"ДЕМОН ПРОПАГАНДЫ" И "MADEMOISELLE CATHERINE": К ИСТОРИИ НЕСОСТОЯВШЕЙСЯ ЖЕНИТЬБЫ ДЕКАБРИСТА М.П. БЕСТУЖЕВА-РЮМИНА

Abstract

The article is about the history of the failed marriage of the Decembrist M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin to the niece of another Decembrist, V.L. Davydov – Ekaterina Borozdina (“mademoiselle Catherine”). The author assesses Bestuzhev-Rjumin’s role in the Southern Decembrists Society and his propaganda abilities. The author also analyses documents describing the course of that love story and the reasons why the marriage did not take place. The main emphasis is placed on the disastrous consequences that BestuzhevRyumin’s refusal to marry had for the fate of the Decembrist conspiracy.