Arap is a native of Ethiopia. The work of Pushkin "Arap of Peter the Great"

Everyone knows the story of Pushkin, in which we are talking about the great-grandfather of the poet - dark-skinned Hannibal. Arap - this is a native of Ethiopia and a faithful servant of Peter I. This meaning has this word in the work of the Russian writer. What is the meaning of the term in the old days?

In the dictionary of Dal

The Russian lexicographer in his multivolume work outlined the meaning of this word briefly, concisely. Arap is a black man from hot countries. Consequently, this word was used to mean a native of Africa. But not every man with an exotic appearance was called an Arab in Russia.

Servant

Black people first appeared in Russia during the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich. They did not walk idly through the palaces. On the contrary, they had a clear set of responsibilities. Arap is a court servant of the eighteenth century. One of the migrants who received such an honorary title was Pushkin's great-grandfather. The writer devoted to him the literary work "Arap of Peter the Great."

As an ancestor of Pushkin was in St. Petersburg?

Arap is the godson of Peter the Great. A young son of the Ethiopian king was captured by the Turks. Then somehow he was in the Sultan's seraglio, from where he was taken by S. Raguzinsky. In Constantinople, he stayed on the royal errand. What prompted us to bring an African youth from a distant hot country to cold Russia is not known. But according to historical documents, to which Pushkin relied in writing his book, Peter I was imbued with fatherly love for the Ethiopian boy.

A visitor from the African continent was baptized according to Orthodox traditions. They called him Abraham (Abram). The cross, of course, was Peter himself. The tsar did not regret even his own patronymic for the pupil. Henceforth, the arab was called Abram Petrovich.

The Royal Valet

Arapchonok showed an amazing love of science. At first he was a court servant. But, assessing the ability and resourcefulness of the godson, Peter made him a personal secretary and valet. And later he sent to Europe to study engineering.

By the way, his name - Hannibal - the St. Petersburg Moor received in honor of the great commander. To military affairs, he had the most direct relationship. In particular, he accompanied Peter during the Battle of Poltava. When Hannibal mastered engineering, he returned to Russia, where he took part in the erection of the Kronstadt fortress. Abram Hannibal excellently showed himself also as a teacher. He taught mathematics and became the author of a book on military engineering.

After the death of the king

For several years, Hannibal was in disgrace. This happened after the death of the king. Alexander Menshikov suddenly rose above the dissatisfied closest of the deceased king. Hannibal joined the protesters. As a result, he was sent to Siberia. But soon Hannibal returned to St. Petersburg and even was able to get a new appointment.

All his life the famous Russian arap led memoirs in French. But before he died, he destroyed them. Abram Hannibal is a bright figure in Russian history. He is known not only as the ancestor of a great writer, but also as a nobleman, whose attitude towards serfs was extremely humane for the eighteenth century.