Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich: an overview of biography and creativity

Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich, whose biography and work are the subject of this review, was one of the prominent and major nineteenth-century Russian historians. In addition, he is known as a public figure, publicist, publisher, collector of antiquities and a writer. His source studies contributed to the development of national historical science, and his research methodology was really a new word in the then science.

Some facts of life

Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich, whose brief biography is the topic of this article, lived a long and fruitful life (1800-1875). He was the son of a serf peasant Count Saltykov, but received a free education, and entered the historical and philological faculty of Moscow University. Here he defended his master's thesis and became a professor.

He taught national and world history, and soon Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich became the head of the department of Russian history, which was founded on the university charter in 1835. However, after some time he was forced to leave this post. This happened in 1844 due to a conflict with the trustee of this institution. Since then, Pogodin has devoted himself exclusively to research, publicistic and social activities. From 1820 to 1850 he published journals of a conservative direction.

Working with sources

Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich is known as a collector of Russian antiquities. He collected ancient manuscripts and various rarities. Carefully described and published them. In this respect, his works were fruitful for historical science. After all, just at that time, it was experiencing its heyday. Therefore, the introduction of sources into scientific circulation was extremely important. His collection Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich began to collect in the 1830's. They found a significant number of ancient things: icons, images, seals, autographs of famous people, ancient manuscripts, including the act material. All this has been called the "Drevleshranilishche".

Proceedings

The historian paid special attention to ancient and medieval Russian history. At the center of his attention was the problem of the emergence of the state. In 1825 he wrote his master's thesis "On the Origin of Russia". This question interested him because it was in him that he saw the difference in the ways of development of our country and the Western European states. Thus, he contrasted the conquest that occurred in these lands to the peaceful vocation of the Varangians in Russia. In 1834 Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich defended his second thesis "On the Annals of Nestor," in which he outlined the problem of sources. In addition, he was interested in the issue of the reasons for Moscow's rise. And the first of the historians created the theory of "gathering power" by its rulers.

Periodization

Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich created his chronological grid of the history of Russia. The starting point for him was the above-mentioned vocation of the Varangians. However, at the same time he stipulated that the Slavic factor had a great significance in the creation of the state. This first period he completed the reign of Yaroslav, by the time of which he attributed the final folding of Russian statehood. The boundary of the second stage was determined by the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars and the establishment of the Horde yoke. The next period, Moscow, he carried to the time until the reign of Peter the Great. And finally, the modern era Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich called time a national identity, while particularly positive about the abolition of serfdom.

Comparison of national and world history

The scientist expressed a number of interesting thoughts about common and distinctive features about the development of Europe and Russia. In his opinion, their past has many parallels: feudalism and the specific system, its subsequent weakening and strengthening of monarchical power. However, the researcher argued that, in spite of common features, these stories would never cross. He eventually came to the conclusion that our country is developing in a special way. This is possible due to the fact that the state was founded by a peaceful vocation, not a conquest. And therefore the empire is insured against the revolutions that were taking place on the continent at that time.

About the meaning of history

The author, in principle, was close to the Slavophiles, since the latter also spoke about the original way of development of Russia. About the same ideas developed in his writings Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich. The main historical work of the researcher is, perhaps, "Studies, remarks and lectures on Russian history." He attached great importance to this discipline in moral and patriotic education, because he saw in it a guardian and guardian of public order. He believed that in our country there is no reason for revolutionary upheaval, since the people are always devoted to the autocracy, the Orthodox faith and the native language. Thus, the scientist approached the theory of official nationality, which was created at this time.

About rulers

Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich, whose photo is presented in the article, besides medieval and ancient history, also dealt with a later time. Of particular interest are his assessments of various rulers. Thus, he considered the reign of Ivan the Terrible a natural step on the path to the formation of Russian statehood. The historian highly appreciated Peter's reforms, believing that their prerequisites arose even before the beginning of his reign. So, the creativity and activity of Pogodin occupy a prominent place in the development of national historiography.