L. A. Literaturnaya istoriya pamyatnikov Kulikovskogo, tsikla [Literary history of monuments of Kulikovo]. In: Tales and Stories about the Battle of Kulikovo, p. 308. As the author notes, D. S. Likhachev drew attention to this for the first time.
31 Zonova O. V. Early frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin as a monument of Russian culture in the 80s of the XV century. In: Kulikovo Battle in the History and Culture of our Motherland (Materials of the jubilee scientific conference), Moscow, 1983, p. 182.
32 Correspondence of Ivan the Terrible with Andrey Kurbsky, L. 1979, p. 12, 53; cf. ibid., p. 62.
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In the second half of the XVI century, a grandiose work was carried out to compile an illustrated history of Russia - the so-called Facial Chronicle Code. On its pages are captured pictures of the Battle of Kulikovo and the "standing on the Ugra" in 1480. Almost 200 miniatures are dedicated to the Battle of Kulikovo and its various episodes 33 . Of course, this work was known to a narrow circle of people. Metropolitan Makarii's impressive ecclesiastical and literary undertaking, the Great Minaios of Chetyas, a collection of hagiographic works arranged by month of the year, has acquired much wider significance. This included the" Life " of Alexander Nevsky, which contributed to the further dissemination of this monument among the literate strata of society. Well-known publicist of the mid-16th century. Ivan Peresvetov in his writings turned to the memory of the legendary Peresvet and Oslyabi, who "at the Don battle under Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich... for the honor of the sovereign suffered and put their own heads " 34 .
The era of Ivan the Terrible is also characterized by other, even more direct appeals to the memory of ancestors, among which a special place was given to Dmitry Donskoy. Starting his famous campaign against Kazan, the tsar visited Vladimir, the shrine of Alexander Nevsky and Kolomna, where, imitating Dmitry Donskoy, he prayed before the image that his glorious ancestor bowed to on the way to Kulikovo Field. This emphasized the continuity of the struggle. So it was perceived by contemporaries. On the banner of Ivan IV with the image of the Savior, they placed "the life-giving cross, who is be... at the house of the much-vaunted Grand Duke Dmitry on the Don." Approaching Kazan, the tsar ordered " rozverteti "(i.e. expand) this commemorative banner in front of the army 35 . The victorious return of Ivan the Terrible from the campaign against Kazan was marked by a solemn meeting in Moscow, during which Metropolitan Makarii delivers a speech. In it, the tsar and his deeds are compared with the deeds of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy.
In accordance with the customs of the era, the victory over the Kazan Khanate was symbolically depicted on the icon "Blessed is the army of the Heavenly King"created at that time. Here Dmitry Donskoy leads the first group of soldiers. Since both the Battle of Kulikovo and the capture of Kazan coincided with major church holidays (in the first case - the Nativity of the Virgin, in the second-the intercession of the Virgin), the cult of the Virgin and the iconography that goes back to it gain special significance and popularity. With the icon of the Mother of God of the Don, taken from Kolomna to Moscow, Ivan IV sets out for the Polotsk campaign. At the same time, sources note that "the miraculous image"," the invincible voivode "was on Kulikovo Field," when Prince Dmitry the great defeated the godless Mamai on the Don " 36 .
The name of the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo was given to the son of Grozny, who was born during the Kazan campaign. The tsar ordered the birth of the heir to be announced "to the entire region of his great kingdom of Russia", and with a direct indication that the first-born child was named Dmitry in honor of "Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich, who won a great victory and defeated the godless Mamai beyond the Don" 37 . Ivan the Terrible's successor, Tsar Fyodor, also recalled the "miraculous image" associated with the Kulikovo victory, when the Crimean hordes of Kaza Giray approached Moscow. The memorial icon was surrounded around the walls of the capital during the procession, and then placed in a canvas church built in the camp of Russian soldiers 38 . Relics of the past, reminiscent of the centuries-old struggle of Russia with the Horde, were a kind of ideological weapon designed to inspire the Russian people to confront external enemies.
During the time of Grozny, the warrior princes for the Russian land were remembered not only in the ruling circles and church circles. In the 80s of the 16th century, about 400 people were interviewed in the course of a single land dispute.-
33 The tale of the Battle of Kulikovo. From the Facial Chronicle code of the XVI century L. 1980.
34 Works of I. Peresvetov, Moscow, 1956, pp. 171, 200-201.
35 PSRL. Vol. 12. SPb. 1901, p. 230; Klose B. M. Nikonovsky svod i russkiye letopisi XVI-XVII vekov. Moscow 1980, p. 261; Shchennikova L. A. K voprosu o proiskhozhdenii drevnego ikonostasa Blagoveshchenskogo sobor Moskovskogo Kremlya [The Nikon Code and Russian Chronicles of the XVI-XVII centuries]. In: Kulikovo Battle in the History and Culture of our Motherland, p. 192.
36 Shchennikova L. A. Uk. soch., p. 193.
37 PSRL. Vol. 19. SPb. 1903, pp. 473-474.
38 See PSRL, vol. 14, Moscow, 1965, p. 12.
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Galich salt and peasants of the district. Recalling long-ago times, they unanimously named the name of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, accompanied by the nickname - Donskoy 39 . This means that this name was firmly preserved in the people's memory.
"Life teacher"
The beginning of the 17th century was marked not only by the first Peasant War in Russia, but also by internal political turmoil, a fierce struggle for power, and the intervention of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, which led from the hidden intervention of the False Dmitrievs to the open seizure of Russian lands in the north and west. It seemed that in this "Time of Troubles", when every day was filled with such burning, stormy, rapidly changing events, few people thought of remembering their ancestors. Nevertheless, the facts of appeal to the images of heroes of national history are known for these years. Describing the events of that era, Avraamiy Palitsyn, cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, author of the famous "Legend", appeals to the memory of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy, although his words are shrouded in religious motives .40
In order to influence the broad strata of society in the spirit of supporting Vasily Shuisky, who was elected to the kingdom by the boyar elite, the widow of Ivan IV, the nun-queen Marfa Feodorovna, in a letter on May 21, 1606, pointed out that the new tsar was "from the root of the great sovereigns of Russia, from the great sovereign Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky." It was punished to read the letter in front of all people, including "black" 41 . The appeal to the authority of Alexander Nevsky is symptomatic here. Depicting the events of the "Time of Troubles", one of the literary monuments ("Kazan Legend") also refers to the personality of Alexander Nevsky 42 .
Even more characteristic is another circumstance connected with the idea of liberating the country at a critical moment when Moscow was captured by the interventionists. In 1611, residents of Kazan and the Kazan region sent to the Urals, in "Perm the Great", a letter on behalf of "all the people of the Kazan state" with a call for unity of action against the interventionists who seized the capital of the country. This call came from Russians, Tatars, Chuvash, Mari, and Udmurts .43 In the district charter of D. M. Pozharsky from June 1612, the call to fight the enemy sounded like this: "Remembering... your fatherland " 44 . The slogan of protecting the Christian faith from abuse by the invaders cannot hide the real, vital basis-the struggle of the country's diverse population for the preservation of a united and independent Russian state. This letter also reflected the indissoluble connection of times when it spoke about the intentions of the interventionists to "make our land empty and immemorial." 45
Russia withstood a heavy test-the interventionists were expelled, statehood was preserved. The rise of the national liberation struggle at the beginning of the XVII century strengthened the patriotic traditions of the people, opening a new page for them. The theme of protecting the Fatherland from foreign invasions is being further developed. People do not forget the heroes of the past days. In the 17th century, lists of ancient Russian works associated with the names of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy were widely distributed. "Life" of Alexander Nevsky, chronicle stories about him were passed down from generation to generation. "The Tale of Mamayev's Battle" was no less popular. It was listed in numerous lists, as can be seen from the hundreds of surviving manuscripts.
It is also noteworthy that the books published by the Printing House in Moscow for edifying reading ("prologues"), which have gone through several editions, describe the exploits of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy. 46 In later editions of " pro-
39 AAE. Vol. II. SPb. 1836, N 85, p. 178.
40 The Legend of Avraamiy Palitsyn, Moscow, 1955, pp. 115, 202.
41 Monuments to the history of the Time of Troubles, Moscow, 1909, p. 21.
42 Tikhomirov M. N. Klassovaya borba v Rossii XVII v. [Class struggle in Russia of the 17th century]. Moscow, 1969, p. 230.
43 Monuments to the History of the Time of Troubles, pp. 80-81.
44 Ibid., pp. 97-101.
45 Ibid., p. 100.
46 Eleonskaya A. S. The theme of the struggle against the Horde Yoke in the Old Printed Prologue. In: Kulikovo Battle in Literature and Art, pp. 101-114.
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logov", published in the second half of the XVII century, introduced stories about the deliverance of Russia from external enemies at the beginning of the XVII century 47 . The presence of" prologues " and collections in the volost libraries attached to the churches of the Russian North of the 17th century clearly demonstrates the constant interest of the peasant population in sources of knowledge that to a certain extent go beyond the usual liturgical literature .48 The desire for secular knowledge, including the history of the native country, was becoming increasingly important. Despite all the difficulties in determining the circle of readers of that era (in terms of social), the scant data of sources leave no doubt that it included representatives of all strata of society at that time. Data on the sale of books from the shop of the Printing Yard in the middle of the XVII century say that its services were used not only by service people and churchmen, but also by townspeople, peasants and household servants. A significant part of the copies of books were bought by visitors from different parts of the state (up to 100 items). This indicates the nationwide scale of demand for the products of the Printing Yard 49 .
Among the works of the XVII century, which reflected the events of the XIII-XIV centuries and the struggle against foreign invaders, the then widespread "Tale of the Beginning of Moscow" attracts attention. The monument mentions Alexander Nevsky and reports on his courageous behavior in the Horde before Batu (an episode undoubtedly borrowed from the"Life"). Moving on to the time of Dmitry Donskoy, the Story briefly describes the course of events before the Battle of Kulikovo and describes the battle itself .50 And in one version of this work, the restoration of Moscow after the pogrom of its hordes of Batu is attributed to Alexander Nevsky .51 Civil in its orientation, the work of the XVII century was the "Synopsis" by I. Gizel. In this book, which has long been a textbook, the theme of the struggle of Russia with foreign invasions occupies a large place. Here, in particular, monuments of the Kulikovo cycle are used. "Synopsis" was repeatedly published in the late XVII-XVIII centuries. and sometimes reached the ordinary reader.
An interesting historical legend tells about the dispute between Bohdan Khmelnitsky and the Crimean Khan. The latter, during the meeting, reprimanded the hetman: "Why did you give in to Moscow?" Khmelnitsky gave the interlocutor a strong rebuke, denouncing the aggressiveness, treachery and greed of his recent Crimean allies in the fight against Poland. He accused them of plotting "his Khmelnitsky with the Ukraine, Paki to subdue the Lyakhs and fight Moscow with the Lyakhs in order to ruin that Moscow God-fortified kingdom and to search for Astrakhan and other panstvos." In the dispute, historical arguments were used, which cannot be ignored. "Especially when the khan was trying to frighten Khmelnitsky," says the legend, " he began to remember the former Tatar and Batu lands, not only the Russian and Polish lands, but also the Hungarian, Moravian and German lands." The hetman did not remain in debt, objecting to this: "Already many of those Tatars will not give him, the khan, help, for they themselves are under the Russian region; so it is that Batu gained, but Mamai lost everything." Returning to contemporary events, Khmelnitsky confirmed his loyalty to Russia, sarcastically remarking: "The Khan, attracted by the name, for a hundred thousand gold pieces sent by the king (Polish. - AP), goes in vain to fight the Great Russians and Cossacks" 52 .
Prepared in the second half of the 17th century, the work of the diplomat and writer N. Spafarii "Vasiliologion" introduced the circle of biographies of the great commanders of all times and peoples Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy .53 A unknown author
47 Derzhavina O. D. Printed Prologue of the 17th century In: Srednevekovaya Rus', Moscow, 1976, p. 127.
48 Kopanev A. I. Volost'nye krestyanskie biblioteki XVI-XVII vv [Volost peasant libraries of the XVI-XVII centuries], In: Russkie biblioteki i ikh chitatel ' [Russian Libraries and their readers], l. 1983, pp. 66-67.
49 Luppov S. P. Studying the history of libraries and the nature of readers ' requests from various strata of society as one of the important tasks facing researchers in the field of cultural history. - Ibid., pp. 32-34.
50 Stories about the beginning of Moscow, Moscow, 1964, pp. 183, 186.
51 Ibid., p. 192.
52 Brief description of Little Russia. In: Chronicle of a Self-seer based on newly discovered lists with the appendix of three Little Russian Chronicles. Kiev, 1887, pp. 244-245.
53 Pushkarev L. N. Socio-political thought of Russia. The second half of the XVII century. Moscow, 1982, p. 188.
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In the middle of the 17th century, he wrote about history as "a witness of all ages, a light of truth, a teacher of life", condemning the inattention of foreign writers to the past of Russia. He emphasized the time of Alexander Nevsky's reign .54
The historical theme during the Crimean wars of the Russian troops of 1687-1689 was topical and acute. This is what "Slovo... to the Russian army", delivered by the church leader I. S. Rimsky-Korsakov before the warriors gathered on a long journey. The speaker compiled his "Word" on the basis of religious texts and "from royal chroniclers". Calling for a courageous struggle against the Crimean Khanate, he spoke about the centuries - old confrontation between Russia and the Horde, recalled the victory of Dmitry Donskoy over Mamai, the conquest of the Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian khanates. Rimsky-Korsakov did not fail to recall Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the knights ("fierce Germans"), and they "pushed the plash, run away" from the battlefield 55 .
In far-off Siberia, the nugget scientist S. U. Remezov wrote his remarkable historical and geographical works. Using chronograph data, he placed in his" History of Siberia " information about the Battle of Kulikovo, considering the destruction of the Siberian Khanate as a continuation of the struggle of Russia with the conquerors .56
Compiled at the end of the 17th century, the Nizhny Novgorod Chronicler accurately recorded the rulers of the uyezd-voivodes by the years of their stay in power. Among the most notable events under 1612 is recorded: "Prince Dmitri Mikhailovich Pozharsky has come... Nizhny Novgorod residents, people of all sorts of ranks, chose a resident of Nizhny Novgorod, a good man of the town, Kuzma Minin ... and... we gathered a lot of military people... from Nizhnyago they went to Moscow to purify Moskovsky. " 57 Minin's role was well understood by the townspeople from whom he came. One of the Pskov novels of the early 17th century explicitly stated that" someone from ordinary people " Minin collected a lot of money, hired military men and transferred them to the command of the book. Pozharsky 58 . In the" approved " charter of the Zemsky Sobor of 1613, sent out on the occasion of the election of Mikhail Romanov to the kingdom, a peculiar historical reference was given. It spoke, in particular, about Alexander Nevsky, "who won a glorious victory over the Germans", as well as about Dmitry Donskoy ," who defeated the godless Mamai on the Don". Although the drafters of the charter tried in every possible way to magnify the role of feudal lords in ridding Russia of interventionists in the early seventeenth century, they were forced to mention a representative of the masses - "an elected person from the entire Moscow state, Kuzma Minin" 59 .
Written at the end of the 17th century, the essay "Scythian History" contained a lot of information about the struggle of Russia and other Slavic peoples against the aggression of the Ottoman Empire and the Mongol-Tatar khanates. Referring to the times of Batu, the author noted that the Russian people then "wanted to defend their beloved fatherland." Lyzlov describes the Battle of Kulikovo, "standing on the Ugra", and speaks in detail about the struggle with the Kazan and Crimean Khanates. This work also sounded topical, and its numerous lists went around the country, read by people of different social status .60 There is a question about the awareness of people of different ranks in history, their interest in the events of the past, described in chronicles and other works. Part of the answer to this question can be found in the study of the owner's inscriptions on books and manuscripts. Thus, the illustrated manuscript "Tales of the Battle of Mamaev", performed in the middle of the XVII century, has the following entry:: "This book, glagoleman Mamaevo battle, belozerets posadsky man Merkur Ivanov son Ogvazdin and his children Andriyan and Andriy. I, Andreyan, signed it by hand on May 1, 1742."
54 Alpatov M. A. Russkaya istoricheskaya mysl i Zapadnaya Evropa XII-KHUPVV [Russian Historical Thought and Western Europe of the 12th-19th centuries]. Moscow, 1973, p. 388.
55 Monuments of socio-political thought in Russia at the end of the XVII century. Literary Panegyrics, Moscow, 1983, pp. 142-144, 155.
56 Goldenberg L. A. Semyon Ulyanovsk Remezov, Moscow, 1965, p. 131.
57 Nizhny Novgorod in the 17th century. Sat. doc. Gorky, 1961, p. 293.
58 Tikhomirov M. N. Uk. soch., p. 17.
59 CHOIDR, 1906, book III, ed. I, pp. 24-25, 41.
60 Chistyakova E. V. "Scythian history" by A. I. Lyzlov and questions of Oriental studies. In: Essays on the History of Russian Oriental Studies. Sb. VI. Moscow, 1963, pp. 42-44 and others.
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Then this book passed into the hands of the seminarian PI Mironositsky 61 . Among the owners and readers of the chronicles, there are peasants, philistines, and soldiers .62 On the book "Prologue" of the 1642 edition, an entry has been preserved: "This Prologue of the Velikoretsky dues camp of the Pogorelsky volost of the peasant Aristarkh Krutikov. He wrote with his own hand." Another "Prologue", published a century and a half later, belonged to the peasant Semyon Karavaev. The peasant Ivan Alekseev, judging by his own handwritten entry on the book, had a "Synopsis". Among the townspeople and merchants, there were also chronographs 63 . Recently published records of a poor landowner A. K. Glazaty for 1682-1684 indicate that their author was familiar with some information about the Battle of Kulikovo, possibly of chronicle origin or drawn from the "Legend of the Mamayev Battle". Among the everyday contents of records about economic affairs (sowing, harvests, consumption of bread, etc.) suddenly appear such phrases: "About notifying Grand Duke Dimitri that the unholy Mamai is going to war against Russia. The great Prince Dimitri Ivanovich of Moscow, hearing that the godless Tsar Mamai is coming against him with many forces, steadily raging against the Christian faith and the people of Orthodox Christianity, being jealous of the lost Batu, his evil ancestor." It is noteworthy that these words are written not along the sheet, but vertically 64 . Such a record attracted attention and could not be lost among others.
As we can see, literate representatives of various classes, including those from the working people, had a strong interest in historical reading, including information about the struggle against foreign invaders. One might think that the relevant works were read not only by the book owners. We can not exclude edifying reading in the family circle and among fellow villagers.
In the 17th century, there was an increase in interest in iconography, for example, Dmitry Donskoy. Although the prince was not canonized as an all-Russian saint, his images on icons were not uncommon for that time. And, what is especially significant, the artistic image of Dmitry Donskoy finds its deep ideological meaning. At the same time, the reproduction of the scenes of the Battle of Kulikovo leaves no doubt that the painters thoroughly studied the written data, tried to capture specific everyday features in them, and penetrate into the era of the Battle of Kulikovo .65 The fact that most of the "front" (illustrated) manuscripts of the Legend of the Battle of Mamai were written in the 17th century is significant in this sense.
The need for knowledge about the past, its heroes and fighters could not be satisfied by religious literature, the dissemination of which was strongly supported by the church. Therefore, over time, the genre of local chronicles develops, including data from all-Russian civil history. Research in this area shows that in the second half of the 17th century, in many places of Russia (in cities, monasteries, etc.), the chronicle genre not only did not stop, but also developed noticeably 66. The provincial chronicle continued into the next century. Especially interesting are the facts that point to the democratic orientation of such historical writings.
In 1765, a chronicler was "composed and written in favor of Russia" by Ustyuzhsky resident Lev Vologdin, in which it is stated about the "Time of Troubles" that then Russia experienced "plunder" from Polish and Swedish interventionists, "which and from
61 The legend of the Battle of Mamayev. Facial manuscript of the 17th century from the collection of the State Historical Museum, Moscow, 1980, p. 40.
62 PSRL. T. 37. L. 1982, p. 206.
63 Blagoveshchenskaya E. V. Inscriptions of peasants and domestic servants of the XVIII-XIX centuries on books. - Istoriya SSSR. 1965. N 1, p. 141; Arheograficheskiy yezhegodnik za 1963 godu. M. 1964, p. 379-380, 395.
64 Morozov B. N. Zapadnaya knizhka landowner XVII v, - Sovetskie arkhivy, 1983, N 5, pp. 67-68, 69.
65 Morozova Z. P. Proris icons "The appearance of the icon on the tree to Prince Dmitry Ivanovich before the Battle of Kulikovo". In: Kulikovo Battle in the History and Culture of our Motherland, pp. 212-215.
66 Bogdanov A. P. Chronicle and journalistic sources on the political history of Russia in the late 17th century. Author's abstract of the cand. Diss. M. 1983, p. 2-3, 12-13.
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there were no Tatars." Liberation came "through the efforts of the Nizhny Novgorod merchant Kozma Minin, under the leadership of Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky." 67 Here the author's attitude to his characters is characteristic, they are placed not only side by side and on an equal footing, but also the contribution of each to the liberation of the country from invaders is noted. This is in tune with the ideas of Minin's contemporaries, who considered him "an elected person of the whole earth."
Over time, a significant phenomenon is observed: in the ideas of the oppressed masses, the images of the country's defenders from external enemies acquire a social connotation, to a certain extent they are opposed to the host of serf nobles in power. So, in 1650, at the height of the Pskov uprising, a petition of Pskov residents to the tsar was drawn up about harassment and insults from voivodes and officials. It spoke about the merits of the city in protecting the borders of Russia from external enemies, about the participation of Pskov residents in the army of Alexander Nevsky 68 . In the middle of the 18th century, an anonymous piece of poetry that originated in the serf environment and received the name "Lament of the Serfs"was passed around. Depicting the hardships of the forced life of "serfs", the authors of" Lamentation " write: "Go through the entire settlement - there is no such vile life! The appeal to the memory of the great commander here is most directly connected with the idea of freeing the people from the yoke of serfdom. Alexander Nevsky appears in The Lament as an advocate for the underprivileged. The people are waiting for such a commander who will be able to punish the hated oppressors.
"History will give birth to future heroes"
Let us now see what was the social and ideological perception of the era that marked a sharp turn in the development of Russia, and how in the XVIII century they treated the patriotic traditions that had developed before it. As you know, the first quarter of the XVIII century was marked by reforms. Russia's role in the world at that time was elevated. Peter I was jealous of the prestige of the country. This fact is typical. On the instructions of the tsar, the book of I. Guebner "Amphibious Circle brief description"was translated into Russian. Giving this assignment to Y. V. Bruce, Peter demanded that the chapter on Russia be radically corrected, taking into account the new data. At the same time, the outdated but traditional name of the state "Moscow" for Western Europe was replaced by the concept of "Russia" 69 . It would seem that the transformation, the breaking of customs and traditions that had been established for centuries, left almost no room for preserving traditions. However, the facts suggest otherwise. Raising Russia to a new historical stage, Peter I paid great attention and respect to the heroic deeds of his ancestors, appreciated their exploits in the struggle for the country's independence against external enemies.
F. Prokopovich, in one of his" Words " dedicated to the memory of Peter the Great, noted that the success of the tsar's activity was facilitated by the fact that he "studied some European languages, and often read them in historical and teacher's books." 70 The same idea was expressed by another contemporary, the writer G. Buzhinsky, referring to Peter I: "He also exercises himself in reading books, especially historical ones." 71
The affairs of Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy fascinated Peter 72. On November 23, 1718, in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery of St. Peter the Great. Prokopovich said "A word on the day of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky". Two years later, Slovo was published as a separate pamphlet. F. Prokopovich in 1709, after the Battle of Poltava, compared Peter I with Alexander the Great and Alexander Nevsky. He repeated this comparison more than once, directly linking the heroics of the past with contemporary events. The image of Alexander Nevsky was used by Prokopo-
67 PSRL. Vol. 37, p. 139.
68 Tikhomirov M. N. Uk. soch., p. 68.
69 Savelyeva E. A. Library of Y. V. Bryusa in the collection of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In: Russian Libraries and their Readers, p. 127.
70 Panegyric literature of Peter's Time, Moscow, 1979, p. 296.
71 Ibid., p. 85.
72 Maikova T. S. Peter I and "The History of the Svei War". In: Russia in the Period of Peter I's Reforms, Moscow, 1973, p. 103.
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Vich and other authors of the beginning of the XVIII century. also for the exaltation of a colleague of Peter I-A.D. Menshikov. The appeal to the memory of Alexander Nevsky had a pronounced political character in the context of the war with Sweden. The tsar himself contributed a lot to this.
When Peter I visited the banks of the Neva, Russian people - descendants of Novgorodians who lived in these places-pointed out to him the place of the battle with the Swedes in 1240. The legend about it was passed down by local residents from generation to generation for more than 450 years .73 In the spring of 1704 Peter I personally chooses the site for the future monastery near the site of the Battle of the Neva, determines the clergy for its establishment. The chronicle of the monastery explained the tsar's intention by the fact that Alexander Nevsky "was a constant guardian of the local borders of Russia from the attack of the Swedes." 74 The relics of Alexander Nevsky were transferred from Vladimir to St. Petersburg (1723). Peter I participated in this ceremony. The memorial Day of Alexander Nevsky was specified to be celebrated on August 30 (the day of the conclusion of the Peace of Nishtadt). The Synod ordered the icons to depict Nevsky not in monastic, but in grand ducal clothing. Alexander Nevsky, therefore, became the patron of the new capital, and his cult acquired national significance. Under Peter I, the Order of Alexander Nevsky was also established.
Peter I encouraged students to study Russian history and gave instructions to collect and study documents of bygone times. At the direction of Tsar F. Prokopovich was engaged in preparing a historical work, presented as the "Genealogy" of Russian princes up to and including Peter I. The author worked on this work later, expanding the sections on the Middle Ages. More fully was told there about Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy. Compiled by A. I. Mankiev, the "Core of Russian History" has not spared the glorious pages of defending the Fatherland from outside encroachments. In addition to the struggle against the aggression of Swedish and German feudal lords, the author highlighted the events of the early XVII century, noting the heroism of the Russian people who stood under the banners of Minin and Pozharsky. Among the first publications of the young St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences were collections of sources, and among them - the life of Alexander Nevsky. It is known that Peter I did a lot to preserve historical monuments. At a critical moment for the country after the Narva disaster, when the tsar ordered the church bells and some ancient tools to be melted down, an exception was made for the unique tsar cannon. The creation of Andrey Chokhov was preserved for posterity 75 .
The XVIII century was marked by the perception and development of military traditions from the time of Peter the Great. The victory at Poltava, the naval battles at Gangut and Grengam, and the transformation of Russia into a great power contributed to this. The newspaper Vedomosti in 1720 reported on the celebrations in St. Petersburg on the day of the Battle of Poltava. Peter I took the parade, and put on "those clothes in which he was at the battle of Poltava and commanded his troops" 76 . This interest in the personality and deeds of Peter the Great, which arose during his lifetime, did not weaken later. In all sorts of biographies and writings about him, the theme of the struggle against Russia's external enemies, the dramatic but ultimately victorious course of the Northern War, was always present. The end of Russia's long and arduous struggle for access to the Baltic Sea was greeted in all sectors of society with a sense of not only relief, but also pride.
The need for knowledge about Peter I and the affairs of his reign was so great that the reading circle of Russian people was not limited to domestic works. The works of foreign authors, which were readily translated in Russia, were widely distributed. Similar manuscripts are found in the collections of archives and libraries not only in Moscow and Leningrad, but also in Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk and Tomsk. A.V. Suvorov (by the way, a knight of the Order of Alexander Nevsky) considered himself a follower of Peter's deeds and highly appreciated his generalship. Suvorov kept the "cockade of Peter the Great" sacredly-a gift from his father, who was an orderly at the court.
73 Shaskolsky I. P. U K. soch., p. 196.
74 Panegyric literature, pp. 86-87.
75 Nemirovsky E. Tsar cannon. In: Chimes. Historical and local history almanac, Moscow, 1983, p. 236.
76 Handwritten and printed book, Moscow, 1975, p. 180 (published by S. R. Dolgova).
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tsare 77 . The commander, greeting F. F. Ushakov, after taking the fortress on the island of Corfu, wrote:: "Our Great Peter is alive", - mentioning the Gangut victory. During Catherine II's trip to the annexed southern territories, a war game was held, during which Russian troops repeated a number of combat episodes of the Battle of Poltava. In 1778, the first monument in honor of the glorious victory was erected, which decorated Poltava.
Among the works about the era of Peter I, a special place belonged to the multi-volume edition of I. I. Golikov's "Acts of Peter the Great "and" Additions " to it. In chronological order, Golikov cited documents reflecting the events of the Northern War. The Battle of Poltava and other glorious pages of the Russian Army's military path are covered in detail here. Golikov's work was largely motivated by the author's desire to resist the biased and one-sided judgments of foreign historians, who "tried in every possible way to belittle the glory of Russia" 78 . Thus, the author fulfilled his patriotic duty to the Fatherland.
Professional historical science of the XVIII century also made its contribution to the study of the heroic deeds of past centuries. In the person of V. N. Tatishchev, M. M. Shcherbatov, and I. N. Boltin, this topic has found its own thoughtful and interested researchers. They paid special attention to the description of the Battle of Kulikovo, which was based on a wider range of documentary sources found by that time. The historical genre was also used by authors who did not consider it the main business of their lives. Among them was a prominent statesman and versatile scientist F. I. Soymonov. In the middle of the XVIII century. he compiled a "short abstract" of Russian history, which provided for an account of events from Kievan Rus to the 40s of the XVIII century. In the table of contents of the work were listed as important historical milestones during the Battle of Kulikovo and liberation from the Horde yoke. Soymonov called the era of Peter I the" height of glory " of Russia. In the" Preface to the reader", the author revealed his attitude to the history of his native country; the caption read:: "The most obedient servant of the All-Russian Fatherland, the most sincere patriot of the benevolent reader" 79 .
The theme of patriotic traditions can be traced no less clearly in the literary works of that time. In 1750 M. V. Lomonosov finished his work on the tragedy "Tamira and Selim". This is how he defined the ideological content of his work: "This tragedy depicts in poetic fiction the shameful death of the proud Mamai, Tsar of the Tartars, about whom it is known from Russian history that, having been defeated by the bravery of the Moscow sovereign, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich on the Don, he fled with four princes to the Crimea to the city of Kafu, and there was killed by his own people." 80 Lomonosov had various sources at his disposal, including early editions of the Legend of the Battle of Mamayev and the chronicles. The works of Russian writers of the late 14th and early 15th centuries were brought to the reader and viewer in the middle of the 18th century in a reliable presentation .81
Catherine II in 1764 gave Lomonosov an assignment to "choose notable adventures from Russian history for painting". Among the historical subjects worthy of being embodied on the canvas, Lomonosov named the following:: "The victory of Alexander Nevsky over the Germans of Livonia on Lake Peipus"; "The beginning of the battle with Mamai"; "The Overthrow of the Tatar yoke"; "Kozma Minin", two episodes related to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, and one with Patriarch Hermogenes rejecting the proposals of the Polish interventionists 82 . The famous writer A. P. Sumarokov was the author of the tragedy " Dmitry the Impostor "(1771), in which he used the story of 1606 about"how Boris Godunov untruthfully exalted the tsarist throne in Moscow". With the help of G. F. Miller and M. M. Shcherbatov, he studied archival materials.-
77 A V. Suvorov. Documents, vol. 3, Moscow, 1952, p. 571.
78 Golikov I. I. Additions to the Acts of Peter the Great. Vol. IX. M, 1792, p. 318.
79 Goldenberg L. A. Fedor Ivanovich Soymonov (1692-1780). Moscow, 1966, pp. 126-131.
80 Lomonosov M. V. Poln. sobr. soch. Vol. VIII. l. 1959, p. 292; Moiseeva G. N. Drevnerusskaya literatura v khudozhestvennom soznanii i istoricheskoi mysli Rossii XVIII zeka. L. 1980, p. 166-168.
81 Moiseeva G. N. Uk. soch., pp. 167-168.
82 Ibid., c, 164-165.
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materials on the history of the "Time of Troubles". In this work, the contrast between the interventionists who came to Moscow with False Dmitry and the Russian people is clearly felt. Under the guidance of Lomonosov, he studied Russian history with I. S. Barkov, who owned the original work " A Brief Russian History "(from Rurik to Peter I), which was included in the German edition of the Abridged Universal History, which gave Barkov's work an international sound. 83
In general, the names of glorious warriors for the Russian land attracted attention in other countries. Thus, the prominent Finnish-Swedish historian and educator X. G. Portan in the 70s of the XVIII century prepared a course of lectures "The main features of Russian history", in which he reported on the" great victory "of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich on the Neva, calling him"one of the most valiant rulers of Russia". Portan is also known for the Battle of Kulikovo: "Dmitry Ivanovich... he received the nickname Donskoy in honor of the victory over the Tatars in 1380 at the Don River on Kulikovo Field... He fought for three whole years against these tormentors of Russia. " 84
The end of the XVIII - beginning of the XIX centuries was marked by the publication of a number of historical essays - stories telling about the struggle against foreign invasions of Russia. Several works of this kind were given a special place (even in the titles) to the Battle of Kulikovo and Dmitry Donskoy. A book with the characteristic title "Russian Heroes for 400 Years" 85 was also published at that time . An unknown craftsman of the late 18th century cast a commemorative bronze medal in honor of Dmitry Donskoy at the St. Petersburg Mint. A skilled northern bone cutter dedicated his work to "Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich", depicting the hero of Kulikov Pole 86 . These works of art are kept in the collections of the State Historical Museum in Moscow. There was also a growing interest in the year of the "Time of Troubles". The authors of literary works have repeatedly turned to the images of the heroes of this hard time. In particular, the writer V. I. Maikov, inspired by the images of Dmitry Donskoy and the heroes of the liberation war of the early XVII century, paid tribute to the ancestors who fought for the independence of Russia. He created the poem "Liberated Moscow". "Words of praise" in honor of Minin and Pozharsky was composed by another famous writer of the second half of the XVIII century, M. N. Muravyov. In the magazine "Spectator", published by I. A. Krylov and P. A. Plavilytsikov, the idea of the need to educate patriotism on the examples of Russian history was carried out. It was said that the life of Minin and Pozharsky could become "a perfect school, how to love the Fatherland" The magazine called for putting plays in theaters in which love for the Fatherland would be "the first subject" 87 . In 1798, M. M. Kheraskov's tragedy "Liberated Moscow"was published in the university printing house. Here we are talking about the struggle of the Russian people, led by Minin and Pozharsky, for the liberation of the country from the Polish-Szlachta intervention. The author emphasizes in the words of Prince Pozharsky the outstanding role of Kuzma Minin in these terrible days of trials:
"This man, a venerable man of Russia, son and friend,
He became an example of merit to the fatherland,
Not a prince, not a noble husband, not a court official
He's Minin! Minin it! - merchant of Nizhny Novgorod.
A noble breed is nothing without good deeds. " 88
The tradition laid down by Lomonosov of following historical facts in works about the heroic pages of the past did not stop in the future. As early as the end of the 18th century, G. R. Derzhavin began working on a poem from the era of the "Time of Troubles". He was attracted by the images of Pozharsky, Minin and other figures of that era. Pozharsky Derzhavin considered "among the greatest heroes". And in 1806.
83 Strange M. M. Demokraticheskaya intelligentsia Rossii v XVIII veke [The Democratic Intelligentsia of Russia in the 18th century]. Moscow, 1965, p. 447.
84 The first university course of the history of Russia abroad in the XVIII century: X. G. P o r t a n. Osnovnye cherty russkoy istorii [The main features of Russian History], Moscow, 1982, pp. 57, 59.
85 Gerakov G. Heroes of Russia for 400 years. Moscow, 1801.
86 Kulikovo Battle in the history and culture of our Motherland, p. 301.
87 History of the USSR. Trial textbook for the 7th grade, Moscow, 1980, pp. 270-276.
88 Moiseeva G. N. Uk. soch., pp. 174-175.
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the poet wrote the tragedy "Pozharsky, or the Liberation of Moscow", in the preface to which he noted:: "Everything... characters... I took them, without adding anything to them, as if from history, and in the freedom of poetry I invented only some introductory incidents. " 89 This work appeared just six years before the epic of 1812, when the dominant role of Moscow in the fate of the Fatherland was again clearly manifested. By 1807, the production of the play by V. A. Ozerov "Dmitry Donskoy", which was a noisy success, dates back. M. V. Kryukovsky's play "Dmitry Pozharsky"was also performed on the theater stage of those years. An indicator of the wide distribution of works on historical topics related to the struggle against external enemies is the fact that in Siberia at the end of the XVIII - beginning of the XIX century there were handwritten collections of various contents. Thus, a peasant from Tobolsk, I. Panov, had a collection that included not only Siberian chronicles and tales about Ermak, but also historical works about the Battle of Kulikovo, the "Time of Troubles", the capture of Narva by Russian troops in 1704, and so on .90 The memory of their glorious ancestors accompanied the Russian people on long and dangerous voyages to the shores of North America. In 1744, a ship of sea animal hunters, named "Alexander Nevsky", visited there. Vessels with this proud name are repeatedly found in the sources of the second half of the XVIII-beginning of the XIX century .91
Thus, on the eve of the "thunderstorm of the twelfth year", Russian society more than once mentally turned to the heroic pages of Russian history, drawing moral strength there to fight the invasion of the army of the "twelve languages"into Russia. Field Marshal M. I. Kutuzov, a disciple and follower of Suvorov, blocked Napoleon's army's path to the southern regions of Russia on the battlefields of Tarutin and Maloyaroslavets, wrote in those memorable days: "From now on, his name (Tarutin - A. P.) should shine in our annals along with Poltava, and the Para River will be the same for us it is famous, as well as Nepryadva, on the banks of which countless Mamai militias died. " 92 Kutuzov here, as it were, united in one chain the battles of the Russian people against foreign invasions.
The epic of 1812 opened a new page in the development of the patriotic traditions of the Russian people. The struggle against the Napoleonic aggression gave rise to thousands of heroes from the people-partisans, militias, soldiers. The Patriotic War of 1812 (with which we conclude our essay), in addition, inspired the advanced people of the country to a revolutionary liberation struggle against the autocracy and the serf regime. The Decembrists rightly considered themselves children of 1812. Reflecting on the lessons of history, they proudly noted the participation of past generations in the defense of their native country and believed in its great future. No wonder F. N. Glinka exclaimed: "Historian-fulfill the last will of the heroes of the past, and your History will give birth to heroes of future times" 93 .
The consciousness of belonging to the sacred duty to the Motherland united all the fighters for the independence of Russia with a living thread that permeated the centuries. The ideas of patriotism were constantly enriched and developed. Each era has made its own contribution to them. This inestimable ideological legacy was inherited by the Soviet people, who repeatedly proved their ability to work peacefully and constructively and to defend the socialist Fatherland from any encroachments, no matter where they came from. At the personal direction of V. I. Lenin, Suvorov's brief and apt sayings from his "Science of Winning" were written into Red Army books during the Civil War .94 During the Great Patriotic War, the military orders of Alexander Nevsky, Suvorov, Kutuzov, Bohdan Khmelnitsky, Ushakov, and Nakhimov were established. And today the deeds of the heroes of the past are still alive.
89 Ibid., p. 180.
90 The peasantry of Siberia in the era of feudalism. Novosibirsk. 1982, p. 429.
91 To the history of the Russian-American company. Sat. doc. m-lov. Krasnoyarsk. 1957, pp. 12, 15, 21.
92 M. I. Kutuzov. Collection of documents. T, III, part 2. Moscow, 1955, pp. 650-651.
93 " Their union with liberty is eternal." Literary criticism and journalism of the Decembrists, Moscow, 1983, p. 326. .
94 Beskrovny, L. G. the System of training and education of troops of Alexander Suvorov. In: Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, Moscow, 1980, p. 193.
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