The origin of Radishchev
Let's start with introducing our hero. Radishchev Alexander Nikolaevich - a famous Russian writer, an adherent of "educational philosophy." Radishchev's biography begins on August 31, 1749 (according to the old style - August 20). It was then that Alexander Nikolaevich was born. Radishchev Afanasy Prokopyevich, the grandfather of the future writer, was one of Peter’s amusing ones. He rose to the rank of foreman. Afanasy Petrovich gave his son Nikolai a good upbringing. Nikolai Afanasevich Radishchev was a Saratov landowner. And Fekla Stepanovna, the mother of Alexander, was from the Argamakov family, an old noble family. Her eldest son was Alexander Radishchev. The biography and work of the great writer glorified this name.
Education in Vernym Ablyazov and in Moscow
The estate of his father was located in Upper Ablyazov. Alexander learned Russian literacy from the Psalter and the Hourglass. When he was 6 years old, a Frenchman was assigned to him, but the choice of a teacher was unsuccessful. As they later learned, this Frenchman was a fugitive soldier. The father decided to send his son to Moscow. Here he was entrusted with the care of the French tutor, who used to be an adviser to the Rouen parliament, but he had to flee the persecution of Louis XV.
Alexander in 1756 was sent to a noble school, located at Moscow University. Six years continued training in it. In Moscow in September 1762, the coronation of Catherine II took place. Many nobles were promoted for this occasion. Radishchev's biography was marked by an important event for him on November 25: Alexander Nikolaevich was granted a page.
How Radishchev got abroad
He arrived in St. Petersburg in January 1764 and studied in the Page Corps until 1766. When Catherine decided to send 12 young noblemen for scientific studies in Leipzig, including 6 pages who were distinguished by successes in teaching and behavior, Radishchev became one of the lucky ones . When students were sent abroad, Catherine II personally wrote instructions on what they should do. Significant funds were allocated for their maintenance - first 800 rubles each, and since 1769 - one thousand a year for each.
Life in Leipzig
However, Major Bokum, assigned as a tutor to the nobles, withheld significant amounts in his favor, so the students needed. Radishchev, whose biography interests us, spoke about his stay abroad in the Life of F.V. Ushakov. The activities of young people in Leipzig were quite diverse. They studied philosophy, law, history. According to the instructions of Catherine II, students could engage in “other sciences” at will. Radishchev chose chemistry and medicine. He was carried away by them not just as an amateur, but very seriously. Alexander Nikolaevich even passed the exam for a doctor and subsequently successfully engaged in treatment. One of his favorite things forever remained also chemistry classes. Radishchev well knew various languages ​​(Latin, French, German). He later also learned Italian and English. After spending 5 years in Leipzig, Radishchev, like his comrades, forgot the Russian language. Therefore, he began to deal with it upon his return to Russia under the leadership of the secretary Ekaterina Khrapovitsky.
Return to St. Petersburg, service in the Senate
Upon graduation, Alexander Nikolaevich became a very educated person, which at that time was not a lot not only in our country, but also in the world. In 1771, Radishchev returned to St. Petersburg. Soon, he entered the service of the recorder in the Senate. With the rank of titular adviser, Alexander Nikolaevich did not serve for long, because poor knowledge of his native language interfered, and it also hindered the appeal of his superiors and the partnership of clerks.
Service in the headquarters of Bryusov and in the business collegium, marriage
Radishchev decided to enter the headquarters of General-General Bryusov, who commanded in St. Petersburg. He became the chief auditor. Alexander Nikolaevich retired in 1775, rising to the rank of second major. Rubanovsky, one of his Leipzig comrades, introduced Alexander Radishchev to the family of his older brother. Anna Vasilievna, daughter of the latter, and Alexander Nikolayevich married.
In 1778, he again entered the service in the chamber of the collegium for the position of assessor. In 1788, Radishchev was transferred to St. Petersburg customs. He became assistant manager, and then manager. Both in customs and in the chamber collegium, Alexander Radishchev stood out for his devotion to duty, disinterestedness, and a serious attitude to his duties.
The first literary works
Reading and studying the Russian language eventually led him to his own literary samples. In 1773, Radishchev published a translation of the work of Mably, after which he began to make up the history of the Senate of Russia, but destroyed what was written.
Fatal Book
Radishchev's biography continues with the death of his beloved wife. It happened in 1783. After that, Alexander Nikolaevich decided to immerse himself in literary work and find solace in it. He published in 1789, "The Life of Fedor Vasilyevich Ushakov ...". Radishchev, using the Empress’s decree on free printing houses, started his own at home and released his main work in 1790, entitled “Travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow”.
This book immediately began to be quickly sold out. Alexander Nikolaevich’s bold discussions about serfdom, as well as other phenomena of state and public life of that time drew the attention of Catherine II herself, to whom someone presented the “Journey ...”.
How Censorship Missed The Journey ...
Very curious biography of Radishchev. Interesting facts about him are numerous. They cannot be fit into the format of a single article. However, one of them must certainly be mentioned. Radishchev’s book was released with the permission of the deanery council, that is, established censorship. However, persecution was launched against the author. How is this possible? The fact is that "Travel ..." was censored simply because the censor thought it was a guide. Indeed, at first glance it may seem so - the chapters of the work are named after places and cities. The censor looked only at the content and did not delve into the book.
Arrest and Sentence
They did not immediately find out who the author of the work was, since his name was not indicated in the book. However, after the arrest of the merchant Zotov, whose store sold Radishchev’s labor, they learned that it was Alexander Nikolaevich who wrote the ill-fated work and published it. Radishchev was arrested, and his case was “assigned” to Sheshkovsky. The Empress forgot that Alexander Radishchev studied "natural law" both abroad and in the Page Corps, that she herself allowed to preach and preached personally the principles that were mentioned in The Journey. Catherine II reacted to the work of Alexander Nikolaevich with great personal irritation. The empress personally composed questions to Radishchev and led the whole business through Bezborodko.
Alexander Nikolaevich was put in a fortress, where he was interrogated by Sheshkovsky. Repeatedly declared repentance, refused the book written by him Radishchev. A brief biography of him, however, should not be missed by the fact that in his testimonies he often found the very views that were given in his work. Our hero hoped with an expression of remorse to soften the punishment that threatened him. However, Radishchev could not hide his beliefs.
A brief biography of his future years is quite natural. It is clear that the fate of Alexander Nikolaevich was decided in advance. He was found guilty already in a decree on trial. A brief investigation was conducted by the criminal chamber. Its contents are indicated in a letter to Bezborodko, Count Bruce, Commander-in-Chief in St. Petersburg. Radishchev was sentenced to death.
Softening fate
The sentence passed to the Senate, and then to the Council, was confirmed in these two instances, after which it was presented to the empress. On September 4, 1790, a personal decree was issued recognizing Alexander Nikolaevich as guilty of the crime of serving as a subject and taking the oath by publishing this book. The blame of Alexander Radishchev, as stated in it, is such that he deserves the death penalty. However, by mercy and in honor of the conclusion of a peace treaty with Sweden, such a severe punishment was replaced by a reference to the Ilim prison, located in Siberia. He should have been there for 10 years. This decree was immediately enforced.
Hard years of reference
Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev experienced a difficult time. His biography was marked by difficult trials immediately after the sentencing. The writer arrested in the summer was taken away from the fortress without warm clothes. Apparently, Catherine II was hoping that Radishchev, who was already seriously worried about his conclusion, would die on the way. It is known that Count Vorontsov sent money to the Tver governor so that Alexander Radishchev could buy everything he needed for a long journey.
Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev, whose biography continues in the Ilimsk prison, spent almost 5 years here. However, he did not lose heart. Radishchev treated the locals. Alexander Nikolayevich instilled smallpox in children, equipped a small oven at his home, where he began firing dishes. And, of course, he continued his literary work.
The sad fate of such a famous writer as Radishchev Alexander Nikolaevich attracted universal attention. A brief biography should not miss him, and the fact that the sentence imposed on him seemed incredible. Many times rumors arose in society that Alexander Nikolaevich was forgiven, that he would soon return from exile. However, they did not make excuses.
Relations with E.V. Rubanovskaya
E.V. came to Siberia to him Rubanovskaya, the sister of his late wife, brought the youngest children with her (the older children stayed with their relatives to receive an education). Radishchev in Ilimsk became close to this woman. However, they did not have the right to get married. This was equated with incest and was a violation of church rules. In exile, Elizaveta Vasilievna gave birth to three children to Radishchev. She died in 1797 from a cold in Tobolsk, on returning from exile. However, the feat of this woman, who anticipated the Decembrists, was not only not appreciated by contemporaries. Even after the death of Elizabeth Vasilievna, they continued to condemn them with Alexander Nikolaevich. When Radishchev returned home, Nikolai Afanasevich, his blind father, refused to accept his grandchildren. He said that marrying a sister-in-law was unthinkable. If Radishchev chose a serf girl, he would have accepted her, but Elizabeth Vasilievna could not.
Homecoming
Soon after accession to the throne, Emperor Pavel returned from Siberia such an important public figure as Radishchev Alexander Nikolaevich. A brief biography of his later years, however, is marked by new difficulties. The decree on pardon was drawn up on November 23, 1796. Alexander Nikolayevich was ordered to live in the village of Nemtsov, Kaluga province, where his estate was located. The correspondence and the behavior of Radishchev was instructed to observe the governor. Alexander Nikolaevich after the accession of Emperor Alexander I received complete freedom. He was called to Petersburg. Here he became a member of the commission on the drafting of various laws, Alexander Radishchev. A short biography of him ends abruptly. How did this happen? Now you will learn how A.N. Radishchev. His biography ends very unusual.
The death of Radishchev
Born and Ilyinsky, contemporaries of Alexander Nikolayevich, certify that the legend of his death is true. According to him, Radishchev submitted a draft legislative reform. It again put forward the liberation of the peasants. Then Count Zavadovsky, secretary of the commission, made a strict suggestion to Alexander Nikolaevich for his thoughts, reminding him of his past hobbies. Zavadovsky even mentioned the Siberian exile. Radishchev, whose health was very upset and his nerves broken, was so shocked by the threats and reprimand of Zavadsky that he even decided to commit suicide.
Alexander Nikolaevich drank poison. He died in great agony. Radishchev died on the night of September 12, 1802. Alexander Nikolayevich was buried in the Volkov Cemetery.
The ban named after Radishchev and rehabilitation
For a long time there was a ban on the name of such a great writer as A.N. Radishchev. His short biography interests many today, but after his death his name practically did not appear in print. Several articles about Alexander Nikolaevich were written shortly after his death, and then his name almost disappeared in literature. It was rarely mentioned. Only incomplete and fragmentary data were provided about Radishchev. Batyushkov introduced Alexander Radishchev into the program of essay on literature compiled by him. Only in the 2nd half of the 1850s was the ban lifted from the name of Radishchev. Since that time, many articles about him began to appear in print.
To this day, researchers are attracted by the biography of Radishchev. The summary of his "Travel ..." is known to many of our compatriots. All this speaks of his immortality as a writer.