Russian nobility

Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, the first female educational institute, founded under Catherine II, had also a branch for non-noble girls who were supposed to become teachers. By no means, this institution could solve the problems of education and formation of certain cultural skills even within the nobility. In the noble families, home upbringing and education therefore remained for a long time the prevailing form of education, especially for girls. On the contrary, the authorities considered the non-institutional forms of education to be suspicious both from the ideological and moral point of view. Nevertheless, they could not completely eliminate this type of education. The female teachers class established by the Empress Maria Fedorovna in the early 19th century in the Moscow Foundling Home emerged essentially from the desire to control this very important area. For their part, the provincial nobility considered the teachers who graduated this program as bearers of metropolitan education and the "right" knowledge and skills. The program  ensured the transfer of a certain educational model from the capital to the province, though under the strict control of the authorities. The article focuses on the class’s program, educational staff, the course of education and examinations, and the life trajectories of the girls who graduated the class and worked as teachers in the first decades of the 19th century. On the other hand, the requests of the provincial nobility bolstered by their economical ability to provide "metropolitan" education for their children at home are also analyzed here.

The article discusses the history of the Imperial Easter egg «Tsarevich» manufactured by Faberge on Easter 1912 for Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The full text of the letter by Eugene Carlovich Faberge (1874–1960), the eldest son of Carl Fabergé, from the archives of Tatiana Fabergé (Geneva) is first published which indicates that the father asked him to give this egg to Emperor Nicholas II personally in Livadia. The letter was written in 1934 and addressed to H.Ch. Bainbridge, the head of the London branch, who collected materials for the biography of Carl Faberge. Eugene Faberge told interesting details about his journey to the Crimea and about the impression that the Easter masterpiece by Faberge produced upon the Emperor. Gratitude of the Emperor expressed to Carl Faberge reveals the confidential interpersonal relations between them which went beyond the ordinary relationship between seller and buyer. In the article the further history of the Easter egg «Tsarevich» is traced, estimation of the egg made by the Kremlin Armory in 1927 is critically analyzed, the role of A. Hammer in sale of this subject is discussed. The egg was sold to Mrs. Lillian Thomas Pratt, the wife of the Director of the American company «General Motors» who bequeathed it as part of her collection to Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. The fact is specified that the genuine miniature of Tsarevich Alexis by miniature painter Vasilii Zuev was damaged more than 30 years ago and replaced with color photography. Questions are defined for further study of the history of the egg. The critical issue is detection of the cause which made for the concept of the egg in 1912. The article is intended for historians and art historians studying works by Faberge.

История дворянского рода Донауровых, пришедшего в Россию в первой половине XVIII в. из Грузии и оставившего заметный след в истории своей новой родины. В книге рассказывается не только о представителях семейства Донауровых, но также об их окружении, родственных связях и в целом о дворянском обществе на протяжении почти двух столетий.
Содержание основано на многочисленных исторических источниках, архивных материалах и воспоминаниях потомков Донауровых.

На основе биографических интервью и воспоминаний дворян, родившихся в начале двадцатого века и проживших жизни в СССР, в книге исследуется коллективная память о приспособлении к новым условиям в послереволюционное двадцатилетие. Память рассматривается как социальная практика, играющая роль в принятии решений, в профессиональных стратегиях, в воспитательном процессе и трансляции культурного наследия. Изучаются биографические и социальные последствия компромиссов, молчания и страха, присущих сталинской эпохе. Показывается, как рядовые, незаметные участники исторического процесса влияют своими решениями, тактиками, манипуляциями на формирование социальной структуры. Книга написана в жанре исторической социологии может и быть использована как пособие по применению биографических методов в социологическом исследовании. Она предназначена социологам, историкам, культурологам и широкой читательской аудитории

В статье рассматривается социальный состав заказчиков русских рукописных книг XVI в. Устанавливается, что в их число не входили находящиеся на русской службе татары. Это связывается с динамикой книгопроизводства в России, численностью служилых татар в различные периоды, географией их земельных владений, а также особенностями их социальной и культурно-конфессиональной интеграции в русское общество. Исследование основано на материале выходных записей манускриптов 1500–1600 г., прочих записей на книгах, вкладных, приходо-расходных книг русских монастырей, актов, писцовых книг и некоторых других источников.
The article deals with the social groups of the Russian manuscripts’ customers in the 16th century. It was established that service tatars were not among the customers of manuscripts. It is connected with the dynamics of manuscript’s production in Russia, the number of tatars in different periods, the geography of their estates as well as peculiarities of their social, cultural and confessional integration into the Russian society. The research is based on the manuscripts’ colophons dated 1500–1600, other manuscripts’ notes, records of income, including donations, and expenses, act, land cadastres and other historical sources.

In dieser Schrift werden folgende Fragen beantwortet:

Kann ich einen Adelstitel wieder annehmen? Wie kann ich einen verdunkelten Adelstitel wiedererlangen? Ist es möglich, einen Adelstitel zu restituieren? Wie kann ich einen Adelstitel zurückholen? Auf welche Weise kann ich meinen Adelstitel wieder bekommen? Wie läßt sich ein Anspruch auf meinen Adelsnamen erheben, den meine Vorfahren abgelegt haben? Wie kann ein alter Adelstitel in den Personalausweis eingetragen werden? Kann ich heutzutage das „von“ trotz Aberkennung in vergangenen Zeiten erneuern? Besteht heute noch die Möglichkeit, einen verlorenen Adelstitel anzunehmen? Was muß ich tun, um einen Adelstitel tragen zu können, den meine Familie früher besessen hat? Kann ich einen abgelegten oder verloren gegangenen Adel heute wieder zurückbekommen? Wie kann ich einen alten Adelstitel geltend machen? Wie kann ein Adelstitel wiederbelebt werden? Wie kann ich den von meiner Familie einst geführten Adel wieder aufleben lassen?

Монография составлена из ранее опубликованных автором статей и материалов по истории и методологии исследования российского дворянства конца XVIII — начала XIX века. В книгу вошли результаты более чем двадцати лет работы. Предлагается постановка различных проблем изучения дворянства, case studies из жизни влиятельного клана Воронцовых, сделана попытка соединить государственное служение, личную жизнь и метафизику одного из ярчайших представителей российской аристократии — М.С. Воронцова.

The monograph is composed by the author from already published papers and studies in history and methodology of the Russian nobility at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. The book presents the results of more than twenty years of the author’s research. He suggests interpretations of various problems in nobility studies, of some cases from powerful Vorontsov clan’s life, and attempts to put together outstanding aristocrat M. Vorontsov’s public service, private life and metaphysics.

"Se queremos que tudo fique como está
é preciso que tudo mude."


O leitmotif da obra de Tomasi de Lampedusa, imortalizada no grande ecrã pela objectiva de Visconti, sintetiza a sua ideia central, acerca do declínio das antigas elites, em particular da aristocracia, a favor da ascensão das classes médias, a partir da segunda metade do século XIX e a forma como uma facção daquela procurou, sem sucesso, manter a sua posição.
O tema da presente dissertação é precisamente o da evolução da Aristocracia em Portugal, em concreto da Casa Palmela, no contexto do Liberalismo, com maior precisão, no período que medeia entre 1810 e 1887, datas que, como veremos, reflectem a cronologia ditada pela própria evolução da Casa e também pelos rumos da nacionalidade.


"If we want everything to stay as it is
everything must change."


The leitmotif of Tomasi de Lampedusa's work, immortalized on the big screen by Visconti's lens, sums up his central idea of the decline of the old elites, particularly of the aristocracy, in favor of the rise of the middle classes from the second half of the century, and the way a faction of it sought, unsuccessfully, to maintain its position.
The theme of this dissertation is precisely that of the evolution of the Aristocracy in Portugal, specifically of Casa Palmela, in the context of Liberalism, with greater precision, in the period between 1810 and 1887, dates that, as we shall see, reflect the chronology dictated by own evolution of the House and also by the paths of nationality.

Introduzione 2 CAPITOLO PRIMO: La nobiltà russa nell'Ottocento I. La nobiltà russa: caratteri originari 6 II. La nobiltà russa nell'Ottocento 9 III. Composizione etnica e religiosa della nobiltà 13 III. Proprietà terriere, servizio e occupazione 16 IV. Lo status economico della nobiltà 20 V. La nobiltà, la formazione di un ceto di servizio 27 CAPITOLO SECONDO: La crisi della nobiltà terriera I. La nobiltà pre-emancipazione: una classe sociale? 33 II. Il rapporto della nobiltà con la terra pre e post-emancipazione 35 III. La nobiltà e l'agricoltura 38 IV. L'impatto dell'emancipazione sulla nobiltà terriera 42 V. La divisione delle terre 44 VI. Il risarcimento ai nobili 48 VII. Vendita e acquisto delle terre 51 VIII. L'impoverimento della nobiltà terriera 57 CAPITOLO TERZO: Nobiltà e attività politica I. Il potere politico e la nobiltà 62 II. L'influenza politica della nobiltà e le modalità del suo esercizio 65 III. La crisi politica della nobiltà terriera 74 IV. Le assemblee nobiliari: composizione e condizioni per la partecipazione 90 V. Figure di potere: i marescialli nobiliari 98 CAPITOLO QUARTO: La nascita di un'opposizione I. Ideologie e politica nobiliare 105 II. Le politiche della nobiltà dalla seconda metà degli anni '90 del XIX secolo al 1904 116 CONCLUSIONI: Nobiltà e autocrazia BIBLIOGRAFIA 131 1

В статье, написанной с привлечением как известных, так и впервые вводимых в научный оборот источников, предлагается реконструкция истории создания Манифеста о вольности дворянства служить и не служить 1762 г. Автором ставится под вопрос точка зрения, что Манифест появился в результате некоей борьбы российского дворянства за свои права. Автор предлагает искать идейные истоки Манифеста не в борьбе государства и дворянства, а в развитии представлений  о том, что российское дворянство было равно по своему положению благородных сословий европейских государств и, соответственно, могло обладать схожими правами и вольностями.

(le résumé en français est ci-après) Публикация переписки и сочинений нескольких русских аристократов (гр.П.Строганова, кн. Б. и Д.Голицыных), оказавшихся в Париже в 1789-1790 гг. и ставших свидетелями (но не участниками, как их квалифицировали позже) Французской революции. Анализ этих материалов показывает, что, при том, что позицию некоторых из них (Б.Голицын) можно охарактеризовать как довольно демократическую, их ни в коей мере нельзя причислить к "участникам" революции.  БюГолицын развивает в своем сочинении о конституции идеи о поступательном развитии общества и находит пример такого развития в истории Англии.

Etude de la réception de la Révolution Française par quelques aristocrates russes se trouvant à Paris en 1789-1790. Il s’agit du comte Pavel Stroganov, futur ami intime d’Alexandre Ier, et des princes Boris et Dmitri Golitsyne, qui furent des témoins privilégiés des débuts de la Révolution. Cette étude est complétée par la publication de larges extraits de la correspondance de ces aristocrates et de leur précepteurs français (Gilbert Romme et Michel Olivier) et d’un ouvrage inachevé du prince Boris Golitsyne consacré à l'évolution sociale des sociétés et comparant l'évolution des sociétés anglaise et française.

La Unión de Repúblicas Socialistas Soviéticas (URSS), fue un régimen dictatorial que durante setenta años rigió los destinos de Rusia y de quince repúblicas sometidas. Se analiza su historia y se denuncian sus crímenes. Se trata sobre sus privilegiados que formaron la Nomenklatura o clase social equivalente a la antigua nobleza. Se finaliza explicando su sistema heráldico tomado a imitación del escudo imperial del zar Pedro I

The case studied in this chapter deals with the social sphere located between
the official cosmopolitanism promoted by the court and rivalries and tensions
characteristic of professional corporations. The critical reappraisal of interactions
between foreigners and local elites nuances the opposition between aristocratic
cosmopolitanism and nascent nationalism—an opposition that informs
social and cultural histories of the Russian nobility (Greenfeld 1990). How did
Russian nobles feel about their foreign peers who had to leave their country
and to abandon property (and rent), and who came to Russia to enjoy ranks,
pensions, and honors dispensed by the imperial court? Did the local elite pride
itself on its new capacity as the host offering refuge to those who, until recently,
pretended to be the role model of the civilized world? These questions will guide
my essay in the social history of perceptions of Europeans among Russian elites.

During the reconstruction of estates Red Buytsi of Tula province it is mainly studied by using descriptive and pictorial sources of early 20th century. When checking out a former mansion itself it was established that in its place are the ruins of the church, the remains of the carriage house, at least one farm house during the last quarter of the 18th century. The address to patrimonial documents of this period allowed these data significantly complement. Primarily the history of acquisition of the village while the prince A.M. Golitsyn and construction activity are considered.
Geometric study of special plans in September 1775 and follow 1770s helped to clarify, the manor house of the estate in its main part house was built by the previous owner, S.K. Naryshkin. According to the documents of the 18th century it was refined that the outbuildings located near the manor house and home for the clergy.
However, quite convincingly proved that Golitsyn at the manor to 1795 built a new stone church. It was established by architect, traced the interaction of aesthetic and economic factors, which was formed under the influence of the building. Construction of the church is made of stone contributed to the lack of forest on the estate. Some impact, apparently, and had a “spirit of the age” in the neighboring estates actively went stone construction. Transfer the location of the temple due to the need to bring it to the place of production of bricks considering picturesque landscape. Quality building materials identified a change in the proportions of the church. However, aesthetic considerations deterred A.M. Golitsyn from more significant deviations from the project. Buytsi church which became traditional green dome was initiated “from below” a clerk to re-ceive approval from the prince.
Patrimonial documentation allowed tracing the activities of services, which include many of the outbuildings. The close economic ties between the Red (Buytsi) and other names A.M. Golitsyn – Konstantinov village, the birthplace of the future Sergei Yesenin.
This study although didn’t produce new data to restore visual range manor , but will considerably increase the reference apparatus reconstruction and deepen our understanding of how the formed image of the mansion.
Key words: Russian nobility estate; computer reconstruction; research methods; Tula province.

Article deals with the history of the collection of the plaster casts of the “papal medals” from the Semyonovskoye-Otrada estate of the Orlov noble family
In Russian

Электронное издание: http://e-books.arts-museum.ru/2022-science-report2020_new/37/

[Электронная версия печатной публикации]

Статья посвящена истории публикации и судьбе хранящейся в Архиве Российской академии наук рукописи воспоминаний декабриста Н.И. Лорера. Записки внимательного и памятливого мемуариста, полный текст которых был впервые подготовлен к печати М.В. Нечкиной, представляют собой ценный источник по истории России 1810-1840-х гг.