Klyuchevsky became one of the outstanding historians of the 20th century. During his lifetime, Vasily Osipovich earned fame as a brilliant lecturer and author of the Course of Russian History. But even after a century, interest in the name of this person does not wane. On the contrary, the magnificent style, the vivid, memorable presentation of information is increasingly attracting the attention of readers. His works on history are distinguished by the breadth of coverage of various aspects and factors of history, are based on scientific analysis and a large number of primary sources. A vivid example of this is the book by V.O. Klyuchevsky “Historical Portraits”, which will be discussed in this article.
about the author
The birth record of Vasily Osipovich was made in the church book p. Voskresenskoe, which was later indicated in many sources as the birthplace of Klyuchevsky. Professor of Theology I. A. Artobolevsky, a family friend, specified that the future historian was born on January 16, 1841 in his grandfather's house, in the city of Penza. Kluchevsky received his primary education in a theological seminary, then - in the academy, which he soon left. In 1861 he continued his education at Moscow University. Studied brilliantly and the thesis of Vasily Osipovich “Tales of foreigners about the Moscow state” was recommended for publication, he was offered to stay at the Department of History.
Career
The mentor of Klyuchevsky Vasily Osipovich at the department was S. M. Soloviev, who was preparing his student for a professorship. Under his leadership, he wrote a dissertation. In the fall of 1871, "Old Russian Lives of the Saints" was published. In February 1872, Klyuchevsky was approved as the master of history. In the same year, he began work on a doctorate. Excerpts from the Boyar Duma were published from 1880 to 1881 in Russian Thought, and in 1882 they came out as a separate book. In the same year, in September, he defended his thesis. On October 2, the University Council approved Vasily Osipovich as a doctor.
In 1871, Klyuchevsky headed the Department of History at the Theological Academy and served there until 1906. Without interrupting teaching at the university, Kluchevsky in 1872 began to teach at the Higher Women's Courses. In 1879, Vasily Osipovich was invited to his native university to give a history course. After Solovyov’s death, Professor Klyuchevsky headed the department. Thus, in the 70s he lectured at three higher institutions and at a military school. During these years he won fame among students as the best lecturer.
Lecturer's skill
The lecture skill of Klyuchevsky Vasily Osipovich was the first step to the top of all-Russian fame. The ability to captivate the audience was explained not only by the richness of intonations, the coining of expressions, the clarity and brevity of the text, Klyuchevsky was known as a master of impromptu and aphorisms. But Kliuchevskii made a special impression by the content of lectures, in which he included stories of an ethnographic nature with a description of everyday life, construction, and the technique of processing flax and wool. Contemporaries noted that listening to Kliuchevsky’s lectures, it seemed that he was a traveler who saw everything with his own eyes and now conveys the picture in great detail.
Kliuchevsky’s lectures contained bold formulations that he crossed out when preparing the material for publication. Preparing for lectures, he studied the primary sources about the specific principalities, their territories and borders, about successive princes, feuds. Talking about statesmen, the lecturer detailed the features of character, habits, affection, creating their vivid historical portraits. Klyuchevsky painted complex eras in front of his audience, refracted through the actions of people. All his lectures served as the basis for the “Course of Russian History”. Vasily Osipovich worked on it for more than 30 years.
He worked in the last days of his life, even with a high temperature. After the operation in November 1910, Klyuchevsky began to have inflammation, the terrible word “gangrene” sounded in the memoirs of his relatives. The great historian died in May 1911.
History course
Kliuchevsky's “Course”, consisting of 5 books, included 86 lectures. Vasily Osipovich is one of the best historians who wrote about Russia. Lectures intended for students of the XIX century are relevant now. The greatest scientist Klyuchevsky worked a lot with the primary sources - annals, vaults and birch bark letters, thoroughly checking all the sources. The "course" covers a large period - from the early Slavic history to the peasant reform of 1861. Klyuchevsky’s work is significantly different from the traditional descriptions of Russian rulers. In historical portraits, Klyuchevsky tried to show the role of each statesman in the political life of the country, to identify the causes of various turns in the history of the state.
What is Klyuchevsky's “Course” known for?
Vasily Osipovich (the first of the historians) paid special attention to the economic development of Russia. Unlike many, whose work for non-specialists is simply unreadable, Klyuchevsky's “Course” is written in an easy, accessible language. What is important, the author considers the events he describes from different points of view. The book begins with the formation of the Russian state. Opening the "Course" from the annals of the settlement of the Slavs on the eastern plain, he gradually describes the Varangian principalities and the unification of Slavic tribes, about Kievan Rus and Moscow boyars, right up to the reform of Alexander II. The “Course” also includes historical portraits of the rulers of the Russian state: Ivan the Terrible, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Peter I, Paul I and many others. Articles and lectures on the lives of people who left their mark on the history of Russia are collected in another book - “Historical portraits”.
Kiev princes
The book consists of two parts: "Rulers of the Russian state" and "Creators of the Russian land." The “Historical Portraits” opens with a preface by the author, where he agrees that the face is a mirror of the soul. But the environment in which the person lives is also important. The house that he builds, the things that surrounds himself. What he loves to see around him, what he goes out into the street, how he behaves at home. From this position the historian Klyuchevsky describes prominent Russian figures. The table of contents of “Historical Portraits” fully reflects the structure of the book: 23 chapters of the first part are brilliant characteristics of monarchs, diplomats, princes and statesmen of Russia.
What does the author offer in comparison with his predecessors? Klyuchevsky not only sets out the story “according to the princes”, presents the city and commercial Kievan Rus to the reader. Having collected enormous factual material, Klyuchevsky emphasizes the psychology of personality. Under the pen of the great historian, the iconic figures of Russian history are turning into living people with weaknesses, strengths and weaknesses. This part includes biographies of the first princes, Andrei Bogolyubsky, Ivan III, characteristics of statesmen Ivan Beklemishev and Maxim Grek, sovereigns Ivan the Terrible, Theodore the Blessed, Boris Fedorovich.
Emperors of All Russia
Klyuchevsky continues the first part with a historical portrait of the tsar-impostor False Dmitry I, after him he entered the throne as "plain-sighted, blind-eyed", "more cunning than smart" Prince Conspirator Vasily Shuisky. The author reveals in the book hitherto unknown details of the life of Russian sovereigns Mikhail Romanov and Alexei Mikhailovich, their entourage. Klyuchevsky continues his work with a description of the life of Peter the Great. In addition to numerous lectures, Vasily Osipovich included here a special series of articles devoted to Peter I. Further, the author talks about the era of Catherine I, the reign of Peter II, Anna Ioannovna, Elizabeth I and Peter III, about Empress Catherine II, about Tsars Paul I, Alexander I and Nicolae I. Completes the first part of the book “Historical Portraits” the biography of Alexander II the Liberator - the emperor, in which reforms were carried out and serfdom was abolished.
Good people of Russia
Nineteen chapters of the second part of "Portraits" tell of the creators of the Russian land. The author begins with a story about charity and love for one's neighbor. Not only about the ancient Russian kings, secretly going to prisons and almshouses, giving alms from their own hands. The author also acquaints readers with kind people who were engaged in charity work in Russia, who left their mark on the history and memory of the people. Then he talks about the oldest chronicles and compilers Sylvester and Nestor. Explains the significance of Sergius of Radonezh for the Russian people, tells of the Monk Nile of Sora and the enlightener Joseph Volotsky.
The part “Creators of the Russian Land” continues the historical portraits of the saviors of Russia, Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, an outstanding figure in the church, Patriarch Nikon and the theologian Simeon of Polotsk. Then the historian draws the attention of readers with biographies of statesmen Athanasius Ordin-Nashchokin, the princes Golitsyn. He talks about the contribution of the publisher Novikov to Russian enlightenment, about the lawmaker Mikhail Speransky. Klyuchevsky does not ignore the greatest writers of Pushkin, Karamzin, and, of course, the historians Bestuzhev-Rumin, Soloviev and Granovsky.
Reviews
Klyuchevsky's “historical portraits” are an excellent guide for teachers, schoolchildren and students. Here are collected reliable facts that you will not find in every history textbook. The book will be interesting not only for those who are fond of the history of Russia. It is written in a vibrant, vibrant language, and everyone will find in it something useful for themselves. “Historical portraits” are brilliant characteristics of monarchs, clergy, diplomats, generals and cultural figures. The reader faces live portraits of famous historical figures, revealed deeply and penetratingly.