What links the Black River and Mount Mashuk? What event is associated with the name of the Black River?

To understand what links the Black River and Mount Mashuk, it is necessary to get acquainted with the biographies of two great Russian writers of the XIX century - Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov. It is their tragic destinies that are associated with these far from each other places.

The last duel of Pushkin

January 8, 1837 on the Black River, near St. Petersburg, a duel took place between Alexander Pushkin and Georges Dantes. The enemy shot the famous poet, after which he died, having spent several days lying at home in agony.

At that time, the tradition to call a duel was very popular. But even by the then standards, Pushkin was a notorious squabbler. Prior to Dantes, he was already shooting four duels. Still about fifteen calls and have not escalated into bloodshed basically thanks to diligence of friends of the poet who tried to settle its conflicts with associates. The place of the duel is exactly what connects the Black River and Mount Mashuk.

Conflict with Dantes

The reason for the quarrel between Dantes and Pushkin was the wife of the latter - Natalya Pushkina (in the nee Goncharova). The Frenchman met a woman in 1835 and quickly became an annoying misunderstanding in the life of the poet. Pushkin was very jealous. In addition, he did not like the public light, which was the source of all sorts of rumors about his personal life.

The first conflict between men occurred in November 1836, when Pushkin received an anonymous libel in the mail by mail. In this caustic note, an unnamed author in every possible way laughed at the writer, calling him a cuckold, etc. Until now, literary scholars have been discussing who could write this libel. Exactly this is unknown. But Pushkin decided that the author is Dantes. He summoned the Frenchman to a duel. The quarrel was settled by common acquaintances. Even Emperor Nicholas I drew attention to her, who gave the poet an audience.

The death of the poet

What connects the Black River and Mount Mashuk happened one year after the first challenge to the duel. The Petersburg public continued to speculate about the links between Goncharova and Dantes. Finally, Pushkin could not stand it and in January 1837 sent an ultimatum to the officer.

A few days later everything was prepared for the inevitable duel. It took place on the Black River, on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The match was specially agreed in such a way that it left no chance for the loser to survive. The arrows stood twenty paces apart. Pushkin's second-best was his fellow-student at the Tsarkoselsky Lyceum, Konstantin Danzas.

The first shot was made by Dantes. He wounded Pushkin in the stomach. The writer first decided that the damage was not serious and tried to make a return shot. The barrel of his pistol was clogged with snow, but the second helped him change weapons. Pushkin's shot wounded Dantes lightly - he was alive and well. And the affairs of Goncharova's husband were completely bad. He, seriously wounded, was taken home. This is the answer to the question of what event the name Black River is associated with.

The wounded Pushkin lived two more days. He died on January 29, 1837. About his duel was reported to Emperor Nicholas I. The wounded poet received the command of the best doctors in the capital. Their attempts to save the writer's life proved futile.

Lermontov is the heir of Pushkin

The fact that the name Black River is associated with is very similar to the history of another place - Mount Mashuk. It is located in the Caucasian Mineral Waters - in a popular holiday destination. July 15, 1841, a duel took place between the writer Mikhail Lermontov and the retired officer Nikolai Martynov.

Five years have passed since the death of Pushkin. The entire reading Russian public was deeply shocked by what had happened. The shot writer became an innovator of the Russian language, he, in fact, created modern Russian literature. His comprehensive role was understood by contemporaries.

Many of them began to consider Lermontov a direct heir to Pushkin. He was also talented, he wrote both prose and poetry, and he also had a similar story referring to the Caucasus. This is what connects the Black River and Mount Mashuk.

The quarrel with Martynov

The young 27-year-old Lermontov quarreled with Martynov because of literature. Nicholas was a novice writer. Lermontov, known for his complex character, openly mocked the creativity of his opponent, considering him a graphomaniac. Martynov did not fool for long. At one of the public events in the house of Verzlin, in the heat of another quarrel, the officer summoned Lermontov to a duel.

Opponents realized that mutual exchanges were prohibited by law. Those who did fall in a duel, judged a military court. Therefore, the upcoming confrontation between the two young people was prepared conspiratorially. All the details were known only to themselves and their seconds. Due to the fact that later Martynov and his assistants were tried, they deliberately distorted many facts. This complicated the research of the descendants who were interested in the history of the last days of Lermontov.

Anyway, a duel was set up next to Mashuk Mountain. Opponents decided to shoot pistols. Already at the preparation stage it became clear that someone was destined to die. That's what connects the Black River and Mashuk.

Duel near Mashuk Mountain

July 15, 1841, at about 7 pm, a duel was appointed near the road from the colony of Nikolayev to Pyatigorsk. The tract, which was nearby, passed near the northern slope of the high mountain Mashuk. Later it will be the symbol of the tragic fate of the author of "The Hero of Our Time". This is what connects the Black River and the mountain.

When investigators discovered Lermontov's corpse, his pistol was discharged, although Martynov remained intact. There are several theories about what actually happened in a duel. Because of Martynov's confused testimony, it is already impossible to determine the truth. Most likely, at the last moment Lermontov shot into the air, showing in such a way that he does not want to kill the enemy.

Lermontov died a few minutes after the Martynov bullet hit his chest. Arrived orderlies could not help him. Two of the greatest Russian writer of the XIX century died in duels. They became the epitome of the golden age of Russian literature. The Black River and Mashuk Mountain still attract thousands of tourists and admirers of the works of two unmatched writers.